Malice
by TheDeadTellTales
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto is a defense attorney. Sabaku Gaara is a convicted murderer. Years after the conviction, the case is re-opened and Naruto gets the chance to work as his lawyer. But what happens when he gets too involved with the client in question? GaaNaru / NaruGaa, AU
1. Limits of Sanity

**The story has been rated M, because I'm not sure how graphic the future content will be (detailed violence, sexual content, blah blah). **

**I'm trying to make this story's environment a mix of Naruto world and reality. For example, the Land of Wind doesn't actually exist, but Fuchu Prison is an actual high security correctional center in Japan. You'll see when you read. **

**This will be slowly developing, eventual GaaNaru/NaruGaa. If any of the content isn't your cup of tea, feel free to stop reading as soon as that conclusion hits you and save any personal opinions on matters that are purely a question of preference. Reasoned criticism on the other hand is welcomed. **

* * *

The wind around there, it had a scent to it. A faint scent of iron and raw flesh, despicable and vile. Like the smell of blood, only lacking the sweetness. It reached towards being disgusting, yet wasn't sharp enough to produce a gag. It fell short of causing nausea, but easily disturbed the otherwise still air. If madness had had a smell to it, it would've been that exactly. Subtle enough to seem harmless, yet too eerie to perfectly hide the danger in the mix.

A young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The cold air filled his lungs, creating the illusion of space and freedom. As an illusion, it worked astonishingly well. But he knew better. Opening his eyes he let the air slip from between his lips, as his dead gaze glanced around.

That place knew no freedom. That ground knew no peace. Those walls knew no happiness. That place was the definition of sad. Not sadness. Just plain, pitiful sad.

Glancing around the yard, he couldn't stop his eyes from narrowing in disgust. The people around him were just as sinful and soaked in blood as the walls surrounding him. Naturally the visible red of blood had been washed away, but that didn't mean it wasn't visible to him. Just like the walls caging him would never seize to absorb the evil within them, the men inside would never be able to wipe away the scenes of death from their eyes. No matter how careful they were, no matter how well they played out their act, the eyes would always give it away.

Madness was never something for mankind to control, but the other way around. Hence the imprint it marked its victims with.

He knew, because he possessed those very same eyes. He had the eyes, but he wasn't insane. No, he couldn't be, a madman would not be aware of the cold gleam behind his gaze, giving it all away. He had the eyes, but wasn't mad. He was unsure of what it meant. Was he on his way to madness? He didn't know, nor would he care until it became a problem.

The man let out a grunt and turned his head towards an opening in the wall beside him. It was blocked by thick iron bars, chain link fence and barbwire, but did let through the view behind the concrete walls. The sight was barely worth mentioning; a dry field, trees preparing for the winter and a tightly shut gate. He walked closer to the opening. Slowly he reached out a hand to feel one of the thick iron bars separating him and the free world. It was cold to the touch. Something familiar gently hit his face.

Wind. Wind from the other side. The feel of it made him shudder. It smelled so different, so…free. So free of blood.

* * *

A blonde man let out a lengthy breath of relief as he put down his pen and shut down the expensive laptop in front of him. He couldn't resist the need to give up the good posture and sink down in his chair. A small yawn escaped his lips as he rubbed his weary eyes. It had been a long day. A rough day, too. The tired, blue-eyed gaze wandered off to glance at the file on the desk in front of him.

He was a defense attorney, specialized in homicide cases. He liked his job, he liked the challenge it offered him. But some days, some cases…sometimes it was hard. Sometimes it was hard to stand by a person who had no hope of winning the case, who without a doubt had committed the crime in question. But it was never too hard. That's what made him so good at his job. He had the talent of shutting down his emotions when necessary. Even today, while working on a case that'd drained his energy to the lowest. But though he had the talent of shutting his emotions down, from time to time it was a struggle to keep them low. Today had been one of those times.

The man glanced at the file once more before standing up, grabbing the file and walking a small distance to drop it in a drawer. The blonde couldn't help but feel a slight stab of hatred towards his most recent client. Cases of murdered children. Those were his only weakness, and today it had taken a considerable amount of strength to keep it from impacting him.

An unexpected cough from behind took him by surprise.

"Yo, Naruto. Got a minute?" a man dressed in a sharp suit asked.

Upon hearing his name, Naruto turned around to look at the man in question. He sighed and walked lazily back to his chair.

"Depends. Is it urgent or are you just trying to piss on my plans of going home?" Naruto answered, slightly annoyed.

The man walked over to his desk with a small smirk on his lips.

"You know it's not like me to be troublesome, so yeah, this is urgent," was the answer.

Naruto took a look at the man in front of him. His appearance alone was worth mentioning. Being fairly tall with well structured, sharp features and brown, shoulder-length hair tied into a neat ponytail, he carried that certain vibe of intimidating professionalism. Nara Shikamaru, brilliant human rights attorney plus a genius. He rarely made mistakes, rarely lost cases. He was like Naruto; loved his job for the challenges it offered him. They'd gone to school together, challenging each other to a silent race to be the top of their classes. He had motivated Naruto to become the man he was today. Aside from being his respected colleague, he was a close friend. Had been for several years.

Naruto lowered his gaze to the file in the other man's hand. He sighed.

"Shit, seriously? Are you sure this can't wait till tomorrow?" Naruto asked with a pleading look. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, this was emphasized as urgent. Someone requested specifically you and said that they need an answer by tomorrow," the man said, laying a stern look on his friend.

Naruto's tired eyes opened wider upon hearing the request.

"What's the urgency?" he questioned. Shikamaru's shrugged as he turned around, leaving the file on the desk.

"Dunno. Read the file and find out," he said and walked out the door.

Naruto felt like glaring at the man's turned back, but couldn't really blame Shikamaru for the shitty timing. Supposing he wasn't given much choice, with a huff he opened the file. It was a report on a re-opening of an old case. Naruto went straight to the description of the said case.

'_Defendant accused of first degree murders of seven people.'_

Naruto couldn't help but let out a sigh. This wasn't going to be an easy one. With that thought stirring immediate stress, he let himself go through the details.

'_Murders committed in July of 2007, the suspect taken into custody two months later, sentenced to life imprisonment in November of 2007. In August of 2014, by the request of the victims' families, the prosecution filed a complaint about the sentence and is now demanding a capital punishment, death sentence. But with the case being re-opened, new evidence has come to light and is now favoring the defendant. This has made the defendant optimistic and now wishes for a new layer, not being pleased with the work of the former ._'

Naruto found this mildly interesting. The defendant obviously held hopes for being released. Actually, Naruto knew about this particular case. It had been brought up as a fresh example of a first degree murder case in law school. But he wasn't particularly familiar with it. He'd never seen a picture of the killer nor did he remember their name, but the short explanation of the case back in school had taught him it'd been a disturbing one. He didn't know the full story, but did know who to contact about it. That is, if he found the case interesting enough after going through the details.

Naruto moved his attention back to the text in front of him. The vague description wasn't really enough information to go on. He turned the page to see the details. Something turned in his stomach as he was introduced to the pictures of the crime scene.

Although the pictures were mere photocopies, they were very detailed. The scene was horrific. He couldn't remember seeing such vast amounts of blood in a single crime scene photo, ever. The picture had been taken of a room with once white walls. Blood had covered most of the surfaces around the room and it had literally pooled the floor. There were body parts and more or less intact human beings lying on the blood soaked hardwood floor. Some of the victims had been cut to so many pieces, there wasn't really much left from which to identify them as once having been living people. Others hadn't had anything severed, but had suffered such severe bullet wounds to the head that their faces weren't recognizable anymore. One didn't have a face at all, like it had been cut off.

Naruto felt a burning in his throat as the lunch he'd eaten tried to escape. He took a deep breath to calm down. He wasn't sensitive to these things, but he also hadn't been expecting _this._ This crime had been committed with such _hate._ The rage was so apparent. The first thought that came to mind was that this crime hadn't been done for pleasure. It'd been planned, yes, and sadistically enjoyed, but didn't come off as a perverse pleasure. The hate wasn't consistent with it being a perversion. But neither was it a spontaneous hate crime, it had been planned. History certainly knew of multiple serial killers who'd fulfilled their perversions using people that their sick hate towards the world culminated in, but this attack had been much more personal. And the differences between the victims were so obvious that it would've been unlikely for a serial killer to have such a wide range of preferences among victims.

Naruto took a look at the report attached to the pictures.

'_Weapons used in the crime have been identified as: Makita chainsaw, two kinds of army knives, AA-12 shotgun, and Colt .45. Two of the victims had also suffered fatal wounds that were proven to be the result of using an axe in the attack. The axe was not found on the scene nor was it in the possession of the suspect. A partial fingerprint was discovered on the AA-12 shotgun, but the investigators failed to find any crucial DNA on the weapons, victims or crime scene in general. The partial fingerprint was proven to be a match with the suspects'.'_

The file included pictures of the weapons used in the attack. Apart from the AA-12 shotgun, all of them appeared to be brand new. Not a scratch on any of them, even after the blood bath. Naruto wondered if this was somehow relevant. It appeared that all other equipment had been acquired specifically for the attack. The killer might've used the shotgun for sentimental reasons. It seemed apparent that the gun held some personal value to the killer; it would've explained why he'd used a traceable weapon. The gun's traceability raised a high risk of getting tracked down. On further inspection Naruto learned that the shotgun had been registered to the suspect. So why had it been left behind? Did something go wrong with their plan that made them flee before everything was finished?

Naruto turned another page. There he found a picture of a man. For half a heartbeat, Naruto felt his breath hitch. A man with a ghostly pale face and piercing blue eyes stared at him from the picture. His eyes came across so void and hollow that Naruto questioned if it were a picture of a living man at all. His doubt faded as he realized that this was the suspect's mug shot. The hair on the back of Naruto's neck stood up as he continued to stare at the photo. Somehow it was difficult not to. The man's face lacked all expression aside from what seemed to be an almost unnoticeable smirk. Naruto no longer was so sure about this guy not being a homicidal maniac. The man looked completely insane.

That wasn't the only unusual aspect about his features. He was pale as snow, had blood red hair and a tattoo on his forehead. Or was it a scar? A kanji for '_love'. _Naruto didn't know how to feel about the irony of it. It took him a while to discover that this man had no eyebrows. That particular feature made his piercing blue eyes stand out even stronger. A dark shade around them only emphasized the cold stare. Still, somehow, this man was…handsome, he supposed. He had a face many would've either envied, or fallen for. Strong jawline, sharp cheekbones and overall enviable proportions. Naruto knew it wasn't unusual for people with killer instinct to be attractive. It seemed that good looks often came with the lack of something else. In this case, it seemed to be sanity. Such a shame it was for all the women in the world, to have good looks wasted on men like him.

Of course Naruto hadn't made any final conclusions about the man just yet, as he'd only gone through a fraction of the data. He turned another page, and came upon a name; Sabaku Gaara. Faint recognition piqued the blonde's interest.

"Gaara, huh?" Naruto voiced.

Not getting hung up on it, he eyed the rest of the information.

'_Name: Sabaku Gaara_

_Born: January 19, 1986_

_Age: 28_

_Sex: Male_

_Background:_

_The early childhood of the defendant, according to himself, was a fairly normal one. The effort to gather more details was a failure due to the defendant resisting cooperation on the subject. From official records it has been successfully tracked down that Sabaku was born and raised in Suna, Land of Wind. The mother of Sabaku passed away in 1986, due to complications that occurred after giving birth to the defendant. Sabaku was born prematurely, but wasn't proven to have suffered any mental or physical damage. Sabaku is the youngest of three children. Official records were able to track down the life of Sabaku up until January 2001. After that no official track record of the man's actions existed until the arrest of 2007. The defendant has refused to discuss the issue of lost records multiple times. No attempt on recovering the records has been successful._

_Health:_

_The health of the defendant was thoroughly inspected after the arrest. Nothing indicated any physical diseases. The examination results of any severe mental issues/disorders were also clean. Though indications of psychological anomalies were present, a verdict of compos mentis was made, the defendant thus remaining to be seen as one of a sound mind. _

Unlike Sabaku's looks seemed to indicate, the man was not a psychotic killer lacking control over his actions. But he did have secrets, it seemed.

Naruto yawned and checked his watch. He was surprised to find out it was nearing 11 pm. He'd been prepared to leave around nine, but it seemed like the case file had unexpectedly swallowed two hours of his time. Naruto finally closed the file and took out his phone. He dialed a familiar number. After two rings, there was an answer.

"'Sup moron?" a deep voice asked. Naruto smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Pleasant. Drag your ass to the Place. I'll see you in ten."

With that, Naruto hung up, not giving the other one a chance to decline. He packed the case file with his other belongings and after putting the lights out, closed the office door behind him.

Exactly ten minutes later Naruto found himself in front of a bar. The Place, it was called, one of his favorites. It was a relaxing, yet classy place. Carried out well the whole James Bond kind of atmosphere. The inner child in him had taken quite the liking to it. The blonde made his way inside, immediately catching a familiar figure on the left.

"Yo, bastard!" Naruto hollered and made his way towards the dark haired man sitting by the counter.

The man was Uchiha Sasuke; Naruto's closest friend since childhood. Appearance wise, they were like night and day. While Naruto was blonde, tan and blue-eyed, Sasuke's complexion was as pale as the moon, eyes dark as the night and hair blacker than the feathers of a raven. Despite the grim image such a description might've given, there was absolutely nothing disappointing about the way nature had blessed him. He truly was the ultimate pretty boy, as Naruto often referred to him, knowing it'd annoy the man.

"That was uncalled for", Sasuke grunted, bumping fists with the blonde. A childish habit they'd never grown out of.

"You called me a moron. That makes it entirely called for", Naruto huffed and took a seat next to his friend.

"Your logic is full of shit", the man said, taking a sip from his drink. Naruto chuckled.

"No, _you_ are. But that aside, what's up?" he asked, while signing to the bartender for a beer. Sasuke shrugged.

"Not much. You?"

"Dead tired and piling up with work", the blonde told, ruffling through his black briefcase.

From there he took out the case file he'd stuffed in and slid it over to the man beside him.

"I need you to take a look at it." Naruto said, taking a sip of beer.

Sasuke glanced at the blonde before somewhat suspiciously opening the file. A slight expression of surprise was seen on his face when he discovered the content.

"Re-opened?" was his simple question.

"Yeah. The prosecution decided to file for a capital sentence instead and with that, new evidence came up, now favoring the guy in prison", Naruto filled in the info. His friend silently read through the text.

"You worked on this case, didn't you?" the blonde questioned.

"Yeah, I'd just started. I was there, on the scene that day", Sasuke told.

Sasuke was a couple of years older than Naruto. He'd already been involved in the whole law business while Naruto had still been studying. Sasuke was a crime scene investigator. One of the best actually. Initially he'd aimed to become an officer, but had then decided he wanted to challenge his mind instead of his body and went on to study criminology. The case he was reading through had been one of his firsts as an investigator.

"So what do you think?" Naruto asked after a while. Sasuke gave him a slightly judgmental glare.

"You know I can't give you details without it going through the prosecution as well", he said with a stern voice.

"I thought you might say that", Naruto told. "I don't really need any details yet, I just want to know about the case in general. From someone who was involved."

Sasuke sighed. He didn't know why he bothered resisting. The blonde more often than not got his way in the end anyway. Thus he decided to skip the arguing and gave in to the other's request.

"It's been a while since the case, but…I still think about it sometimes. It was a strange one. The scene was gruesome, but I guess you figured that out from the pictures. I haven't seen a scene like that after it, ever. The amount of blood and body parts was unbelievable. No matter how hard you tried, you ended up stepping in pools of blood and God knows what else…"

The man's speech trailed off, as if overtaken by wonderment. A short pause later, Sasuke frowned.

"There's a few pictures missing from the file", he claimed, sounding certain. "Pictures of weapons. There were more."

Naruto mimicked the other's frown. "More weapons? But the file only mentioned four. And an ax, which was never found."

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm sure it's marked somewhere in the reports. Aside from the five weapons you mentioned, none were used in the murders. But they were all brand new too, so it was concluded that the killer brought them as well."

"Are you sure they were the killer's? Maybe the weapons belonged to the victims?" Naruto suggested.

"Nah, the massacre took place in an office building famous for its luxurious meeting rooms. I doubt they had any use for chainsaws there", Sasuke pondered.

Naruto fell thoughtfully silent. Several unused weapons? Why carry extra weight for nothing? He wondered what the report had to say about it. Somehow the crime seemed sloppy, yet highly intellectual. It took skill and brains to get away without leaving DNA and fingerprints all over the scene, especially with the murders being so messy. The partial fingerprint seemed to be the only mistake the suspect had made. As far as he knew, anyway. There was still a ton to read through.

Naruto snapped awake from his thoughts upon hearing his friend speak.

"You're a defense attorney. That means they want you to take over the defense. You're not seriously thinking about it, are you?" Sasuke asked, laying an intense stare on his friend.

"Dunno yet," Naruto said and sipped from his drink. The other man sighed.

"God Uzumaki, this is a hopeless case. You won't win in a million years. Have you even read the file?"

Naruto made a face. "Not really, no", he admitted.

"Obviously. If you've just been over the vague descriptions, you don't know shit. The reason this guy went to prison wasn't just a partial fingerprint on the gun, but a fucking _survivor_ of this massacre", Sasuke explained. Naruto chocked on his beer just a little bit.

"A survivor? What the hell, why isn't that the first thing in the file?" he asked, coughing the beer out of his lungs.

"It is, right there, dumbass", his friend grunted, pointing at a paper on the counter. Seemed like it actually was, on a sheet of paper Naruto had skillfully skipped.

"Jesus, how did a miss an entire piece of paper?" Naruto mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. "These rough days seem to take a toll on me."

"Not just _a_ paper, but the first page of the entire goddamn file", Sasuke sighed. "Anyway, what is this new evidence?"

"Haven't got a clue yet. I wanted to learn about the original case first", Naruto explained. Sasuke tilted his head.

"Well, unless the evidence is absolutely fucking groundbreaking, that guy won't stand a chance in court", the older man said, pointing at the picture of Sabaku.

Naruto took moment to think about it. He didn't really know about the case enough to say if accepting the job was a good idea or not. But somehow he'd grown interested. He made up his mind about something crucial.

"I'm gonna go meet that guy", Naruto declared. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Sabaku?"

"Yeah. Do you know who made his profile?" the blonde wanted to know.

"Yeah, but I'm sure the profile is attached to the file", Sasuke pointed out.

"Sure, but I wanna talk to the guy who made it. Ask his personal view on this dude, not academic", Naruto explained, waiting for a name.

Sasuke pondered if it was really necessary to tell the blonde, but then again, it wasn't his time wasted.

"Hatake Kakashi, a criminal profiler. Works in same building as me", Sasuke revealed.

"Is he good at this shit?" Naruto wanted to know. The other one chuckled.

"Well, let's just say, he'd easily find out how many times a week you play with yourself with just a handshake", Sasuke said. Naruto let out a laugh.

"I'll take that as a good sign", he chuckled, while reaching into his pocket. "Hold on a minute, I gotta make a call."

He then took out his phone and dialed a number. After a while, a soft female voice, belonging to his secretary, answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Hinata. I'm sorry to disturb you this late, but I need you to make a couple of calls first thing in the morning, ok?" Naruto requested.

"Uhm, sure...is it urgent?" the woman questioned.

"Yeah. I need you to contact a man named Hatake Kakashi in the police department. He's a criminal profiler. Try to arrange a meeting with him around noon, ok? I also need you to contact Fuchu Prison and ask them to schedule me a meeting with a potential client, Sabaku Gaara. As soon as possible, please", the blonde wished.

"...Hatake Kakashi by noon, Fuchu Prison, Sabaku Gaara, urgent...I hope you realize it might take a day or two to get you into Fuchu Prison. It's maximum security", Hinata told him while writing down the information.

"The guy in charge is familiar with me. That should help", Naruto supposed.

"Ok. Will do, good night."

"Yeah, bye."

Naruto put away the phone and turned to face Sasuke. "I'm interested in this one, you know?"

"Tsk, you've always been after the impossible haven't you...Well, can't blame you really. I was there. In court the day he was sentenced. I have to admit, even in the deep shit he was in, he still seemed to be in charge of the situation. You can't buy charisma like that", Sasuke smirked and downed the rest of his drink.

He then pulled himself up from his seat and put on his coat.

"I'm gonna go home and sleep away this exhaustion. Call me when you get back from Fuchu?" Sasuke asked, buttoning up his black coat.

"Sure. Sleep tight, dumbass", Naruto grinned and bumped his fist against the other's again.

"Hn. Asshole."

With that, Sasuke walked out of the bar and left Naruto to finish his beer, whose thoughts still very much revolved around the case.

Strangely, he was kind of excited.

* * *

**Hope ya liked it, sweeties.**


	2. All Saints Sin

**Here's chapter two for you. Enjoy.**

* * *

In the city of Fuchu, in the cellar of Fuchu Prison, there was solitary cell no. 101. That was the cell of Sabaku Gaara. Had been for two months, three weeks and four days. It wasn't his first time in solitary, perhaps not the last, but it certainly was the most mentally unstable so far.

He had recently discovered a problem he could not overcome. There was a crack in the wall. A teeny tiny crack in the gray concrete. And after staring at the same crack_, _in the same wall, in the same cell, for three _fucking_ months, he had begun to weigh his options on the subject. He had considered ripping his eyes out, but decided against it after realizing he didn't know what to do with them afterwards. He'd also thought about simply piercing through them to blind the view. It was an option.

But he'd dismissed it too. He had a hunch that his defense in court might not be as believable if he were to do such self-harm. Neither did he desire to upset the new guy in the cell across his. The man had been crying for two days, continuously, not skipping a beat. It was yet to start annoying Gaara. He wasn't sure what to do if it did. He wasn't sure how exactly making oneself deaf would be done. Making the man silent wasn't an option, since they were separated by a pair of safe doors with plexi glass windows.

The window irked Gaara. It let through the unnecessarily bright fluorescent lights lit in the corridor. Gaara preferred the darkness of his cell. It was those damned lights that made the crack in the wall all too visible. He didn't want look at it anymore.

In the end, he decided to carve a new crack to look at.

* * *

Naruto had taken a cab after leaving The Place and in fifteen short minutes, he'd arrived home. He paid the driver throwing in a tip and then made his way towards the front door of his house. Before he had the chance to take out his keys, the door opened.

Naruto looked up.

"You're late, Naruto", a pink haired woman stated. Naruto flashed her an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Sakura. A new case came up as I was leaving", he explained. Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"…You sure this is about a case?" she asked, obviously suspicious of something. The blonde fought not to scowl.

"Yes. God, we've been through this. You know I'm a lousy liar", he huffed. The woman snorted.

"No you're not. You're lawyer. You lie for a living", she said with a bitter tone.

Naruto rolled his eyes. It wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation. Being an attorney wasn't an easy job. It was hard at the office and it was hard at home too. The job came with its overtime. It wasn't unusual for him to stay at work longer than planned. He would've loved to leave immediately after official work hours, but unfortunately, murder cases weren't flexible like that. He being late had become the norm and that had made Sakura suspicious of the overtime not being work at all. For example, she wasn't that keen on Naruto's sweet secretary.

"That's not exactly true. And totally missing the point. You should know I'd never do that to you. You're my wife, silly", Naruto reminded, planting a kiss on her forehead.

She might've tried, but couldn't help the smile. "Don't you forget that."

"Wouldn't even dream of it", Naruto chuckled and finally made his way inside.

He set down his briefcase and put his coat away, while pondering how to how to break the news he knew Sakura wouldn't exactly appreciate.

"I'm probably gonna have to fly to Fuchu tomorrow afternoon", he started carefully. The woman was immediate to sigh.

"You know we're supposed to go see the doctor tomorrow, Naruto" she said, clearly disappointed.

"I know, sweetie. I'm really sorry, but like I said, a new case came up. It's important", he explained.

Now she just looked scary mad.

"Are you saying that trying to get pregnant isn't?"

The blonde swallowed nervously. He absolutely had to rephrase that.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant it's _urgent_. As in, it can't wait", Naruto tried to reason.

At times he couldn't help but wish that phrasing wasn't one of his weakest points. Such weakness rarely worked well in marriage. He knew the subject at hand wasn't an easy one for his wife to deal with. They'd been trying to get pregnant for a year now, not succeeding. Tomorrow would've been the first doctor's appointment to try and find out what or who wasn't working properly.

"I know this ain't easy for you. It ain't easy for me either, but you gotta understand that the treatments and especially a _child _don't come without expenses. If we want a family, I can't risk losing any big jobs", Naruto explained, taking a seat on the living room couch.

Sakura let her stiff shoulders relax in the rhythm of a sigh. She sat down beside her husband and looked him in the eyes, quite sternly so. What followed was a collection of extraordinarily clear instructions.

"Fine. But you have to promise me that as soon as you get back, we are going to that ridiculously overpaid doctor and won't wait around anymore. Because you know what? We're soon gonna turn thirty and we have no idea how long it takes for us to actually get pregnant, if at all. And I don't wanna look back ten years from now and think 'aw shit, that was our chance'."

Naruto smiled, nodding in approval. "I promise."

A sly grin formed on his lips. He inched a little closer.

"Wanna make some babies?" he whispered, lips brushing against the nape of her neck.

The woman giggled. She enthusiastically took his hand and led him into the bedroom. As a distraction, sex seemed to work astonishingly well.

About an hour later, after Naruto had made sure Sakura was fast asleep, he took out the case file again. Going over the details was necessary before going any further. That thought in mind, Naruto opened the file and flipped to a page holding the full report. The first few chapters held no news to him, but as he went on, new aspects came to light.

"_The seven victims were positively identified by professionals as: _

_\- Nagato Pain_

_\- Deidara (surname unknown)_

_\- Konan Tenshi_

_\- Zetsu (surname unknown)_

_\- Hoshigaki Kisame_

_\- Kakuzu (surname unknown)_

_\- Hidan (surname unknown)_

_These people have been linked to organized crime, though no solid proof of it has been gathered. The majority of the victims' last names were left unidentified as no detailed records of them were recovered. The research has pointed towards an organization known as Akatsuki, one that is held in strong suspicion of being involved in organized crime. The victims are believed to have been a part of said organization. The knowledge on Akatsuki is minimal due to their ability of maintaining a low profile. It is not known how many members this organization officially holds. It is believed that the victims had been living under aliases, motivated by an unknown goal."_

Naruto found the news surprising. He hadn't been expecting this. Sasuke's professional confidentiality restricted him from telling details, but why not tell Naruto it potentially involved organized crime?

Naruto felt the need to go through the horrific photos again. No matter how hard he tried to reason, the murders just didn't fit into taking revenge for a debt unpaid kind of motive. The rage these murders were filled with had to originate from something far more personal than simple money affairs or an offended ego. These victims had wronged the killer severely, landed a hit where it hurt the most.

Even more intrigued, Naruto continued reading the report.

"_The killer was not found on the scene as the officials arrived. Eyewitness reports and evidence gathered at the scene led the investigation to Sabaku Gaara. The defendant had no alibi for the night of the murders. The fingerprint found on the AA-12 shotgun was a match with the defendants'. The gun had been reported stolen a month prior to the attack. The report was not made in the defendant's name, but under an alias Sabaku was using at the time. It seems that the missing years of Sabaku's life were spent under multiple aliases and thus aren't traceable. Sabaku was able to prove that the alias used in the reporting of the stolen weapon was his. The defense filed a complaint about the shotgun being accepted as evidence, but the complaint was turned down."_

Naruto found strange the court's decision to use the shotgun as evidence. It didn't seem to go in the lines of protocol. Even if the circumstances of reporting the weapon stolen had been unusual, it still should've been taken into consideration. For a split second, Naruto wondered just what kind of influence a powerful crime organization might've had even on the strict men of law, then dismissing it as too improbable to be reasonable. Even then, it wasn't impossible. It'd happened before. Bribery, that is.

Not wasting another thought to such hypothetical scenarios, Naruto continued.

"_A survivor of the massacre,_ _Sarutobi Konohamaru (born 1997, age 17), was found a few miles away from the crime scene. Sarutobi was identified by his family as their missing relative. The witness had been reported a missing person two months prior to the attack. The witness claimed to have been sold to Akatsuki, along with multiple other children, by a human trafficking organization with the intention of training them to perform as soldiers for unknown underworld movement. No evidence supporting this was ever found. The witness testified against Sabaku in court."_

Naruto's breath stopped for a while. The witness was still a minor.

"Shit. The jury will eat out of his hand", Naruto muttered to himself.

And it seemed they had seven years ago too. After the testimony of Sarutobi, the jury had come to an unanimous conclusion of Sabaku's guiltiness. With that, the game had been pretty much over.

"_After the re-opening of the case, the witness came forward with previously unknown evidence. It came to light that the missing ax had been in the possession of Sarutobi ever since the attack. Unidentified DNA was recovered from the ax. It did not belong to the defendant or any of the victims. This has led the investigators to believe that there might have been another party involved._

_A lawsuit was filed against Sarutobi for holding back evidence."_

This was good news. Naruto felt slightly more confident about Sabaku's chances of winning. The fact that the only witness seemed a little less than reliable was something to be excited about. With the witness being a minor and a potential victim himself was good stuff for the prosecution, but the new evidence had the potential of turning the tables. Sarutobi was no cute kid anymore and with the freshly acquired lawsuit, things seemed slightly better for Sabaku.

Now Naruto would have to find out who that unidentified DNA belonged to. There were a few possibilities that came to mind. The DNA could've been there before the murders. If so, it wouldn't help the defendant in any way. But, if the DNA belonged to someone who got away from the scene, they might get another guy to blame the murders on. That being said, the rest of the evidence would have to support it. It wasn't likely for the DNA to belong to another witness. They would've stepped forward at some point.

After another twenty minutes of reading, Naruto's eyes were starting to feel a bit too heavy for his own liking, so he closed the file and lowered himself down to lie. Soon he could feel his consciousness shut down and sleep creep in to replace it. In seconds, he was in another state of mind.

The next morning rolled around far too soon in Naruto's opinion. He was exhausted. After just four hours of sleep, he'd dragged himself up at 6 am, poured himself a cup of coffee and gone outside to smoke his morning cigarette. He didn't really see himself as a smoker anymore, but for the past five years since quitting he'd had the habit of smoking a cigarette every morning before work. On his days off he didn't smoke. He'd come to the conclusion that the stressful job had to come with some negative affect and supposedly, this was it.

After coffee he made his way to the bedroom to choose clothing. He decided on the most comfortable suit he owned, since it was going to be a long day. He finished the look off with a black tie. He also packed a small suitcase with some comfortable clothing, just in case he had to take the flight to Fuchu later on. He kissed his wife goodbye and then walked to the cab waiting for him outside the house. As soon as he'd sat down, his phone rang.

"Morning, Hinata", Naruto answered.

"Morning. I've made the calls you requested", the woman informed. "You now have a meeting scheduled with Hatake Kakashi at 10 a.m."

"Great, thank you. How 'bout Fuchu?" the blonde asked.

"Well, since Sabaku is a high risk inmate, I directly contacted the prison warden and it seems the man does know you. So, that means you are flying to Fuchu today at 4:35 p.m. and will be meeting Sabaku at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning."

That was good news. Good enough to compel Naruto to flash a small smile. Before he could get a word out to ask about practical arrangements, Hinata already catered to his needs.

"The flight is already booked along with a hotel room, and the office has been notified of your absence, covering approximately two days", she told.

The blonde's smile widened. There truly was a reason why he paid this woman big bucks.

"Thanks a million. See you in a couple of days", he thanked and then hung up after goodbyes.

It didn't take long for the cab to pull onto a familiar driveway. Before meeting Hatake, Naruto had someone else to see. Going through the data last night had given him some wild, new thoughts and he needed a certain someone's opinion on them.

He knocked on the door he'd walked up to. After a second or two, the door opened.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?" a busy looking man asked.

"Hey, Shika. I need to talk to you before you're off to work" Naruto explained.

"About what? Can't we do this at the office?" Shikamaru questioned.

"Well, first of all, I'm not gonna be at the office today. I'm working on the case you gave me the file on yesterday. Secondly…I'm actually here to ask your opinion on the case", Naruto said and welcomed himself into the other man's house.

"Yeah…come in", the man mumbled sarcastically, after the blonde had already waltzed his way inside.

"Where's Ino?" Naruto asked, referring to Shikamaru's fiancé.

"At work. So you want my opinion on the case? You do know that outsiders are not supposed to know about an open case, right?" Shikamaru said, taking a sip from his morning coffee and tightening his tie at the same time.

"Yeah, but I thought that maybe we could keep this between us", Naruto suggested and winked shrewdly. Shikamaru pondered it for a second, but eventually shrugged.

"Fine. Show me the file", the man requested.

Shikamaru's brain was like a machine; after ten minutes, give or take, he'd taken in the details and closed the file. A deep sigh was quick to fall from his lips.

"This case is too complicated for you", Shikamaru stated as a matter of fact.

Naruto chuckled. "I'm insulted."

"You know what I mean, moron."

A short silence followed.

"I have a theory", Naruto told. Shikamaru raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You noticed how undetailed and vague the case report is on some subjects?" the blonde asked.

Shikamaru thought back for a second. "Well, mainly on the subject of the victims."

"Exactly. The suspected link to organized crime and human trafficking seems to be almost uninvestigated", Naruto concluded.

"True", Shikamaru agreed.

"Also, no motive was ever confirmed. It would be only reasonable to suspect that criminal affairs would have something to do with it, if nothing else was found. Especially, if there are existing suspicions of organized crime. So why didn't they make it a top priority to investigate the accusations? They could've found a link to Sabaku, too."

Naruto's attempt to get the other man on the same page as him left Shikamaru looking doubtful.

"…Are you implying to a traitor on the inside?" he asked suspiciously. Naruto shrugged.

"Or multiple. This is just speculation, of course. But it's not impossible."

"No, but it's pretty damn far-fetched. It would be difficult for a crime organization to infiltrate this deep into the system", Shikamaru reasoned.

"Depends on their resources."

"Why would a criminal organization, with resources that massive, put that much effort to have one guy go to jail? Why not just kill him?" the other one countered.

"To keep the low profile they're famous for?" Naruto guessed. "I mean, Sabaku's sudden death wouldn't just go unnoticed."

Shikamaru thought in silence.

"If your theory is true, it means that Sabaku might quite possibly be the killer. If Akatsuki does have that power in court you suspect, they are making sure this guy will be dealt with. I can't think of any other reason why they'd go through all this trouble, if not to revenge their comrades. This can't be a cover up, since the victims are their own people. Also, if the capital sentence doesn't come true, there's a high risk that Sabaku will be killed anyway."

Naruto considered this. It did seem possible that there was a low-profile war going on outside the radar. And that Sabaku was a part of it. That fact would make it stupid for the blonde to get involved, but somehow he had a feeling that the case was meant for him.

"Shika, I need someone smarter than me to say if I should take my chances with this case", he told. Shikamaru let out a faint chuckle.

"Jesus...I'm a human rights attorney. This goes so against my principals", he sighed.

He was silent and hesitant for a short while, but eventually grunted in defeat.

"In my professional opinion, it's possible for you to win this case. You're the best in your field and there are usable aspects in the case," Shikamaru admitted.

An excited smile formed onto Naruto's face, but his friend was quick to bring it down.

"_But_…if you take this case, you'll just be protecting one evil from another. It's not likely for Sabaku to be entirely innocent. In the end, it all comes down to where you set your moral ground. You being a defense attorney, I'd assume that ground won't be very high up", Shikamaru supposed, though halfheartedly.

"Hn. You know it as well as I do, it comes with the job. There are no Mother Teresas among lawyers" Naruto pointed out. The other one sighed.

"Yeah, I guess so. It's a never-ending battle between money and a sinless soul. I guess neither of us chose the latter. But I still think you're worse than me", Shikamaru said and slapped Naruto on the back of his head.

The blonde glared at him, but then chuckled lightly and pulled himself up from his seat.

"So…your advice is, if I'm okay with being as bad as them, I might as well take the case and make a lot of blood soaked money", Naruto checked with his friend.

"Basically, yeah."

"Well, we'll see how I feel about it after I've met the guy" Naruto said, making his way to the door, Shikamaru trailing behind him.

After making it outside, Shikamaru locked the door and then looked Naruto in the eye with a stern look on his face. The blonde didn't have to ask to know a lecture of some kind would follow.

"Just…don't get too involved, okay? I know you already know to always keep your distance, but…I have feeling I need to tell you that."

Naruto became slightly taken aback by the other man's seriousness. For a second he felt mildly offended, as if his colleague had questioned his ability to do his job properly, but soon realized this was the friend talking. The friend making sure he'd be alright.

"Yeah, I know. It's just a case among others, don't worry", Naruto assured the other.

"No, it's not. I can see it in that face of yours. But I'm okay with it, as long as you don't make it personal", Shikamaru said.

Naruto realized Shikamaru was right. This one wasn't like every other case and Naruto wasn't sure why. But he wanted to find out. Somehow he felt this one could potentially be a turning point in his career.

"Got it", Naruto assured and gave a pat on his friend's shoulder.

Happy with the answer, Shikamaru smiled. He offered Naruto a ride, who instead decided to go by foot, as it was only a walking distance to the police headquarters. After arriving at the station, he checked the time to learn it was only 9:30 a.m. To kill time he took himself a cup of coffee and a magazine, and seated himself outside the room he was directed to. He'd gotten through the first page of the magazine when the door in front of him opened. A tall man with silvery hair stood in the doorway.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I assume?" the man questioned.

This had to be Hatake.

"Yeah, nice to meet you", Naruto said, standing up. He took a couple of steps to reach the man, and shook his hand.

"Hatake Kakashi, it's a pleasure", he introduced himself.

Naruto couldn't help but wonder the strange appearance of the other man. He was tall and muscular, a fairly good looking guy in general, but for some reason a mask covered the lower half of his face. It seemed that the man had noticed Naruto's wonderment.

"Half of my face is tattooed. They don't like it here", Hatake said.

It seemed he'd gotten used to the subject.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hatake, didn't mean to stare" Naruto apologized politely.

"Don't worry about it. Call me Kakashi, I'm not that fond of the whole surname business", Kakashi stated. Naruto nodded and took a seat in the other man's office.

"You're a bit early. But no worries, I had a free morning, so why not use it for something productive", the older one muttered.

"Yeah, the walk was faster than I expected", Naruto told with a polite smile on his lips.

Kakashi took a seat across Naruto. "I assume you're not here just for a cup of coffee. So, how can I help you?"

"I need your personal opinion on someone you profiled", the blonde explained.

"Personal? That's unusual. Who are we talking about?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head curiously.

"Sabaku Gaara."

The other man fell silent. Naruto wasn't sure how to interpret his expression. It took a good five seconds of intense staring before the older man spoke again.

"Why?"

"I've been offered to take over his defense."

It was silent again. The other man looked slightly worried.

"So they re-opened it, huh?" Kakashi concluded.

"Yeah. So, are you willing to tell me about him?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi pondered it for a while, silent again. When he finally spoke anew, Naruto got slightly startled.

"Sure, why not," he said in a sudden carefree tone.

Did this man suffer from mood swings?

"But, I already know it won't matter what I say. You've already decided to accept", Kakashi stated as a matter of fact.

That was even more startling. Naruto couldn't say he entirely agreed with the statement, but it seemed that the man really knew what he was doing.

"What makes you think that?" the blonde asked with a chuckle.

"It's a gut feeling."

Naruto couldn't help but to make the best of that remark. "You've made a successful career all based on gut feeling? I'm impressed."

"Well, you've made a successful career based on lies and manipulation."

A slightly awkward silence followed. It shattered as Naruto let out a low chuckle.

"I guess that makes us even", he supposed in a kind tone, making the other one flash a smile.

This man was something else and Naruto kind of liked it. He'd always been fond of unusual characters. He sincerely couldn't wait to learn what the man had to say.

* * *

**I'd like to point out that the NaruSaku relationship exists strictly as a side pairing and is essential for the plot to function properly. So don't go waiting for anything fluffy between them. Gaara will be introduced to the story in a chapter or two, so bear with me. As you might've noticed, most of the characters personalities aren't exactly canon. Since this AU portrays them as adults in their late 20's and early 30's, I couldn't comfortably write them as they originally are. _But_, I am not trying to take away all their spirit, just growing them to fit into adulthood. **

**Please feel free to review.**


	3. Not Like Others

**Yo. Chapter three, folks. **

* * *

Life is fragile. Life is vulnerable. It depends so strongly on everything around it that if anything is misplaced, everything might fall apart. A second could change everything, break anything. Every second is somebody's last.

After being released from solitary, Gaara learned that somebody's seconds had stopped the countdown. Someone had been killed inside these walls, again. There had been an old man, who'd seated himself next to Gaara every day, on the same bench for the past seven years. He'd never spoken a word, neither had Gaara. And neither of them ever would, because the old man was gone now. Someone had killed him with their bare hands, no reason needed.

Gaara wasn't sad. He didn't care about the man. But every time an incident of this kind occurred, Gaara felt his disgust towards these animals growing. The men here, they were insects waiting to be squashed. These beasts had no control over themselves. They only felt the need to kill, to spill blood and cause destruction. Intelligence was nonexistent among these beings. It made Gaara furious. How could they've had cast him here, in the middle of these pests?

Gaara didn't see himself as extraordinary. He had no problem admitting that he was nothing more than human. But life had taught him that in order to survive, avoiding the humanity within him was a necessity. The weak and emotionally charged did not survive in the tough world he'd seen. Even the monsters inside these walls were all too human, giving in to the feelings of blood lust, thus making them weak and unable to think rationally. Gaara had rid himself of unnecessary emotions a long time ago, making only decisions worth the price they came with. That way, he wouldn't have to regret anything. He wanted to play with safe bets.

Unfortunately, he'd found a disturbing flaw in his strategy. No matter how safe one played, a gamble was always a gamble. Even the safest of bets would be trash if luck ran out. Life was a personal game of Russian roulette, humanity the gun. This kind of gun was loaded with bullets designed to hit and hurt countless times, before the only shot made to kill would put one out of their misery. This revelation had made Gaara loath the upcoming day he'd be forced to make a risky bet, get shot again and left to bleed. Gaara wasn't optimistic enough to think the shot would miss and the bet double his money. Life didn't treat him well like that. He knew that a day would come when he would not be able to avoid the humanity within him.

He could only hope the bullet misses and the bet is worth making.

* * *

Naruto studied the man across him. It was apparent this man owned a good sense of humor and wasn't afraid to be bold. He liked that. He felt like this man could be very useful in learning about the case.

"You've requested for my personal opinion on Sabaku. I'm not sure I can give you what you're hoping for", Kakashi told Naruto.

"I guess we'll know after you've told me about him", Naruto replied.

Kakashi smirked.

"I have a feeling you've set your expectations of me too high. I'm good at my job, but even I can't make miracles happen. You have no way of understanding how closed Sabaku is as a person, until you've met him. Not once during our conversations did he slip anything too personal. He planned his every movement and wording perfectly. No details, no feelings. Only rehearsed dialogues. And well learned ones too; I doubt a person without training in this field would've noticed it was a script acted out", Kakashi began.

Naruto wasn't exactly surprised upon hearing this description.

"Did he seem manipulative?" Naruto questioned. Kakashi shook his head.

"I wouldn't say he was. Misleading, perhaps, but he didn't seem to have any desire to control us", he explained. That supported the fact that Sabaku wasn't mentally unstable.

"Did your profile conclude him as possibly homicidal?" Naruto wanted to know.

"Yes."

Naruto frowned. Even though it didn't surprise him, he was somewhat disappointed.

"Not compulsively homicidal. But his profile did match the characteristics of someone capable of it. Actually it's impossible to exactly determine who'd be capable of taking a human life. I believe anyone is, in the right circumstances. But we do have a personality traits map that gives the description of people who have the highest potential, and Sabaku fit in," Kakashi told.

"Were those traits the only thing that led you to this conclusion?"

"No. The fact that he was so reluctant to tell any details about himself or the life he'd lived was a big point too. You don't hide things that aren't worth hiding. The way he was capable of keeping his act going without losing his cool seemed almost professional. We suspected he'd gotten military training, but it was impossible to prove since there are no records of him. It is possible he's worked under another government", Kakashi continued.

Naruto frowned. Could this be linked to government issues? It wasn't probable. If that was the case, it would've most likely been dealt with in secret.

"Did he seem violent by nature?"

Kakashi pondered the answer for a while.

"Nope, at least not in an irrational way. He didn't resist the arrest, nor was he violent in remand. As I said, he was always calm and collected."

"You said the profile was based on statistical probabilities. But do you personally believe he's a murderer?" Naruto wanted to know.

Kakashi fell silent for a while, as if not sure how to respond.

"I am not actually required or even allowed to mix my personal opinions in an official case, but…I'll tell you that I don't know how to answer your question", Kakashi informed. Naruto curiously tilted his head.

"How come?" he asked.

"How could I dictate something like that about a person I do not know?"

His answer made Naruto confused. "I thought that's what you do for a living."

"Yes, I make my money by fitting people into pre-dictated boxes. But even I don't know if I made the right call or not. I go strictly by the book. I profile as I am instructed, I give the results and move on."

"What about that gut feeling of yours?" Naruto asked with a smirk.

"I am very good at reading people, yeah. My gut feeling does help me analyze probabilities faster, but I don't let it interfere too much. I doubt any court will give a sentence based on my gut feeling", Kakashi explained.

"Of course not. That's why asked about your personal view on this guy. Everything you told me I can find in the report. So, what did your gut feeling say about Sabaku?" Naruto asked again. Kakashi set his eyes on Naruto's and narrowed them slightly.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Naruto was confused again. What was that supposed to mean?

"What do you mean by nothing?"

"Exactly that. I already told you, I can't make conclusions about people I don't know at all. I can't read people if there's nothing to read. That man was completely blank. It was like trying to profile a sculpture; cold as stone from head to toes. There was no personality to read, he hid _everything_." Kakashi said.

Naruto took in what he'd heard. Apparently Kakashi couldn't help him learn about Sabaku's personality, but he did get information he could use to prepare himself for the meeting.

"Hn. You were right. I didn't get what I hoped for, but I still find this helpful", Naruto said, pulling himself up from the chair. "Thank you, Kakashi. You've been a great help," he continued, shaking the other man's hand.

"No problem", Kakashi answered with a smile.

Naruto said his goobyes and turned around to leave. He opened the door, but was stopped by the other man's voice.

"I was right, wasn't I?"

Naruto turned around and smiled a polite, yet questioning smile. "Excuse me?"

"You're gonna accept, aren't you?" Kakashi smirked. Naruto raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.

"I don't feel a need to answer, as it seems you've already made up your mind about that", he said and winked his eye.

Kakashi answered with a knowing smile and with that, Naruto left the room. He couldn't help but shake his head in amusement after closing the door. There was no way he'd admit that the man might've been right.

It was 5:45 p.m. and Naruto was on the flight towards Fuchu. According to his calculations, it shouldn't take long for the plane to arrive at its destination. Even though he'd had plenty of time between the meeting with Kakashi and the flight's departure, he'd nearly missed the check-in. He'd gone back home after an early lunch to collect the suitcase he'd packed ready for the flight, only to find Sakura in a very disturbing mood. He'd learned that Hinata, his secretary, had called his house with urgent affairs only to be picked up by Sakura.

Naruto and his wife had agreed that work would not be carried home, including phone calls from the office. So when Hinata called, she reasoned the only explanation could be that Naruto was having an affair. Why else would his secretary call home if they'd agreed that wouldn't happen? Naruto's guess was on the fact that he'd forgotten to inform Hinata about this said agreement. Sakura wouldn't believe and interpreted it as an excuse. The fight lasted for two hours and would've continued, hadn't Naruto left to the airport. He'd only barely made it in time for the check-in.

Naruto was more than done with that particular subject. Cheating. He didn't practice it, nor did he feel the need to. He was happy enough being a one woman's man, but Sakura wouldn't believe him. Sometimes, Naruto questioned his ability to endure her suspicions anymore. But he didn't want to give up on the marriage they'd built. He'd been the one to fall in love and chase the girl of his dreams. When he'd succeeded, it'd seemed miraculous.

But now, the miracle had somehow been buried beneath a mountain of anger and jealousy, and he wasn't so sure he'd be able to move that mountain.

Naruto was awakened from his thoughts as the speakers rattled to life and informed that the plane would be arriving to Fuchu in five minutes. Soon, the landing was over. In twenty minutes, he'd gotten out of the plane and made his way through the terminal. He took a cab from the line of cars in front of the terminal and gave the address to his hotel. After a half an hour of horrible traffic and a way too long chat with the cab driver, he arrived at the hotel. He made his way inside as soon as possible, feeling nothing short of exhausted. As soon as he got to his room, he collapsed on the bed. Though he felt the urgent need to close his eyes and drift to sleep, he forced himself to stay awake. He took a look at the time. Only 7:12 p.m. Too early for bed, too late for sightseeing. After a while, he decided on going downstairs to have a bite to eat at the hotel's restaurant.

Lazily he dragged himself up from the bed and opened up the suitcase he'd taken with him. He quickly rid himself of the suit he'd been dressed in the entire day. Sitting on a plane with a tie this tight had been hell, but the fight with Sakura hadn't left him any time to change. Excited about finally being able to put on something more comfortable, he picked out a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and AllStars as old as time itself. On his free time he preferred casual clothing. He wasn't that picky about clothing, but did have his own style and liked to express himself when he wasn't on the job. Sakura often nagged him about the clothes he wore. She felt that Naruto's clothing wasn't sharp enough for his age and that the laid back look was more for teenage boys. The same went for the piercing on his left ear. Naturally, he left the ear undecorated at the office, but when he wasn't on duty, he didn't like anybody protesting against it.

There was also something else Sakura wasn't so fond of, but Naruto had no way of getting rid of; his tattooed arms and upper body.

Before law school, before respectable people around him, life hadn't treated him very kindly. He'd been a child without a family. His parents had passed away before he'd gotten the chance to make proper memories with them. The orphanage he'd grown up in couldn't replace a real family and the lack of bonds made him a depressed and lonely child. In fact, the only good thing any orphanage ever offered him, was Sasuke. They'd shared the same kind of sadness, same loneliness. And though they'd had one another, the lack of a real family eventually led them to a crowd of bad people and an unlawful lifestyle. That crowd became their first real family.

Like Naruto, Sasuke had lost his parents too. Only his brother, Itachi, was left. Life could've gone down the wrong path, for all of them. Luckily, Itachi pulled himself together and took it up to study law. Today, Itachi was the president of the National Research Institute of Police Science. Looking up to him, both Naruto and Sasuke ended up following his steps and made it their mission to have a career in law. Life turned around for all of them, but the rough start left its mark with ink on the bodies of both Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto had never regretted using his skin as an open book for others to read, it was a part of him. It had never done him any harm, even career wise, as all of it was coverable with clothing.

More than anything, it was a way to never forget the hell he'd pulled through.

After changing, Naruto took a quick glance in the mirror. He slightly ruffled up his neatly sleeked hair to get rid of anything work related. Satisfied enough with the reflection, he exited the hotel room and made his way downstairs. He entered the restaurant and scanned the room for a place to sit. Apart from an older couple and a young lady, the place was empty. He decided to take a seat at the quietest corner. He wasn't in the mood for any human interactions and figured it'd be the best place for isolating himself from his surroundings.

He was wrong, of course. While waiting to be served, he noticed the young lady a few tables away staring at him. When Naruto glanced her way, he was praised with a seductive smile. Naruto sighed. He wasn't in the mood for this. Obviously, the woman didn't understand that, and eventually stood up to make her way towards him. Naruto decided not to acknowledge her. Even as the woman stopped to stand next to him, he wouldn't spare her a word.

"Hey, stranger", the woman said with a soft voice.

Naruto couldn't help but to roll his eyes. Not in the mood, at all.

"Sorry, sweetie, but no", he muttered, assuming she'd take the hint.

Apparently not.

"Don't be so cold", she said and took the seat across him.

Naruto tried to keep his cool. At times he hated that he stood out from most people. As a child, his blonde hair and blue eyes had been the perfect recipe for teasing and bullying, but now as an adult, it seemed to attract a strange amount of women. He didn't want to sound arrogant, but it did get on his nerves occasionally.

"Seriously lady, not happening", he repeated, laying a harsh glare on her.

She smirked. "You don't look too happy. I could make it all better."

Naruto stopped to study the woman. She was younger than him, by a few years. In her mid-twenties, most likely. She had long, light brown hair, a petite frame and flattering features. She was attractive, undeniably. But that didn't mean he gave the slightest shit.

"My problems are something that don't get cured with a pretty face", he told her bluntly.

"You don't know if you don't try."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. For just a second, he actually considered it. For just a moment he wondered what harm it could possibly do. He was exhausted, fed up with his personal life and a nervous wreck about tomorrow. Would it really matter what he did?

He dismissed the thought as soon as he discovered it made him incredibly enraged. He wasn't selfish like that. He refused to be.

"Fuck off, I'm married", Naruto told the woman, got up and walked away, leaving the woman by herself.

Naruto was instantly furious with himself. How had he let a thought of that kind slip into his mind? He wasn't a cheater, he wasn't a traitor. He'd began to feel like someone else. It had been going on for a few months now. And in the past few weeks, something had drastically changed. He was losing his grip on what was sensible. And to be honest, he felt like he was getting too hooked on his new case, on Sabaku. He had to collect himself before he truly would be in pieces.

He decided that it was time to form a bond with the minibar.

The next morning wasn't a pleasant one. Turned out that heavy drinking before an important meeting generally speaking wasn't a good idea. It was nine o'clock when Naruto snapped awake and instantly panicked. The alarm hadn't woken him up in time. In a hurry, he dressed himself in a suit, hoping he'd make it in time for the meeting. Luckily, the hotel wasn't far away from the facility, but the traffic around there was horrible.

In ten minutes he'd gotten himself somewhat presentable and was ready to leave the room. While quickly making his way downstairs, he combed his hair neatly back in an attempt to not look the slightest bit hungover that he was. It wasn't usual for Naruto to drink that much, but lately he'd been so tired and stressed, yesterday got out of hand. The timing, of course, had to be the worst possible.

Arriving at the hotel lobby, he checked the time. It was 9:15 a.m., meaning his ride should be waiting. He quickly checked the content of his briefcase to make sure nothing had been forgotten and then rushed outside. A gray van was parked on the side of the road. The side of the vehicle had the letters 'Fuchu Prison' painted on it. Naruto headed towards the van and opened the door.

"I assume this is my ride", he said, startling the man behind the wheel. The man quickly recovered from his surprise and took a look at the notepad in his lap.

"Uzumaki Naruto? I need you to show me some ID", the man said.

Naruto took out his passport and handed it for the other one to take. After getting the formalities out of the way, Naruto took a seat.

"Sorry for being a bit late. The ride shouldn't take very long, right?" Naruto wanted to know.

"About twenty minutes, give or take", was the answer. Naruto grunted. He'd arrive in time, but getting through security might take a while.

The ride took five minutes longer than estimated. With brief thanks, he left the van as soon as it arrived through the highly secured front gate. There were two men welcoming him. Naruto let the men lead him through the entrance used by visitors. There he was introduced to three guards, a metal detector and a x-ray scanner. He put his belongings into a plastic container for the scanning and walked through the metal detector. Without any problems, he passed the security measures and was free to continue. He was led down a long, gloomy corridor to a door that seemed to be the entrance of an office. Naruto knocked on the metallic surface, already having a hunch of what he'd find behind it. The door opened to reveal what he'd expected. He couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, Naruto. It's been too long", an older man with long, white hair greeted him.

"Hey, Jiraiya. It's nice to see you again", Naruto said with a smile.

Jiraiya was an old acquaintance of Naruto's. He'd served as a kind of mentor to Naruto while he'd been studying. He'd even lived with the man for a brief while. They'd become good friends, nearly family to be honest, but the relationship had grown distant as the older man was offered a job as the warden of Fuchu Prison. They'd kept in touch for a while, but eventually life got in the way. This was their first reunion in years. The blonde saw that the other man had aged quite considerably. But then again, so had he. It was a vaguely nostalgic moment, but Naruto couldn't let that bother his professionalism. He was there to see an inmate. Sentimentality didn't go well with situations of that kind.

"I heard you're here to meet Sabaku", Jiraiya said.

"Yeah. I've been offered the position as his defense attorney", Naruto verified.

"I see. Have you decided to accept?" the man asked interested.

Naruto didn't know how to reply, and could only shrug silently. The other man nodded.

"Okay, then. This way, please", Jiraiya said and began to lead Naruto further down the hallway.

Naruto followed him through a few doors and a couple of turns, until they arrived at a more secured entrance. The door was made of thick iron and seemed to have a built-in alarm system. Jiraiya pressed a few numbers on an electric lock and the door buzzed as a sign of the code being correct.

"Sabaku is an inmate who normally isn't allowed to have visitors, so you'll be meeting him in a secured room. There will be guards outside the room and cameras watching you. Sabaku will be cuffed, so no need to feel worried", Jiraiya assured.

"I'm not", Naruto answered simply.

"There's also a buzzer to set the alarm off, if anything were to happen", the older man continued.

Naruto nodded and followed the other man into the room. The room was like the rest of the facility; dark and not the least bit inviting. On the left wall there was a mirror. Double-sided, he assumed. And across the room, another door. Most likely meant for inmates. Apart from a table secured to the floor and a couple of chairs, the room was empty.

"Please take a seat on this side of the table", Jiraiya instructed Naruto, pulling out a chair for him.

The blonde did as told. He'd visited prisons multiple times, so this wasn't new to him. But for the first time in years, he was nervous about meeting an inmate. He'd gotten used to all sorts of maniacs and wasn't easily effected by these kinds of situations. So why was he nervous?

"Relax. You've done this before. It's a meeting like any other", Jiraiya said. Apparently he'd noticed Naruto's stiff shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm okay", Naruto said with a polite smile.

He wasn't, not really. Somehow this case had created unexpected feelings. Nothing seemed like before and it was like his first case all over again. The nervousness, the uncertainty; he hadn't felt those in years. He'd always been confident about the way he performed his job, but his time, a nagging feeling at the back of his head told him there was no way to prepare for what was coming.

Naruto took a deep breath to keep his composure. With determination, he shut all emotions down. This was the measure he had to take in order to perform flawlessly. He'd done it for years, it'd gotten easy. He refused to let this time be any different.

"What time is it?" Naruto asked.

Before Jiraiya got the chance to answer, the door on the other side of the room opened. Naruto turned to see. Though he'd had somewhat solid expectations of what he'd encounter, it still took him by surprise. A man with cherry red hair, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, stepped into the room. The chains restraining him rattled as he took a step forward. The man's cold gaze turned to look Naruto dead in the eye. The blonde's breath hitched involuntarily.

There were the eyes Naruto had anxiously been waiting to see. And they were every bit as cold as promised.

* * *

**We are finally getting some Gaaraness to enjoy. Please review.**


	4. Primitive Humanity

Naruto had trouble keeping his breath calm and steady. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He'd never had a feeling like this before. He couldn't find a word to describe it. The man before him was nothing like he'd expected. He was taller, paler and even more stoic than he'd ever imagined. And his eyes…they weren't blue. They were a poisonous color of green. Naruto found it terrifying how icy such warm colored eyes could be.

Naruto felt suddenly so confused. He wasn't supposed to have a reaction to his clients. This feeling was entirely new and he had no idea how to deal with it. For the first time in years, he came across an emotion that couldn't be shut down. Left in a strange form of emotional purgatory, all he could do was make sure it wouldn't show.

Gaara had his cold stare glued to Naruto. Naruto couldn't tear his away from the eyes watching him. He watched curiously, yet cautiously as the other man slowly walked over to the table and sat down across him. Gaara patiently let the guards chain his handcuffs to the table, never breaking the eye contact. Naruto didn't find the man's staring disturbing, oddly enough. It just seemed…mesmerizing. This had to be the affect he'd been told about. Gaara seemed to have an aura around him, one that pushed away all else. It was as Sasuke had said; you couldn't buy charisma like that.

It was unlike anything Naruto had ever encountered before. The man was like a sculpture, artistically cold. Naruto couldn't help but to respond to the stare that was glued on him. He wondered if it was common for Gaara to lay such intense eyes on others. In an inexplicable way it felt flattering to be watched so closely. He didn't seem to give any attention to the other people in the room. Neither of them seemed to notice that the room had been empty for a while now. It took Naruto a couple of seconds more to clear his head and get his voice back.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I understand you have offered me a job?" Naruto finally spoke, trying hard not to sound uncertain.

The other man nodded slowly, still maintaining the intense eye contact. Naruto forced himself to keep calm. He made sure his eyes were as cold as the man's across him.

"I've gone through the file and I'll admit I'm interested. But, there are questions I need to ask you", the blonde continued.

He waited for the other man to say something, but it seemed to be in vain. Not wasting time, Naruto took out the case file, a notepad and a pen.

"Have you been informed of all the changes in the case?" Naruto asked.

The other man nodded. The blonde wrote down a word or two.

"Have you decided to oppose the filing of capital sentence?"

The other one nodded again. Naruto narrowed his eyes. Gaara not speaking irked him.

"When asked in court, how will you plead?" Naruto asked with a stern look on his face.

He knew his question would force the redhead to voice an answer. An almost unnoticeable change in the other man's eyes could be detected.

"Not guilty."

Naruto was startled by the deepness of his voice. It was like the low hum of a V8 engine. It wasn't unpleasant, but had a dangerous tone to it.

"You have already been convicted. Now is your chance to overturn that verdict. That means, you need to start talking", Naruto continued, maintaining a straight face.

A sly smirk formed onto Gaara's lips. It made Naruto uncomfortable.

"Everything you need to know is written in that file. Now it's up to you. You got the brains to figure it out?" Gaara asked.

The other man's words made Naruto incredibly annoyed. Gaara would have to be stupid to keep information from him. That's what Naruto wanted to believe, but he knew better. Gaara wasn't stupid. There had to be a reason behind his reluctance to cooperate. But what irked Naruto more than anything, was that the redhead had seen through his cover. He'd realized Naruto wouldn't be able to say no to a challenge of that kind.

"Do you _want_ me to decline?"

Gaara slowly leaned forward as much as his chains gave way. Against all expectations, his gaze could in fact turn even harder to refuse.

"You won't."

Naruto had to bite his tongue to keep himself from expressing his growing irritation. This man and his mysterious case was becoming an obsession. And not the healthy kind. But he did know why. The challenge this case offered him went beyond anything else before. The entire point in choosing this career had been to fulfill his thirst for intellectual puzzles. He'd never been a smart kid by nature, but his obsession with unsolved mysteries had made his brain work in unique ways. That was the sole reason why he wouldn't be able to decline, even if he'd wanted to.

"Fine. It's no use for me to drag this out. I'll accept", Naruto said.

Gaara's eyes reflected mild satisfaction. Naruto remained annoyed, though did his best not to display it in plain sight. The other man had read him too easily. Nobody else had been capable of it before. His determination for tearing through Gaara's cover gradually grew stronger. He'd win this case and he'd absolutely learn all the secrets the man watching him held in hiding.

Naruto stood up to take his leave.

"I need a few hours to make it official. The trial begins in two days. You'll have to hope I'm smart enough to make a strong case with the minimal information I have", Naruto said and turned around to leave.

Unexpectedly, Gaara stood up, his chains rattling against the table. Slightly startled, Naruto turned to face him. The man had that intense, demanding look in his eyes again.

"I know you will. That's why I chose you", he said.

Naruto fell silent. Whatever it was about that man messing him up, it refused to let go. Watching the redhead with cold eyes, he wondered how exactly he was supposed to respond to such a startling statement. In the end, he decided to dodge it altogether.

"I'll see you in court", he muttered, turned away and left.

Once Naruto no longer was on prison grounds, he couldn't stop a relieved sigh from escaping his lips. He felt quite...unstable. How was that even possible? He was too professional to be acting in such an irrational way.

Gaara's ability to see through his façade terrified him. Nobody else had ever succeeded in seeing behind the act and certainly not created any feelings he wasn't able to block. Naruto didn't know how to deal with it. Was it the excitement of working on such an unusual case that made him unstable? Or maybe, Gaara's inhumane way of coming across as stone cold was the reason for his inexplicable feelings. It didn't really matter; he'd find a way to shut them down. He had to. He wouldn't let anything get in his way.

Hours later, Naruto was wandering around the town. It was getting dark. He'd made a million calls in order to get things official and going. He was now Gaara's attorney and the preparations for trial had been put into action. Well, apart from the fact that he had no idea what kind of a case to present. He had new evidence that favored Gaara, but that wouldn't be enough.

Naruto took a glance of the surroundings. It seemed he'd reached a part of town which couldn't be described as the very best. The people looked as rough as the hood itself and the act of prostitution was visible on every street corner. Naruto didn't mind. He'd wanted to get away from "better people" and blend into the surroundings that reminded him of his childhood. Swimming in dangerous waters felt more at home to him than the polished world of money and beautiful people, always had. He fit in just fine; even the years in legal business hadn't taken away the rough edges of his overall appearance.

Naruto's thoughts revolved around the case. And Gaara. Their meeting had been brief, but it had been enough to make Naruto feel attached to the case on a completely new level. The anxiousness it'd created had turned into an adrenaline rush and he knew he wouldn't be able to resist it. Even if it had made him feel uncomfortable.

He'd finally had time to process the weird feelings that had surfaced. He'd succeeded in pushing them away for the most part. Still, it bothered him to have been such a nervous wreck in the first place. He also was worried about the fact that he had about 48 hours to come up with a compelling case. Gaara obviously held high hopes for him. Naruto wasn't sure he'd be able to live up to them. But, because Naruto was a stubborn son of a bitch, he wouldn't give up.

Naruto stopped in front of a bar. He decided to make his way inside and straight to the counter. The place didn't come across as shady as he'd expected. It was surprisingly neat and nearly empty customer-wise. He took a seat at the counter and ordered vodka on rocks. He usually wasn't a big fan of spirits, but since he still had to call Sakura, a little boost was in place. Taking a gulp from his drink, he dialed Sakura's number and let it ring. The wait for his call to get picked up wasn't long.

"Hey", his wife answered. She sounded tired.

"Hey. I'm sorry", Naruto apologized straight away. A sigh was heard on the other end of the line.

"Me too. How was your meeting?" she asked, deciding to avoid the subject of their earlier fight. Naruto was satisfied with her decision.

"It was…interesting. I accepted", he told. The line went silent for a while.

"When does the trial start?"

"In two days."

She fell silent again.

"Are you coming home?" Sakura carefully asked.

She feared the answer. She knew the trial would be held in Fuchu, meaning it could take anything from days to weeks to months.

"Yeah. I'll come by tomorrow. We'll go to the doctor like I promised", Naruto said, with traces of a faint smile in his voice.

He could hear Sakura let out a relieved breath. "Thank you. I love you."

"Love you too. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, Naruto hung up. He downed the rest of his drink. To be honest, he didn't feel like going home at all. Home had become a restless environment. He was afraid he'd be taking an expensive flight just to get into a fight with Sakura again. But had he not complied, a fight would've been unavoidable. Trying to push those thoughts away he ordered another drink. His order was placed in front of him on the counter.

"Rough day?" the bartender, a man around his age, spoke. Naruto couldn't help but to snort upon hearing such a cliché.

"Yeah", he answered, forcing a tired smile.

"If it's any help, so was mine", the other one consoled. Naruto huffed.

"I'd like to say I don't enjoy other people's misery, but it kinda does help", he chuckled.

The other man smiled. The smile seemed fake to an extent, but the blonde didn't really mind. He wouldn't have been able to pull off a more sincere one himself.

"Glad to be useful. It's a quiet night, it's nice to get someone to chat to", the other one said.

Naruto fought not to roll his eyes. He wasn't really in the mood to chat, but felt like admitting such would've been rude. His job might've required a certain level of assholeness, but when it came to his personal life, he tried to avoid it.

"I doubt I'm any good company right now", Naruto said, smiling apologetically. The man across studied him for a second.

"Trouble in paradise?" was his guess.

"Ain't there always?"

The bartender shook his head sympathetically. "And let me guess, rough day at the office, too?"

Naruto looked up from his glass. "Sort of."

The other man smirked.

"You know, it doesn't really take skill to ask the right questions. There are exactly three reasons why men drink with a sad face. They either had a fight with the lady, a shitty day on the job or they killed a man, and I have a feeling you've experienced at least two of those today."

Naruto drank up his drink in one sitting and put the glass on the counter.

"Bullseye. Keep 'em coming", he said and sighed.

The bartender nodded and poured another one. For about 45 minutes after that, he didn't disturb Naruto, who again felt gratitude for that. By the time Naruto had downed his fifth drink, the man spoke again.

"Ready to talk?"

Naruto glanced at him from behind his bangs.

"If you pour one more, I might", he told. The man smiled and poured one, as requested. Naruto took a sip, before sighing.

"I'm a lawyer. Don't that tell you enough?"

The bartender tilted his head. "Interesting. Wasn't my first guess. Your kind usually don't come to this this part of town. So, a difficult case?" he guessed.

Naruto pondered if it was a good idea to reveal anything, really. Probably not. But to be honest, he had the need to get it out. To avoid a complete mental breakdown, the blonde decided he might as well tell him about it. Vaguely, but still.

"Yeah. I came here to meet a potential client, but…this case is a fuckin' mess. It's all over the place and then again not really anywhere where I could grab a hold of it. There are suspicions of this and that, but nothing is confirmed. Nothing is really investigated enough, either. Everybody's just filled up with secrets and shit", Naruto told, trying not to give too much away.

The details of Gaara's case weren't widely known and he wanted to keep it that way. The other man pondered a while in silence, before speaking.

"Sounds to me like you're struggling with something powerful. There's shit that can't be solved, eh? Does it seem that something has been left out of the investigation?" the man asked knowingly. Naruto looked at him suspiciously.

"Why?"

The other one stopped his motions and turned to look at him.

"Yakuza."

Naruto fell silent. How could the man have concluded anything from the information he'd given?

"I told literally nothing useful. How the hell did you make anything out of it?" he demanded to know.

"We all have a past, don't we?" the man said and glanced at the art on Naruto's body.

To anyone else the ink was nothing more than pretty pictures, but based on the look the man gave him, he knew better. Naruto hoped the man wouldn't dig any deeper on the subject.

"Why are you this interested?" Naruto asked.

"I wasn't, until you told me about your case. Everything else, just a part of the job", he admitted, once again giving that strange smile he seemed to be quite fond of.

"Hn…yakuza", Naruto murmured to himself. The other man glanced at him.

"Want my advice?"

Naruto couldn't hold back the suspicious glare he directed at the man offering help.

"I can't trust you", Naruto stated.

The smile on the other's lips fell, his expression turning thoughtful. For a while, he watched Naruto with curious eyes, before unexpectedly lifting up the helm of his shirt.

"Whoa, what are you d-", Naruto started, but instantly fell silent.

Under the clothing, on the man's pale skin, were decorative tattoos. Colorful, traditional. It didn't take him long to recognize them as ink typically carried by yakuza members. Naruto was at a loss of words. Why the hell would he reveal that?

"Well, interested?" the man asked. Naruto's suspicion hadn't faded.

"Why would you show me this? Tell me this?" Naruto asked annoyed.

"I don't lead that life any longer and I've done my time already. But I do have stories to tell. Plus, you're cute."

Oh, he swung that way.

"I'm flattered. But I play for the other team."

"Doesn't matter, still cute", the man answered, offering Naruto another drink. The blonde happily took it and presented another question.

"That still doesn't explain why you're telling me all this. Is it usual for you to go around lifting up your shirt to strangers?" Naruto questioned and took a sip from the drink. His companion chuckled.

"No. What I've been involved with ain't exactly a secret around here. And you might be on the better side of the law now, but I know you're familiar with the other one too", he said and reached out to pull down the collar of Naruto's shirt, revealing a meaningful tattoo.

Naruto yanked the man's hand away. His distress earned a smirk.

"That ain't just a pretty picture. That's a gang stamp", the other one stated with a sly smile.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. The man was just a bit too clever for his taste.

"Fine. I'll listen", he finally gave in. The other one flashed a satisfied smile before speaking.

"I know for a fact that yakuza occasionally has the power to be invisible to the law. Money and power are the currencies in this world, and they have both. If there are suspicions of organized crime linked to any lawsuits, they usually get dismissed right away. Especially links to the most guarded organizations are cut off as soon as possible", he explained.

This made Naruto think about the reference to Akatsuki.

"What might those closely guarded organizations be?" he asked.

"Some clans and freelance organizations are specialized in certain jobs. I'd say that hitmen are the ones that keep the lowest profile", the former yakuza continued.

Naruto frowned. Could Akatsuki be a group of hitmen? The witness had claimed he'd been sold to Akatsuki with the intention of training him to become a soldier. Could a soldier mean a hired killer?

"What about human trafficking?" Naruto wanted to know.

"It's common. Certain clans practice it as their main job. Mainly selling women and children", the other man told.

Naruto's gaze grew thoughtful. If Akatsuki was a part of yakuza and specialized in hired killing, the witness' claims might've been true. If so, the claims were most likely dismissed to protect yakuza. In that case Akatsuki really had the power to control the investigations, which meant that Gaara probably wasn't all that innocent. Otherwise, they wouldn't have bothered.

"Is there any reason why yakuza _wouldn't_ kill someone who's rubbed them the wrong way?" Naruto questioned. The other man seemed slightly surprised by his question.

"I guess…if killing them would damage their cover, they wouldn't", he assumed.

If his suspicions were right, Gaara could be linked to the victims through yakuza. But as long as yakuza wanted to protect their façade, the link wouldn't be found. To put it simply, both parties had encountered the same dead end. Yakuza seemed keen to keep their low profile, and Naruto would have to find a way to either prove Gaara innocent, or blow yakuza's cover without inevitably linking his client to them. It seemed that the one who solved the problem first, would be the last one standing. With that thought, Naruto drank up the rest of his drink and stood up. He glanced at the other man, a huff escaping his lips.

"How is it possible that this happened? How did I find you in this massive city? There can't be that many ex-yakuza's walking around", Naruto questioned, feeling the alcohol beginning to softly buzz in his head.

"Could be fate, eh?" the other one suggested. Naruto snorted, but shrugged in the lack of any argument.

"Don't know, don't care. It was useful, so thank you", Naruto said and extended his arm to offer the other one a handshake. The man accepted the offered hand and nodded.

"No problem, cutie. If you ever have second thoughts about which team to play for, come by", he said and winked.

Naruto chuckled and playfully planted a kiss on the hand still held by his.

"Sure", he promised and finally let the hand go.

With a last, brief smile, he began to make his way towards the exit. But after a couple of steps, he came to a halt. A curious look on his face, he turned around to face the other man once more.

"Oh yeah, I wanted to ask…what's your name?"

The other one smiled kindly.

"I'm Sai."

"I owe you one, Sai."

* * *

Gaara had never been one to hold high expectations, regardless of the situation. He'd learned that unrealistic optimism often led to disappointment. The less he expected, the fewer letdowns he'd experience. This logic did not originate from fear of getting hurt, nor a fright of failure, but instead was based on the fact that all unnecessary feelings were a waste of time. Generally speaking, this philosophy of his worked perfectly fine. But today, even if it'd been only for a second, something humane had awakened inside him.

An emotion.

He'd rid himself of those a long time ago, not finding any real use for them. So naturally he'd been taken aback by the tingling feeling of excitement that'd ran through his body earlier that day. Gaara had been fascinated by it, as he'd long forgotten what it was like to experience primitive reactions such as emotions. Surprisingly enough, he hadn't found the feeling disturbing at all, only the cause of it. Gaara's hopes of being granted freedom had materialized in the form of Uzumaki Naruto, and meeting the man in the flesh had affected him in unexpected ways. For the most part, he'd found the unfamiliar experience fascinating. Yet something bothered him.

He found it disturbing how a complete stranger had been able to draw out aspects of him that were supposed to be long gone. Even if it were for just the blink of an eye, something dead had come back to life inside him. He'd tried to forget about it, but his thoughts always came back around to remember the very real feel of it. He couldn't stop wondering if it was nothing but a one time thing, or would it occur again?

It seemed that there was even more to Uzumaki than he'd initially thought. And now, he couldn't wait to see what exactly that man was truly capable of.

* * *

**Well, finally Gaara is introduced. I am aware that the meeting between Naruto and Gaara is quite short, but no worries; it's intentional. Also, I don't know yet if Sai will be a character of any particular importance in this story, we'll see. Anyways, go ahead and review.**


	5. Burning Bridges

**I am updating exceptionally quickly, because I had this chapter ready and waiting. It's a shorter one, but still something.**

* * *

Naruto had left early in the morning to catch his flight back home. He would have exactly twenty-four hours to go to the doctor with Sakura, throw together a presentable case and fly back to Fuchu to be in court. It was now twelve o'clock and Naruto was standing outside the hospital, waiting for his wife to arrive. He was nervous. He hated hospitals and never would've agreed on coming if it weren't for Sakura. He knew it was important to her. She'd dreamed of becoming a mother since being a little girl, and discovering it might not happen had been like a stab to the heart. Naruto was willing to start a family too. But he'd come to the conclusion that it wouldn't be the end of the world to live without offspring. He'd never told that to Sakura, of course. It wasn't necessary for her to know.

"Naruto!"

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and turned around to see his wife rush over to him. As she reached him, he offered her a kind smile.

"I'm not late, am I?" Sakura asked borderline anxious, and gave him a quick kiss.

"No, don't worry. We'll make it in time", he assured, walking her through the entrance.

The sterile smell of the hospital instantly made Naruto want to gag. He wanted to turn right around and walk away, but for Sakura's sake, didn't.

"Is this going to take long?" Naruto asked impatiently. Sakura shot him a glare.

"I know you're in a hurry and that the hospital isn't your favorite place, but suck it up. At least pretend to be interested", she huffed and went to walk ahead of Naruto. The blonde sighed, lazily following her.

Long enough, it seemed.

It was an hour later, and they'd finally made it out. Not only did Naruto hate the hospital, but he also wasn't a big fan on giving any sort of samples of himself and _especially_ not the kind he'd ended up giving.

"That was fucking horrible. A man is not meant to masturbate in a room that smells like chlorine and semen", Naruto stated quite disturbed. Sakura couldn't help but to snicker.

"Well, you won't have to do it again. I think they got what they needed", she assured.

"If not, then too bad, I ain't doing that again", he declared with determination.

Sakura smiled as she watched him fondly. Her steps came to a sudden stop, hand reaching out to grab Naruto's arm, seeking for his attention. Turning to face her, he could tell she looked worried.

"Naruto…I know things have been shitty lately. I just…please don't give up, okay?" Sakura pleaded to him.

Naruto looked into her green eyes. As he watched the woman's sad face, he felt all irritation fade away. It was the face he'd fallen in love with. She was such a beautiful woman, though perhaps not in the conventional sense. Large green eyes, pouty lips and fair skin, all well complimented by the light pink hair. Unfortunately, that pretty sight had lately been cast under the dark shadow of pain and anger. And he knew that most likely wouldn't change.

"I won't", he eventually told.

Sakura smiled and nodded happily. Naruto returned the smile, but felt a stab in his heart.

He hoped he'd be able to keep that promise.

* * *

Naruto's next stop was at the office. He'd gone there immediately after the doctor's appointment. As he stepped out of the elevator, he felt a sense of relief for being back in his work environment again. It'd become more of a natural habitat to him than anything else.

"Hey, Hinata", he greeted the woman sitting by her desk outside his office room.

The woman lifted up her gaze and nodded briefly. She rarely smiled. Naruto found it to be such a shame. She was a beautiful young woman, with her unusually colored eyes, long dark hair and petite features. A smile would've fit a face like that perfectly. But he supposed it was none of his business, thus he'd never pointed it out.

"Hello. How was your trip?" she politely asked. Naruto grunted.

"It was interesting, I must say", he told. Hinata nodded, somewhat stiffly yet again.

"I see. Nara Shikamaru asked you to contact him", she informed. Naruto assumed he wanted to hear about the meeting.

"Ok, I'll visit him. Thanks."

After a quick glance of the time, he went on to find his way to Shikamaru's office. At the right entrance he knocked on the door.

"Come in", a familiar voice approved from behind the door.

Naruto stepped in and walked up to his friend's desk, taking the free seat next to it. Shikamaru abandoned whatever paperwork he'd been in the middle of and turned to face the blonde.

"I heard you wanted to see me", Naruto said. The other one nodded.

"Yeah, I wanted to know how the meeting went", Shikamaru admitted. Naruto sighed.

"It was…weird", he described. Shikamaru raised a questioning brow.

"Weird? Sounds…great", he commented sarcastically. The blonde frowned.

"It was nothing like I'd expected. I mean, he was all cold and intimidating like I was told, but, _shit _that guy has a talent to make you uncomfortable."

"How so?"

Naruto tried to find the words to describe the feeling, only to fail miserably.

"It's not something I can explain. You'd have to experience it yourself", he said. Shikamaru shrugged.

"Well, that's not really even what I'm interested in. What I want to know is, did you accept?"

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Shikamaru seemed thoughtful. "Why?"

It was a justifiable question. Naruto wouldn't be able to answer that without sounding more or less like an idiot.

"He challenged me."

Shikamaru's stare said it all. "That makes you sound like a twat."

Naruto snorted. "I know. But you know me, I can't say no to a challenge."

Shikamaru shook his head. The tone of his voice took a slightly more judgmental turn.

"Yes you can when it comes to a homicidal maniac."

"He's not a maniac. And I'm not stupid enough to do it alone for the challenge. I know I can win", Naruto huffed. The other man sighed.

"Maniac enough. Don't worry, I won't butt in too much. It's your career, not mine. But remember what I said to you about getting too involved."

Naruto grunted. He had to admit, Shikamaru was right about him being hasty. It wasn't like him to accept a case so complicated with such ease. But there was something inexplicable about this one. He could've tried to explain it, but that would've been no use. He honestly did not know words powerful enough to do justice to the feeling. He settled on giving the next best explanation.

"Yeah, I remember. But, you know, sometimes in life you get opportunities you can't pass. This is one of those, I literally can't pass it. I just have this…feeling", Naruto tried to reason.

Shikamaru smiled, unusually kindly even. Naruto had always been like this, somewhat impatient and uncontrollable. And partly that was the reason Shikamaru was so fond of him. The blonde had a cold, stoic side to him, one he'd built for the outside world to see. But he also had a childlike side, and even though it nowadays remained mostly hidden, it still advised him to listen to his heart. It was a skill most grown people did not posses. Shikamaru doubted Naruto was aware of it himself, and would probably have denied it, had anyone pointed it out.

"That's exactly why I'm not even trying to talk you out of it", Shikamaru admitted, smiling kindly. Naruto returned the smile.

"Thanks, Shika", he said and rose to stand up. "I've gotta go, I need to pick up some papers and call Sasuke."

"Yeah, no problem", Shikamaru assured.

He, too, pulled himself onto his feet and patted Naruto on the shoulder. The blonde chuckled and took the liberty to unexpectedly pull the other man into a rough hug. Though not resisting, Shikamaru let out a somewhat awkward grunt.

"Don't be such a hardass, it's just a hug", Naruto demanded.

With a huff, Shikamaru eventually returned the hug. He was a closeted softie, in Naruto's opinion.

"Don't worry about me, dude. I'll be fine", the blonde comforted.

The other man nodded with a semi-pleased smile on his face. With nothing more to discuss, Naruto left the room. Once he'd recovered some necessary documents from his workroom, he decided to call Sasuke. He dialed the familiar number and waited for an answer.

"Hey, moron."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the voice on the line. "Yeah, love you too. I'm back."

"How'd it go?" Sasuke wanted to know right away.

Oddly enough, the blonde slightly hesitated to answer. Why, he couldn't say.

"Well, I accepted", Naruto told him.

"Hn."

Naruto snorted. "Your reactions are ridiculously nonexistent."

Sasuke chuckled. "Yeah, you've told me that. Got time to meet up?"

Naruto checked his watch. It was 2 pm.

"Well, I'm back just for today. I've still got to fly back this evening. But I guess I can spare a while", Naruto estimated.

"Okay, great. Oh, I'm getting another call, I've gotta go", Sasuke told.

"Right. The Place?"

"Yeah."

A half an hour later they'd both arrived, as promised. The Place was not only a great bar, but also a terrific restaurant. Neither of them had eaten lunch, so they decided to do something about it. While waiting for food to arrive, Sasuke wanted to know more about the meeting in Fuchu.

"So, you accepted?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Sasuke suddenly looked thoughtful and…tense. The underlying tension caused Naruto to feel slightly distressed. As Sasuke soon spoke, it seemed his feeling was perfectly justified.

"Can you really handle it?" the raven finally had to ask. Naruto narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"You should know better than to ask dumb questions like that", was his answer.

Sasuke nibbled on his lower lip. It was a sign of nervousness. Which was something the man rarely ever showed. The blonde instantly knew he would hear something he didn't necessarily want to.

"I'm perfectly aware you're good at your job. It just feels like…you're making this personal."

"You sound like Shika. The fuck is it with all you people making a big deal out of this?" Naruto asked slightly offended. His friend scoffed at the defensive attitude.

"Kakashi saw right through your bullshit, didn't he?"

The blonde refused to answer. Instead he fell silent and settled on glaring at the other one with a disagreeing gaze. Sasuke merely chuckled.

"Told ya, he sees through people. And you're just way too obvious", he informed.

Naruto grunted. "Well he didn't see through Gaara."

Sasuke raised a brow. "You call him by his first name? You never do that."

Naruto's distress began growing into frustration. What was it with people sticking their noses into business that didn't concern them?

"Don't read into it. It don't mean shit", he grunted, more bluntly than he'd originally planned.

A somewhat tense silence fell. Sasuke didn't say anything, just looked kind of worried, which obviously wasn't like him.

"Yes it does, you don't do that normally. It's too personal", he eventually said, still worried. Naruto snorted and shook his head.

"When I said your reactions are nonexistent, I didn't mean it was a bad thing", he continued, referring to the man's expression.

The worried look on Sasuke's face faded away, an angrier one replacing it.

"Fucking moron, listen to me", he said.

Surprised by the sudden change in the man's voice, Naruto found himself doing just as told. Sasuke's gaze went through a demanding stage, before reaching something resembling vague anger.

"We've been friends for twenty _fucking_ years. You should know better than to lie to my face. You know that you're like a brother to me and there's no fucking way I'm letting you ignore my worry. You're perfectly aware I don't show this side to _a__nybody _else on this shitty planet. There ain't a _fucking_ way I'm letting you ignore this!"

Naruto froze upon hearing the raised voice. People around them had turned to look. What the hell was happening? Naruto struggled to get words out.

"I…What-", he attempted to speak, only to get interrupted.

"No, shut up. Since the moment you came to me about the case, I knew it was a horrible idea. Something in your eyes changed as soon as you got your hands on this. I know you inside and out and trust me, you're doing this for the wrong reasons", Sasuke told him, the anger not fading away.

Naruto glanced around, starting to feel self-conscious and embarrassed by the attention they were attracting. He didn't know how to react to his normally well-behaving friend's unusual behavior.

"Have you lost your mind? We're in public, idiot", he whispered, slightly irritated.

Sasuke's mood didn't seem the slightest bit affected by his notion. He stood up, making even more noise.

"I. Don't. Care. Why can't you see it yourself? You accepted the challenge of a mass murderer!"

Naruto's bafflement was quickly gone and now on its way beyond irritation. "Shikamaru called you?"

Sasuke's gaze lowered just a bit. "Yeah, he did."

Naruto felt betrayed. Even though he knew neither of them meant any harm, he felt sincerely betrayed. They had no right. He was the one to make the decision, without being questioned. Nearing the limit of his own composure, the blonde rose to stand up as well.

"You know what? Fuck you", Naruto spat out, no longer caring about the eyes watching them.

The whole room had fallen silent. It didn't take long for a waiter to walk up to them with a stern look on his face.

"Sir, we need you to leave. Both of you", the waiter said with a lowered voice. Naruto didn't bother tearing away his gaze away from Sasuke's.

"Hn. I was on my way out anyway", he stated tensely, not sparing a glance to the waiter.

Finally tearing away the cold glare laid on his friend, Naruto turned the other way, and walked out of the restaurant. He felt no need to glance back. The anger he felt could hardly be put into words. He might've been overreacting, but he wouldn't let anybody criticize the way he handled his job, the only thing he truly was proud of. Not even Sasuke.

A strangling feeling in his chest forced him to loosen his tie.

"Naruto!"

The blonde stopped in his tracks and turned around to meet the man calling out for him.

"What?! What the hell do you want?" he asked with a strongly raised voice.

His quite open aggression collected a few wondering glances. Sasuke soon reached him, looking both angry and insulted. He wasn't shy to make those feelings verbally very clear.

"Don't walk away from me. I deserve more than that."

Naruto gritted his teeth. He couldn't deny the man was right, but was in no mood for further arguing.

"I don't have the energy to go through this now. Life is shitty at home, life seems to be shitty with friends and according to you, it will be shitty at work too. I really don't have any obligation to explain myself to you."

Sasuke looked hurt. Naruto was well aware his words cut deep, but so had Sasuke's. Having nothing more to say, the blonde turned to continue his walk away. After just a few steps, he was pushed against a hard, cold surface. More accurately, the wall next to him. The impact was harsh enough to bruise his left cheek.

"What the fu-"

"Shut up."

If this didn't gather an audience, it'd be a miracle.

"I'm seriously gonna beat the shit out of you", Naruto growled. Knowing he easily was a match for Sasuke, it was no empty promise.

"No, you're not", the raven rushed to declare.

He forcefully turned the other one around, before surprising him by letting go. The blonde frowned.

"What are you doing?" he demanded to know.

To his surprise, and quite possibly for everyone staring at the scene, Sasuke pulled off his jacket and shirt, revealing his tattoo covered skin. Naruto's jaw dropped. What was it with men wanting to undress themselves for him?

"What are you _doing_? Put it back on!" he hissed, glancing around nervously. Sasuke showed his utter disinterest in everything the blonde said by not doing as told.

"Look at these", Sasuke demanded and spread out his arms to give a better view of the pictures covering his skin.

He then forcefully yanked up the helm of Naruto's shirt to reveal a similar view. The blonde had no chance to fight it.

"These are the reason why you _are_ obligated to give me an explanation", Sasuke claimed, his jaw clenching.

Naruto could only stare into the other's furious eyes. Lacking even the slightest understanding of what was happening, he didn't know how to respond.

"We've been through _everything_ together. I fucking love you and I know you love me back, so don't fucking do this to me."

Naruto felt a stab in his heart. He knew it all to be true. And the fact that the other man was forced to actually remind him of it made him feel like a failure as a friend. But even then, he was unable to see much beyond his anger.

"Just stop it. What do you want?" Naruto asked, refusing to look him in the eyes. Sasuke didn't appreciate it.

"I just want you to talk to me. You stopped doing that fucking years ago. Do you know how bad it hurts that you've been pushing me away ever since you married that pink haired bimbo?" Sasuke spoke, obviously pained and bitter.

Naruto felt his anger build up again. "Don't you fucking dare speak of her like that."

The sensation of the conversation having reached a dead end sent them into silence. The paler one eventually broke the tense quietness by speaking in a way he rarely did.

"I don't need blood to bond us. You're my brother. I don't want to lose you. I can't even remember the last time you were truly yourself. Just fucking talk to me", the man pleaded and grabbed Naruto by the arm.

Naruto was torn between his emotions and reality. Half of him wanted to embrace his friend, the other one punch him lifeless. To avoid the latter, he had to get away.

"I have a plane to catch", he stated coldly and tore himself free from Sasuke's grip.

Shutting down any sympathy he felt for the other man, he walked away, not looking back.

* * *

A few hours later Naruto was sitting on the flight back to Fuchu. He couldn't stop thinking about Sasuke. It wasn't like him to express emotions openly, especially not the kind he'd seen earlier. It hurt to know that his friend was in pain because of him. But it hurt even more to know that he was right. They'd grown apart. Naruto hadn't noticed. Did that make him a bad person? Maybe he'd always been. Neither him nor Sasuke had untainted souls. Nobody did, but some souls were smeared in dirt that couldn't be washed away. And both of them had been soaked in it. Perhaps Naruto moving further away from Sasuke had been a pitiful attempt to rid himself of the past. Even though he knew he'd never be rid of it. It was pathetic to even hope for such. Ridiculous, even.

Naruto sighed. He was a mess. The life he'd worked so hard to attain seemed to be falling apart. It would crumble, no matter what. And he now was afraid he'd burned bridges that couldn't be repaired, let alone replaced.

It seemed impossible to get the case presentation done with his thoughts tormenting him. He'd made some progress though. He'd built the defense around the new evidence and the witness' recently revealed unreliability. The yakuza link couldn't be used since it only would've been shot down immediately. Naruto would have to build a defense so strong that Akatsuki wouldn't be able to accuse Gaara any further without risking their cover. As of then, the evidence wasn't heavy enough for him to be capable of it. He knew Gaara held massive amounts of unveiled information that could help him make a case strong enough. His challenge now was to make the man talk. Naruto would have to earn a form of trust, and he was aware it would suck him in deeper into the obsession he'd formed. In just a few hours he'd have to be in court defending the man that seemed to impact his life far more than necessary.

It'd better be worth it.


	6. Masochistic Tendencies

**Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming. I'm updating at a good speed it seems. Future chapters will take a bit more time, as I intend to make them longer. I finally got around to name the chapters, too. Anyway, here's chapter six for you.**

* * *

It was an unusually cold day. The wind was icy and felt piercing on Naruto's skin. He watched the building in front of him. The courthouse. It looked intimidating in its cold glory. Naruto wanted to feel nervous, but forced the feeling away. To perform flawlessly, he'd have to rid himself of any distractions. Naruto knew this was the moment he'd waited for a long time. He'd made a revelation the night before. Never again would he come across a case so challenging. This was his chance to push himself to the edge. It would take everything he had to win this case and he was ecstatic about it. All he'd wanted to do ever since making it out of the streets, was to use his skills in ways that gave him a feel of superiority. Not in an arrogant way, but in a way that proved he was worthy of the life he'd attained.

Naruto's hands clenched into fists as he walked through the entrance of the building. The lobby was grand. Marble floors, tall pillars and a beautifully gold-plated ceiling. An exceptionally western layout. If perfectly honest, the interior design of the building felt a bit too polished for the horrors that were seen inside those luxurious cherry wood walls. It was liars and sinners who walked these marble floors. It held some grotesque kind of poetry to it, Naruto supposed. Tearing his gaze away from the beautiful architecture, he made his way up to the second floor. There he met familiar faces. Unpleasantly familiar.

Naruto hoped from the bottom of his heart that the man in front of him, Hyuuga Neji, was not the prosecution's attorney. Naruto was familiar with Hyuuga from law school and on top of that, he was the cousin of his secretary, Hinata. Naruto hadn't gotten along with him in school and was quite sure that hadn't changed one bit. The man was quite self centered with an ego too big for his own good. Still, the man being a prick wasn't the biggest issue; Hyuuga was also a brilliant attorney and a close match to Naruto. Going against him in court was not something to be taken lightly.

Nervousness began prying its way through again, but skillfully Naruto killed the feeling immediately. He walked up to the small crowd waiting outside the courtroom. Hyuuga turned around.

"Uzumaki", Neji stated coldly, but politely bowed.

"Hyuuga", Naruto responded, equally as stoic, and bowed as well.

Neither of them said more. It wasn't really necessary. Also, Naruto didn't want to reveal he'd completely forgotten to read about the prosecution. At times he certainly doubted the brilliant professional intelligence he supposedly obtained.

Naruto checked the time. He'd arrived a few minutes early. The waiting made him even more anxious. He was nervous about how well he'd be able to keep his control. Finding out that Hyuuga was going to be his opponent didn't help the matter. But Naruto also knew this was his chance to shine and was determined to make the best of it.

A pair of large doors behind him creaked open.

"You are allowed to enter", a young lady, most likely a paralegal, stated.

Those in the hallway made their way inside. Everybody took their rightful places. Naruto sat in the front and Hyuuga took a seat at the table next to his. Naruto glanced at his competition. Hyuuga sat alone at the table. It seemed that the injured party sat in the back. The re-opening had been requested by several people after all. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the people behind him. The injured party had been labelled as 'family', but he was able to tell right away these people were no such thing. Blood lusting criminals every single one of them. Covered in yakuza tattoos, most of them.

Naruto shook his head at the irony of it. A court room full of yakuzas, as the injured party. This system was rotten to the core. Rotten to an extent where criminals didn't even have to bother keeping their intentions hidden. The system did that for them. But they did have to be in quite deep shit to go this far for just one guy. Even if they were practically invisible to the law, it was bold to be taking risks this big. Gaara had to be dangerous, to them at the very least.

A door creaked open. Naruto's breath hitched once again. Mostly because he knew what would follow. But even then, why couldn't he stop it from happening?

The whole room watched Gaara step inside, led by guards. There wasn't a person there whose stare wasn't fixed on the unusually inhumane sight, the manlike monster who never failed to bring uneasiness wherever he went. But especially Naruto had a hard time tearing his gaze away. The cuffed man got seated down next to Naruto and then chained to the table. It took a few controlled breaths before Naruto was able to face the man beside him. As soon as he turned to look, he found himself being sucked in by the green color of the other's eyes. And just like last time, his heart skipped a beat. He had to fight to keep his concentration.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asked, hiding the nervousness.

Gaara watched him silently before answering. "I'm fine."

Naruto had forgotten how low the man's voice was. He almost flinched upon hearing it. Almost.

"Good. Cause this won't be easy", Naruto told.

"Easy ain't fun."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. Those words irked him.

"Fun or not, that's Hyuuga Neji. After me, he's the next best thing", Naruto said, trying to explain the situation and pointed at the man on his left.

Gaara didn't have to look the pointed way to answer. "I know."

There was something about Gaara's tone that made Naruto twitch in both disgust and appeal. He forced himself not to show it.

"Right. I've built the defense around the new evidence. On top of that, the witness is no longer as reliable. We can use that", Naruto continued his explanation. Gaara nodded.

"Questions?" Naruto asked and flipped through a few documents he'd taken out. He was too anxious to understand a word he was reading.

There was no answer right away. As if Gaara was purposely taking his sweet time, enjoying the nervousness Naruto couldn't stop from leaking.

"You found out about yakuza, didn't you?"

Naruto turned to look at the other man, somewhat startled. He'd known Gaara was exceptional, but how could he know?

"I knew you would", Gaara said, lifting the corner of his lips into smirk.

Naruto refused to react. He didn't want to give him the pleasure. And since Gaara already knew, it wasn't necessary.

The room fell silent as another door opened. The judge, a man in his mid-forties, stepped into the room and walked to his stand. He took a quick glance through a file handed to him, and then cleared his throat indicating the beginning of the hearing.

"Since this is just a hearing, you most likely won't have to say a word. Let's keep it that way", Naruto whispered, and felt a kind of satisfaction as Gaara narrowed his eyes.

A bang of the judge's gavel echoed through the room.

"Order and silence is required in the court room. We are now going to hold the hearing of a first degree murder case. Defendant; Sabaku Gaara. This hearing is for estimating the need for re-trial. First I am requesting for the prosecution to speak", the judge voiced.

Hyuuga stood up as requested, and walked up to the front. He took out his notes and started his speech.

"In the case of Sabaku Gaara, the prosecution is demanding a hardening of the sentence given in 2007 and is now filing for capital sentence", Hyuuga spoke.

Naruto turned to glance at Gaara. An inhumanely emotionless void he was, as expected. The prosecutor's words had no effect on him.

"Since the defendant is now demanding a re-trial, the prosecution will make it clear that there is no need for such. The original sentence was based on the fact that there was actual physical evidence of Sabaku at the crime scene. On top of that, there is a witness who has detailed information of the events. The witness, Sarutobi Konohamaru, has identified Sabaku as the killer. Also the defendant's decision to hide his past gives a strong impression of criminal habits. The defendant has pleaded not guilty, but has no way of explaining the evidence found on the scene. These factors make it clear that the original sentence was rightfully made and that the demand for capital punishment is justified", Hyuuga said and lowered his notes, indicating he was done for now.

"No questions. Thank you", the judge stated and instructed Hyuuga to take his seat.

"I am now requesting for the defense to speak up", the judge continued.

Naruto stood up and glanced over his shoulder. The people sitting behind him looked as cold and expressionless as Gaara. The similarities between them made Naruto wonder if it was something of relevance. To avoid unnecessary delay, he tore away his gaze and walked forward. He decided on not taking out notes and proceeded to present his defense.

"The prosecution is telling that there is no need for a re-trial. We are strongly opposing this claim, as it is obvious there are major flaws in the charges. Also, the demands for capital punishment are groundless. The original sentence was based on physical evidence that was found on the scene. As it has been proven, the gun that the defendant's fingerprint was found on, was registered to the defendant, but had been reported stolen. This should make the gun an invalid piece of evidence. And what comes to the witness, it is clear that he is no longer reliable, as he'd hidden important evidence. His motives for such actions are unknown and his words cannot be taken into serious consideration. Also, the defense believes that a mental examination of the witness is needed in order for him to be viewed as stable enough to partake. On the subject of the defendant's "missing" years; it is obviously unusual, but there is no evidence supporting criminal affiliations."

Naruto finished his speech and returned to his seat as instructed by the judge.

"Prosecution, do you wish to continue?" the judge asked.

Hyuuga nodded and stood up once more.

"The defense seems to believe that the gun that provided a fingerprint should not be used as evidence, since it was stolen. This is not a valid claim, since the reporting of a stolen weapon was never made under the defendant's legal name. Reporting it under an alias is not credible. Also, if the murders were planned, why not report the gun stolen to make sure it wouldn't be used against the defendant?" Hyuuga implied.

Naruto's jaw clenched. The point Hyuuga had brought up would be hard to knock down. The gun might've truly been reported stolen just for show and as of then, there was no way of proving otherwise.

"Unlike the defense seems to think, the witness' reliability hasn't suffered to the extent they want to believe. The witness will go through psychological screening to prove that reliability", Hyuuga assured.

The judge simply nodded and signed him to take his seat.

"Defense, do you wish to continue?" was the judge's following question.

"Yes, please", Naruto answered and stood up again.

"The reporting of the stolen gun under an alias shouldn't be an issue. The alias has been proven to have belonged to my client and thus is a valid point to make the gun's use as evidence unjustified. If the prosecution suspects an unnecessary report of stolen property, they should dedicate a separate investigation for it. As long as it can't be proven, there is no need to assume so. Also, why would the defendant have left the weapon on the scene, if it truly was used by him? The defense also strongly believes the witness is no longer a reliable source. The axe the witness was hiding contained important evidence, which has to be taken into consideration. Unidentified DNA can't go ignored."

The judge seemed thoughtful. "Can you verify that the DNA found on the axe does not belong to the defendant?"

"Yes, your honor", Naruto confirmed.

The judge hummed thoughtfully and scribbled a few words down on a piece of paper. He then turned to see the two lawyers.

"I see. Does the prosecution have something to add?"

"No. Not at the moment", Hyuuga answered, his tone of voice dropping down a notch. He seemed somewhat irritated.

Naruto felt pleased. Hyuuga had come to the hearing knowing that a re-trial would be more or less inevitable. There was no way for him to knock down the possibility of a third party having been involved. The re-trial was almost a fact, but it didn't mean winning it would be the same.

The judge stood up, and brought down his gavel.

"I will retreat to make a decision. Nobody is to leave until the decision is made", the judge said, then walking out of the courtroom.

Low mumbling filled the room. Naruto turned to look at Gaara. The look got returned. As expected, the man's face lacked all expression. Naruto was irked by his inability to figure out the other's thoughts.

"We'll make it. To re-trial, at least", Naruto said.

Gaara nodded. He seemed pleased, somehow. Naruto watched him silently, only to be watched back. He wanted Gaara to say something.

"You really ain't a man of many words, are you?" Naruto eventually sneered.

Gaara's face remained a blank canvas and no words were spoken. A hopeless case, he was. Naruto huffed and turned to face the other way.

He found the redhead's actions, or perhaps more the lack of them, irritating. At times, infuriating even. Now that he thought about it, he found nearly everything about Gaara irritating. His intense stare, that unnaturally low voice and the lack of expressions. That especially. So why was he so keen on getting him out of jail? Why was it becoming an obsession to find out what lied beneath the surface? Every now and then Naruto thought he caught a glimpse of...something in the eyes of the redhead. Whenever that happened, Naruto wanted to hold on to the slim chance of seeing behind the hollowness of those poisonous orbs. He was getting hooked on the irritation Gaara was able to lure out. It gave him the need to overcome it.

Naruto was startled by a soft touch. A cold breath of air hit his neck. A pair of blood red lips touched his skin as they let out whispered words.

"Your need to hear me talk seems...obsessive."

Naruto shivered so violently, the other man had to have noticed. The smug smirk on his face made it obvious he had, and was quite pleased by the way he'd made the blonde react. Naruto felt his irritation rise again. Every single time Gaara was able to force out the humanity in him, Naruto felt the need to get under the redhead's skin grow stronger. He knew the man was testing him, he knew it, but still couldn't hold back the odd reactions.

Naruto swallowed nervously, but forcibly denied himself any further reactions.

"I advise you to not make any physical contact. You might get thrown out of the hearing", Naruto stated coldly, professionally. Gaara tilted his head curiously.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked in a mocking tone. Naruto gritted his teeth.

"You couldn't possibly be capable of that", he hissed.

He knew it was a bold lie and so did Gaara. And that made the blonde furious at himself. He'd failed miserably when it came to controlling his actions. He felt weak and pitiful. Such feelings of inferiority were unfamiliar to him. But he knew it was just another challenge. He'd be able to overcome it. He had to.

"You must be masochistic to have accepted this case", Gaara continued his provocative way of speaking.

Naruto shot a piercing glare at the redhead. He was on his way beyond irritation.

"As must you, offering me this position", he growled.

The redhead raised a questioning, yet amused brow. Naruto matched the obnoxious smirk on his face, leaned closer and spared no spite as he spoke. For just a second, he let all professionalism fly right out the window.

"You knew what you were getting into. You know I'll rip your cover to pieces. And you can't wait for it to happen."

A flash of surprise could be seen in Gaara's eyes. He seemed taken aback by the other's boldness. Naruto made it perfectly clear that he enjoyed the man's surprise as much as he had Naruto's. They had no further exchange of words, and simply waited quietly for the judge to return. After a minute or two, the man re-entered the room. He took his stand, cleared his throat and spoke.

"A decision has been made."

Naruto's interest perked up. He was oddly anxious to find out the verdict.

"All elements of the case have to be clear before proceeding. For that reason, the witness will be sent to a psychological profiler. Another hearing will be held after the results come in", the judge declared and banged the gavel for finality.

Naruto felt somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected another hearing. It seemed unusual. But it wasn't a bad call. This would give them more time to strengthen the defense. Content enough, he voiced what would follow next.

"You'll be taken back to Fuchu Prison. I've arranged us to meet in an hour. I'll see you there", Naruto told him, not sparing a glance.

No reply followed. He couldn't say he'd expected one. Gaara stood up and let the guards take him away. Naruto couldn't stop himself from watching the man walk away. He still felt overwhelmed by his presence. Not in a good way, but not in a bad way either. In a heavy and dangerous, yet thrilling way. That was the most accurate description of the feeling he could give. And to be honest, it confused him. It was too...different. From absolutely everything he'd ever encountered.

As soon as the man disappeared from his view, the feeling vanished. He could breathe again.

* * *

There he was again. In the same depressing room, surrounded by the same depressing walls and depressing emptiness. Sitting in the same uncomfortable chair, waiting for his client to show up. Jiraiya hadn't been there today. He had a day off, it seemed. It was Thursday, nearing the weekend, but Naruto had a feeling he was in no position to be dreaming of a day off. Not with the load of work waiting to be dealt with. If everything went according to plan, the second hearing would be held on Monday, perhaps Tuesday. Naruto couldn't wait to hear the final verdict. He was confident that a re-trial would be held, but there was no way to be absolutely sure. He knew he wouldn't be able to relax before the the final decision, so a day off would go to waste anyway.

A familiar click of the door on his left opening reached his ears. The door opened to reveal a face he'd parted with only an hour ago. Naruto's breath almost became stuck again, but this time he forced himself to keep it even. Gaara took a seat across him, just like last time. Once again, he got chained to the table. The guards then left the room, leaving them alone. Not that Naruto noticed it this time either. Something odd happened. Somehow he completely forgot what to say. And he tried, but simply could not remember. Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to regain his focus.

"Fuck", he muttered out loud.

Gaara grunted.

"Get your shit together", was his solution.

Naruto was instantly irritated, once again. Why did he let the man speak to him in such a way? And more importantly, why did he let it bother? He was used to hearing locked up psychopaths mumbling offensive shit, but was trained to ignore it. Something about Gaara twisted his perspective.

"My patience with you is running out. You gotta give me something", Naruto huffed. Gaara seemed oddly disappointed.

"Hn. I didn't expect you to give up this easy", he said bluntly. Naruto battled to keep his calm.

"As much as I enjoy your little game, you will be rotting in death row if you don't talk. Even I can't make miracles happen", Naruto hissed through gritted teeth.

"You're my miracle", Gaara answered in a heartbeat.

Naruto frowned. How exactly was he supposed to interpret that?

"I'm not even gonna ask", he sighed, rolling his eyes.

Short silence fell, leaving a gap for thought. His miracle, huh? The blonde came to realize he was quite taken aback by the comment. Gaara seemed to not notice.

"You gotta make sure the re-trial happens", the man sternly demanded.

Naruto looked up to meet the other's gaze. His irritation faded as soon as their eyes met. He didn't know how or why, but the green eyes staring into his blue ones told very clearly that he couldn't help. Not now. There were things that couldn't be said out loud. This revelation made Naruto once again ponder if he really was ready to trample his morals even lower. His job was to free his clients of all charges, no matter what. But if this really was becoming more than just work, it would affect his personal values as well. Would he come to regret something?

Naruto sighed, again. Who was he kidding? He wouldn't be able to get out of this, even if he'd wanted to. But that didn't mean he had to like it. And he used a tone that made it clear he didn't.

"Fine."

The redhead might've had some sort of reply, but the blonde decided he wasn't going to stay to hear it. Instead he simply stood up, gathered his belongings and turned around, without as much as a glance to the other man. He was ready to take his leave, but was stopped by a sudden rattling of chains. The sound alone was enough to bring him to a halt, but it also appeared that the chains gave way more than he'd expected. He could determine that, as there was a tight hold around his wrist. It took Naruto a while to understand what exactly was happening. But once the realization hit him, his knees went weak.

Naruto looked down to see the hand touching him. He in fact had no idea how to feel about it. It did disturb him to some extent. And then something. Something he strangely enough had no word for.

"You know…I have this magic button here that will send a shitload of guards in seconds to take you away", Naruto stated bluntly.

Gaara smirked. "Yeah, but you won't do it, will you?"

Oh fuck him and that low voice of his.

"You really wanna push your luck?" Naruto asked, trying to hide the strange feeling building up inside him.

"I don't believe in luck", was the answer.

A heavy silence fell around them. And it stayed there for a long while. Too long. Naruto's mild anxiety began growing into something that caused his chest to tighten. It was unfamiliar. It began to scare him.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked, finally breaking the worst tension.

He glanced at the pale hand again. The touch of it was cold. He could've easily yanked himself free, but didn't. Why, he had no idea. And apparently the other man was well aware he had no answer to that.

"You to realize why you're not trying to break free", Gaara said in an oddly calm voice.

Naruto lifted his gaze to meet the other's. The strange feeling inside him rapidly grew stronger. A moment after those words, Naruto pulled his hand away. Not as aggressively as he'd planned. His gaze stayed to linger on the other man. He knew his cold shell was breaking. He could feel it crack like thin ice. He wasn't sure what to say.

"I'll be back tomorrow", he eventually stated, and then hastily turned to leave.

He didn't have to look back to know that the other man's lips were decorated with a smug smirk.

* * *

A couple of hours later Naruto sat on the floor of his hotel room. He was well beyond exhausted. Which was no wonder, really.

He rose to his feet and walked over to the full length mirror placed next to the bed. The sight could be described only as depressing. Dark circles around the eyes, the usually sun kissed color of his skin now an anemic pale one. He wasn't one to handle stress very well. Not stress this intense. His way of life had been taking its toll on him for several years. But at the same time it was like a drug. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop. It was all he had. He was hooked on the feeling winning a case gave him. That sweet feeling of some some type of euphoria. Year after year that rush defeated the fatigue. At times he wondered when it no longer would. He'd never been a drug user in the term's most honest definition, but had a hunch that his way of life was dangerously close to that of a heroin addict. The chase of a high would always end up tearing one's psyche and physique to shreds. Perhaps this addiction of his was even worse than that of a junkie's. They usually got put out of their misery soon enough. His addiction seemed to drag out infinitely.

Naruto simply stood there in front of the mirror, feeling some vague form of self-pity. Suddenly, an image of Sasuke flashed in his mind.

"Shit", Naruto mumbled.

He'd really screwed up. He knew it, but couldn't bring himself to call and apologize. He was too much of a stubborn prick for that. He hadn't changed his mind about Sasuke's meddling being uncalled for. He was afraid he'd lose the only one he'd ever truly cared for, but at the same time was too selfish to admit to being wrong.

Naruto didn't want to dwell in his self pity any longer. He left the spot in front of the mirror, walked over to his suitcase and took out the laptop he'd brought along. He decided it would be best to write his thoughts down. To get them out of his system. About the case, about everything.

It took him a while to figure out how to start. He concluded it was best not to overthink it.

"_This memo will be written from a personal point of view. This won't be used in any court action._

_I am tired. I am being torn into shreds. By myself, mostly, but there is someone else to blame as well. _

_Sabaku Gaara is a client of mine. Gaara is a convicted murderer. He has shot, stabbed and dismembered seven human beings. At least so it has been declared, for now. It is my job to make sure those accusations are proven to be groundless. I am good at my job, I truly am. But this time…it's not enough. This time everything is different. Sabaku Gaara has succeeded in something nobody has. Not even my wife. That man has surpassed my own wife in making me emotionally unstable. _

_He touched me today. He took my hand. It wasn't violent, it wasn't unpleasant. But it scared me. It scared me to realize, I wasn't trying to break free. I could try to excuse my lack of action with the element of surprise, but it would be just that; an excuse. There is something about this man that makes me shiver and twitch. Makes my heart skip a beat. And I have no idea why. Am I frightened by him? _

_It is not only these few days I've acknowledged Gaara's existence that are breaking me down. My life has been dangerously near to collapsing for a few years now. Somehow even the years on the other side of law felt more stable than what I'm now desperately trying to hold together. I love my wife. But I am no longer in love. I am attached to her. I am fond of her. I still want to make things okay, I do. I'm just not sure I can. Is it even possible to fall for one person twice? The way Gaara is affecting me has been further faltering my focus on fixing the relationship I have with my wife. Somehow the past few days have made me wonder if I've just been hiding behind a pretty picture. It has made me believe that there is so much more than this. So much I should be doing, yet am not. _

_I have doubts about myself. For the first time ever, I am doubting myself as an attorney. As a human being. I am baffled by this case, by this client. I am almost sure Gaara is anything but innocent. But for some reason, I don't mind. Why? Why do I not care that he quite possibly cut seven people into pieces? Why is getting him out all I can think about? I hate him, but at the same time I don't. I am disgusted by him and I am drawn to him. I'm confused."_

The more Naruto wrote, the more he realized that Sasuke had been absolutely right. Shikamaru too. In a way he'd known it from start. But admitting it had been too much for his pride as a professional. He did feel like an idiot now. He had been an absolute idiot. He couldn't deny that anymore. But even then, it didn't change his mind about the case. Maybe it should've. He didn't know.

"_As I write this, I find myself discovering new ways of thinking. Both good and bad. I guess it's a good thing I still am able to tell the difference between those two. I am discovering the bright angles of the dark side. I can feel myself being sucked back into that endless void of the true nature of humans. But I don't find it detestable. I find it…interesting. I should probably be worried, maybe scared. But no. I just can't bring myself to feel that way._

_I now have a few hours to put together a defense so perfect nothing can cut through it. Gaara won't help me. Can't help me. That tells a story, doesn't it? _

_He called me his miracle. And as ridiculous as it is, I now feel pressured to be just that. Am I going to be able to live up to that title? I suppose I am. He was so sure of it. So I guess I'll have to."_

Naruto felt he was done processing his thoughts. He saved the document and closed the laptop. He wasn't sure why he'd saved it. Perhaps he wanted to make sure those thoughts wouldn't get lost. This way they'd be safe.

Naruto collapsed onto the bed. He watched the ceiling. It was a boring color of white. That dull color seemed to symbolize his current life very well. He was fed up with what he'd ended up with. He'd gotten everything he'd dreamed of, but now realized it was dangerous to dream at all.

You just might get what you want. And then end up not liking it at all.

* * *

**I'd like to make it clear that this fic will get darker as it goes on. No angst, but other dark themes. It won't get extravagantly depressing 'cause that's just plain boring. Just wanted to make it clear in case somebody was hoping for any overly positive story telling. I'll save that for another day ;)**


	7. Survival Instinct: None

**I have a new chapter for you~ It took some time to get it done (I've been busy as hell), but now it's here. So, take a look.**

* * *

_Naruto stands outside. The night sky is painted with ominous colors. Red, orange, yellow. White and blue, too. Even from this distance, the heat stings. It is too bright to keep one's eyes wide open. So, he squints. _

_The smell of burning flesh fills the air. Screams of agony reaches his ears. They are loud, but distant. He doesn't get affected by them. _

_There is a building in front of him. Windows shatter, wood splits. It burns so fast. _

_The stench of gasoline is piercing, but somehow, it is the best smell in the world. It is unlike anything else. _

_The view is disturbing, but Naruto is calm. He is collected. He is everything he needs to be. Everything he wants to be. He is in control. That's what it's all about, isn't it? Power. He doesn't want to let go of the feeling. It is intoxicating. Sick and twisted, but so intoxicating. _

_The screams grow louder. They begin to to irritate him._

_He wants silence. Darkness. _

_His calmness is drifting away. He starts to fidget. The noise is too loud. The flames are too bright. He suddenly no longer knows where he is or why. _

_There is fire, why? _

_There is pain and death. Why? _

_He starts to panic. The screams are now unbearable. He can no longer breathe. His legs give out and he collapses to his knees. He has to cover his ears to block out the pained yells. It doesn't work; the screams are inside his head._

_Slowly the lights and colors fade away. His mind is giving up. He isn't far from unconsciousness. He is ready to give in. _

_Suddenly, it's quiet._

_He slowly opens his eyes. There is no fire, no heat. No colors anymore. It is dark. The only thing left is the smell of burning flesh._

_It is so quiet now. Too quiet. His panic won't fade, won't leave him be. The silence makes it worse. He is all alone now. It frightens him. It frightens him to be alone._

_But then, he wakes up._

Naruto's eyes shot wide open. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He couldn't stop trembling. It hurt to breathe. Every breath he took shot pain through his chest. He was afraid to blink. He didn't want to fall back into the dream he'd been able to escape. He hadn't felt panic like this in ages.

Naruto hastily turned his head towards the nightstand to check the time. It was 4:45 am. It was morning. Naruto sighed, finally catching his breath. He shook his head and flung his feet to the floor. It was early, but he wouldn't go back to sleep. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a dream that…suffocating. He wasn't one to have nightmares. He wasn't really sure if it'd been one.

Naruto stood up and walked into the bathroom. He washed the sweat off his face and stopped to stare at his reflection in the mirror. What he saw was as much of a mess as it'd been for a while now. It made him angry. He felt weak and useless. He was nearing the point of self-pitying and that made him even angrier. To stop himself from getting any more unstable, he turned around and walked away from the mirror. He drank up a glass of water and then sat down onto an armchair placed next to the window. He cracked the window open, breathing in the cold morning air. It felt good, cleansing. After a couple of deep breaths, he lit a cigarette. It tasted better than ever.

Naruto felt calm enough to think about the dream he'd had. He was still taken aback by it. It'd been too realistic to be forgotten. The colors, the heat, the smells…he'd sensed them like they'd really been there. The stench of gasoline still seemed to linger around him.

Naruto took another drag from his cigarette.

He was confused as to why his dream had seemed so lifelike. Waking up had been like a slap across the face. For a second there, reality had gotten mixed with something else. It was sort of unnerving. Naruto couldn't recall ever experiencing anything alike. Not even when he'd played around with drugs back in the day. A trippy Friday night was nothing compared to the oddity of his dream.

The confused state the dream had left him in made Naruto wonder how exactly his mental stability was doing. He wasn't crazy, he wasn't sick in the head, but he was…tired. So tired. He could've slept for a week and still would've been exhausted. But as long as he didn't know what exactly the problem was, he wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it. Sure he knew that his challenging marriage, the long days on the job and the past he could never run away from were all things that took a toll on his psyche, but he still had no clue what to do. Somehow, he was drifting. Drifting away from everything, yet never ending up anywhere else. He felt lost.

Naruto shook his head, chuckled out loud and took a few more drags.

He was acting stupid. He was worrying for no real reason. If life had taught him anything, it was that everything was temporary. All good, all bad, just temporary. Nothing lasted forever. Neither would this. One day he'd wake up and realize, life was good. Even if it was that for just a while.

He took one last drag and then put the cigarette out. He glanced outside. His hotel room was quite high up, giving him a beautiful view of the city. The skyline was still dim, but a few rays of sunlight were stretching out from behind the buildings. Naruto could see miles ahead. Including Fuchu prison. It of course reminded him of the man he'd have to meet again.

Naruto remained confused when it came to the redhead. Their slightly unpleasant, yet intriguing confrontations seemed to be a subject he was unable to form an opinion on. To be perfectly precise, Gaara himself seemed to be a subject he couldn't form an opinion on. He was aware there was no real need for him to have one. Professionally speaking. But for some reason, his mind wouldn't let it go.

Naruto decided he'd wasted enough time questioning things he wouldn't be able to answer anyway, and closed the window. He got up, put on clothes to keep him warm and then headed out. As soon as he stepped onto the sidewalk, he picked up the pace. He concluded it'd been way too long since his last workout and decided to jog to the nearest gym.

Three hours later, Naruto was dripping with sweat, aching in places he hadn't remembered existed and more out of breath than expected. It'd only been three weeks since his last trip to the gym, but obviously it was enough to get him near coma. He had to admit, compared to what he used to give to working out, the last six months he'd been more than just lazy. It was no accident he was in great shape, but he seemed to have forgotten exactly how much work it took to maintain it. Once again Naruto decided to blame it all on the long hours at the office. His career took up all his time and energy. And even then, he couldn't live without it.

Naruto stepped out to the streets again, only to remember he'd have to run back to the hotel. The entire way back he wanted nothing more than to collapse down on the sidewalk, but somehow managed to keep on going. He absolutely would have to pull himself together and get back into the enviable shape he'd always been in.

After what felt like ages, he arrived at the hotel. He quickly made his way up to his room and jumped into the shower. He showered off all possible stickiness the torture he'd put himself through had produced, and then dried himself off. He once again took a look of his own image in the mirror next to him. It seemed that the shower hadn't helped much. He didn't look any more refreshed than before. And the longer he watched the reflection, the better he understood why his physique was so shitty.

He'd lost weight. Quite dramatically, actually. Being someone with a body fat percentage next to nothing, it was not an ideal loss. He wasn't scrawny, but the toned muscle power he was used to carrying around wasn't exactly in its former glory. Naruto hadn't even noticed. Not really.

Since it was unnecessary to stare at the more or less pathetic reflection, he eventually tore his gaze away and put on a pair of boxers. He then pulled on a wife beater and a pair of sweats. With a cup of fresh coffee he'd requested from room service, Naruto sat down on the edge of the bed. He took out the case file to go through it once again. He would have to find something before leaving to meet Gaara.

For a second, Naruto thought back to the day before.

"_You're my miracle."_

The unexpected words gave him chills even now. It was just another one of Gaara's games, no doubt. But fuck, that guy knew how to get inside his head. And that was his problem exactly. If Naruto was able to make out something new of the info he had, it would bring him one step closer to the Gaara behind the mind games. Closer to every little secret that man had to hide, closer to what lay beneath the surface. If he was able to understand even a fraction of that creature's mind, it'd be not just a personal victory, but something to use against his desire to play with the blonde's mind.

Naruto stopped his thought. His mind seemed to wander a bit more on the 'fucking crazy person' section than needed. Naruto pressed his face against his palms and let out a long, tired sigh. He wanted to blame his messy head on his years' worth of sleep deprivation, but it seemed just a tad bit too desperate to be credible.

Naruto slightly parted his fingers to see the file laid out on the bed. The gruesome pictures of the scene were scattered around the sheets, all a little gorier than the other one. The blonde settled on simply watching them from behind his hands. He had to find something. Anything. Even the smallest, shittiest thing would give him some extra energy to keep himself motivated and concentrated. Naruto had a bad habit of losing his focus when things didn't go as planned. This was one of those times.

Everything was just stuck. His mind was overused, now nearing the eventually inevitable point of shutdown. He couldn't get any information from Gaara and the investigation itself, or at least the official file, was outrageously scattered and vague. As if mere satire of serious criminal investigating. The whole damn corrupted case was so deeply soaked in blood, it was impossible to see behind the lies. Spilled blood always stained the truth with its horrors. And this time, there'd been loads of it.

Naruto frowned. Suddenly, something changed in his train of thought. He pulled his face away from his palms and picked up a couple of photos.

'_Spilled blood always stains the truth.'_

Blue eyes shifted between the pictures. From afar, every single picture with a full view of the room looked like a photographed pool of blood, with a few humanlike lumps thrown in. On closer inspection, it still looked like a photographed pool of blood with lumps. That exact point made Naruto realize that no matter how long he stared at those pictures, he wouldn't be able to make out details. The blood had covered literally everything. He took a look at the pictures taken after cleanup. The messiness of the scene had made it impossible to recover the room completely. Dismembering seven people, in a room able to fit just about that amount, couldn't be done neatly. But along with the cleaning, something might've gone unnoticed.

An idea formed in his head. Naruto jumped out of bed, ran out of the room and down to the lobby. With some persuasion, he got the woman behind the counter to lend a scanner for him to use. Though ancient design, he was assured it functioned just fine. With a small struggle he was able to carry the heavy equipment back to his room and once there, he hastily he plugged it in. With the scanner and his laptop ready for use, he scanned all the pictures of the bloody scene. The process took longer than his patience preferred, but in a few minutes the pictures had been transferred to the screen of his computer.

Naruto opened a picture with a full view of the scene and right away zoomed in on it. He went through every inch of it, carefully taking in any possible evidence. And another time, to double check. He found nothing. He couldn't claim to be surprised. But since he had something else in mind, he wasn't too upset about it. He opened a graphics software and brought the picture back to sight. He then little by little began to tweak the contrast of the picture. After a while of playing around with color options, lighting and saturation, he finally found what he'd been looking for. A detail gone unnoticed. To be sure, he went through the same procedure with the rest of the pictures. The results made him quite happy with himself.

The pools of blood now showed all movement that had been going on in the middle of it. The last movements of the victims were visible and so was the obvious track of someone who'd been dragged across the room. What separated it from all other traces was the way it continued all the way to the exit of the room. A body had been dragged out. In a room of seven corpses one more shouldn't matter. But it had. And Naruto now had what he'd wanted.

He printed the edited photos and stacked them away. He then shut the laptop down, checked the time and decided it was time to suit up. It was past eleven already. He hadn't promised to show up at a specific time, but figured this was as good as any. He was already on his way out when the phone rang. With a grunt he turned away from the door and went to pick up the phone.

"Yes?"

"You have an incoming call. Shall I connect?"

Naruto recognized the receptionist's voice. He was almost ready to decline, but at the last second, decided against it.

"Sure."

It only took a brief moment to reconnect.

"Naruto?" a soft female voice spoke.

"Hey, Sakura", Naruto said, fighting the need to sigh.

"Am I disturbing you?" she asked, her tone turning audibly insulted. Naruto had to roll his eyes.

"No, you're not, I'm just in a hurry. And fucking tired", he said. Sakura huffed.

"Well don't take it out on me. I actually had a real reason to call", she muttered.

Naruto clenched his jaw in irritation. "Well, tell me."

A short silence followed, which gave him a vaguely unpleasant feeling. He already knew this was about something that carried the potential to build up a fight.

"I got the results from the doctor", Sakura eventually revealed.

Naruto could've pretended he was extremely intrigued by her news. But to be honest, the stress levels he was experiencing made it hard for him to be intrigued about anything, really. Apart from the absolute necessary. Which was leaving to meet his client.

"Ok. So, what's the verdict?" he asked, trying his best not to come across as rude. Short silence followed.

"It's you", Sakura eventually told.

Naruto sort of expected himself to have a reaction of some kind, but the news didn't really feel like anything. He was smart enough to know he'd have to act up a reaction.

"Oh. Okay", he said, not coming up with anything more brilliant. And as soon as he'd said it, he realized he wasn't a very good actor.

"_Oh, okay_?! That's it?" Sakura sort of shrieked. Naruto had to pull away from the phone to avoid any hearing damage.

"Well, what am I supposed to say?" Naruto asked, staying clueless on the subject.

The fierce gritting of Sakura's teeth could be heard even on Naruto's end.

"Shit. I'm not gonna fight about this too. Whatever. Doesn't really matter to me how you take it. You're the problem, but according to the doctor, it can be fixed. So are you still making the fucking baby with me?" Sakura asked, clearly frustrated.

Had Naruto said he wasn't slowly getting angry, he would've been lying. But he also knew that going to meet Gaara in any emotionally charged state wouldn't be a wise thing to do. Thus he did his best to not go overboard with his irritation.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll fucking fix it then. But right now I'm supposed to be somewhere, so I'm hanging up", Naruto said and ended the call before his other half had the chance to protest.

He needed a few deep breaths to calm down. And even then, the success was questionable.

"Well, well. Wasn't that fucking fun?" he muttered to himself.

The entire ride to the prison he felt like jumping out of the moving cab would've been a great idea. But since self-harm wasn't really his cup of tea, he decided against it. He managed to keep himself inside the vehicle until he finally arrived at the prison. Since he was visiting outside visiting hours, a guard actually had to drive him in a secured van from the gates to the visitors' entrance. So, about 400 feet. Apparently, it wasn't safe for Naruto to walk the distance, since the inmates were spending time on the yard. They had pretty stern looking fences keeping them away, so Naruto didn't really get the point of his ride, but neither did he complain. He got off his ridiculously short ride and marched inside. Almost instantly he spotted a man he'd hoped to run into.

"Jiraiya!" Naruto called out.

The white-haired man turned around.

"Oh, Naruto. What are you doing here? I didn't know you'd scheduled a meeting", he said, making his way over to the blonde.

"I didn't. Well I did, unofficially. I was kind of hoping you'd do me a favor", Naruto admitted.

The other man gave him a look he'd given a thousand times back when Naruto had been a pain in the ass student. It brought back memories. Both good and bad.

"This has to be something that'll get me in trouble", Jiraiya noted, shaking his head. The blonde chuckled.

"Could be. But you know, you still owe me for hooking you up with that friend of mine, old pervert", Naruto said. The man burst into laughter.

The familiar, wholehearted laughter made Naruto instantly feel at ease around Jiraiya again. Just like that, the distance the years apart had grown between them seemed less dramatic.

"You're still a pain in the ass, aren't you? Well, let's hear it, then", the man gave in.

Naruto had to admit, it was difficult to face the man when asking for this particular favor. It was no little thing at all.

"Could you turn off the mics and cameras and keep Sabaku's hands unchained?"

Jiraiya's smile was quick to drop, replaced by an expression between surprise and horror. Pretty much what Naruto had expected to see.

"A-are you insane?" was all the old man could stutter.

Naruto couldn't blame him. He knew he was asking for much. But he needed it just as much.

"I would like to think not, but you never know", was his answer. His laid-back attitude didn't get much appreciation.

"Stop kidding, brat", Jiraiya grunted. His shock was yet to fade away, but he did regain his ability to speak properly.

"Not only would I be putting my own ass on the line, but yours too, brat. I know you've formed an opinion of Sabaku based on how he acts, but trust me, you don't know shit. That man is dangerous, don't underestimate him", Jiraiya said with certainty. Naruto chuckled.

"I know fucking exactly how clueless I am of his capabilities. But I'm going to change that. That's why I'm asking you to do this for me."

Jiraiya seemed puzzled. "This isn't part of your job. So why do you insist?"

Naruto had no intellectual answer. "I just have to."

He sounded like an idiot. And knew it.

"I don't know, kid. Your life is worth more than a hookup", Jiraiya said, referring to the favor Naruto was now demanding return service for.

"I understand why you doubt me. But Sabaku isn't a maniac. He knows better than to hurt me inside these walls", Naruto tried to explain.

Jiraiya had rid himself of the shock and pondered his choices. His stern eyes eventually softened just the slightest bit. To the blonde, that was a good sign.

"I'll make a deal with you. I'll turn off the mics and leave Sabaku's hands unchained. But the guy's feet will be cuffed _a__nd.._.I'm recording a visual. The tape won't leave my possession, but I'm making sure that if anything does happen, he won't get away with it", Jiraiya presented his suggestion.

Naruto didn't have to even think about it.

"Deal. I'd hug you, but that would be weird", Naruto joked and shook hands with the older man. The judgmental look never left his features.

"You owe me so much, you don't even understand it, brat," he muttered. Naruto couldn't deny that.

"I know."

They fell silent and still for a while. Jiraiya shook his head, sighing.

"I don't know what it is about you. You're annoying and demanding, you've always been. Still, somehow people are so intrigued by you", he said, vaguely amused.

"Kinda insulting, but thanks anyway", Naruto chuckled. The old man's expression became more serious.

"But remember, you have that effect on everybody. Including Sabaku. You are exactly the type he likes to focus his mind games on. So…just take that into count", Jiraiya warned.

Naruto simply nodded. The other man was quick to continue.

"I'm still giving you the buzzer in case anything goes wrong," he informed.

The blonde had no protests. He didn't care, really. He'd already gotten his way. But he did have one more request.

"Yeah. One more thing, though," he stated.

Jiraiya huffed. "Well, what?"

"No matter what he does, don't send anybody unless I press the buzzer", Naruto requested. It might've come off more as a demand, though.

The older man frowned. For a while it seemed he would decline, but in the end decided he didn't have the motivation to have a debate over it. After a roll of his eyes, he simply nodded and then turned to walk away.

"You're playing with fire, kid. I'll go fetch the crazy guy, you go sit your ass down", he said, without looking back.

Naruto smirked. The old man hadn't changed one bit.

The blonde did as told and entered the same room he'd met with Gaara in. He took the same uncomfortable seat for the third time. The second he sat down, he realized how tired he was once again. His sleep cut short and the rough workout obviously hadn't been a good combination. Sakura being her usual cheery self probably hadn't helped the matter either. Actually, it absolutely hadn't.

Naruto shook his head in order to clear his mind. He knew he had to keep his head in the game in order to perform with a straight face. Seeing him tired and moody would've been too much of a pleasure for Gaara, thus he had to keep it hidden. He made that decision just in time, it seemed. The door across him opened.

And there he was again.

The same red hair, that ghastly pale face and hollow eyes. The room filled with a familiar, dark energy. Naruto's stomach wanted to turn, as usual, but to his surprise he was able to avoid it. Perhaps he was getting better at this.

Behind Gaara walked Jiraiya. He still carried that disapproving expression of his. He seated Gaara down and tossed the buzzer over to Naruto, like they'd agreed. The blonde caught it midair and nodded in thanks. With one last displeased look, Jiraiya left. Naruto moved his gaze towards Gaara. Even though the man tried to hide it, Naruto could see he was confused. He didn't seem to understand why he wasn't chained to the table as usual. His dark eyes wandered over to the notification light of voice recording. It didn't light up.

Gaara's gaze then turned towards Naruto, clearly presenting a question. The cold look seemed even more intense than before. After a while of being stared at, Naruto got bored of it and stood up. He knew what the man was after. And he knew he had only one way of giving him a proper answer. He didn't tear his gaze away from Gaara's as he slowly took off his suit coat. By the time it was off and he'd moved on to opening the buttons of his dress shirt, the redhead's eyes had traveled quite a bit lower. But he didn't say a word.

Naruto ended up standing in front of Gaara in a pair of dress pants and a white wife beater. The redhead's eyes trailed the unexpectedly revealed skin. The man's stare was nothing shy of burning. And mildly displeased. Naruto had already expected it. With a huff, he took off the last piece of clothing covering his upper body. Gaara didn't bother to even try to hide his stare. The blonde tried not to mind it. He turned around a couple of times.

"See? Not wired."

He felt naked. And not just because of the lack of clothes. He stood there in front of a complete stranger, a man determined to get inside his head, with all his tattoos exposed. Normally, it wouldn't have been an issue, but Naruto knew Gaara was capable of reading the ink on his skin. Read all the years he'd recorded on his body. Parts of his life. It was a moment at which Naruto once again had to question how far he was prepared to go for this. Apparently, taking off his clothes wasn't crossing the line.

The blonde was slightly surprised to find Gaara incapable of maintaining the eye contact he usually was very fond of. The man's eyes were glued way below Naruto's eye level. _Way_ below. It made him kind of uncomfortable. And kind of not.

"Right. Time for what I came here to do", Naruto said and put his top back on. He couldn't bother with the rest.

"I did as you wished. And I found something", he continued and took his seat.

He pulled out the prints from earlier. He laid them on the table for Gaara to see. The man glanced over to them, but stayed silent. Naruto tilted his head slightly.

"Figured out what it is yet?"

Gaara lifted his gaze to meet Naruto's. Still, not a word. It irked the blonde.

"Someone was dragged away. If it'd been one of the targeted victims, there would've been no reason to bother with that", Naruto spoke.

He once again waited for some kind of reaction, but already knew it was in vain. To say he was getting honestly frustrated with the other man's silence would've been an understatement. But he fought not to let that frustration show. It would've been too much of pleasure for Gaara.

"Someone got dragged away and was never found. Someone who mattered. And that someone is dead," Naruto said, making it clear he wasn't giving up on the subject. Gaara's stare turned piercing.

"No point in glaring at me. There was unidentified DNA extracted from blood on the blade of an ax used in the attack. When you get dragged away while bleeding heavily, it's usually not a good sign," Naruto analyzed.

Gaara grunted. And for the first time, a vague flash of an expression crossed his face. Just for a second. A look of pain. It truly was unexpected. Naruto actually felt taken aback by it. Against all expectations, the flash of humanity made Gaara seem even more dangerous and unpredictable.

Naruto had come to a conclusion when it came to Gaara's involvement with the murders. He wasn't sure if the man had actually done any killing, but he was sure he'd been there. Seen it, perhaps done it. But certainly been there. The unexpected emotion seen in his eyes was proof enough that the someone who mattered, had mattered deeply. And there was something else, too.

An innocent man wouldn't have wasted time playing mind games under the threat of capital punishment.

"I know you were there", Naruto said.

Gaara's trademark smirk appeared. All traces of emotion were gone again.

"Why does it matter?" he asked.

"It doesn't. Not to me. Even if you did rip heads off of seven people, my job is to get you out of jail. But to the court, it matters. The good news is, we might have someone to blame the whole thing on. But they are most likely dead and you're not. I know you were there. And if the prosecution finds a way to prove it, you better have a damn good explanation", Naruto said.

Gaara tilted his head. "I do. But it's up to you to make a better one."

Naruto almost gritted his teeth. Almost.

"That's what I do best."

"To what extent?"

The blonde knew Gaara was doing it on purpose. The teasing, the search for double meaning in anything Naruto said. He knew it, and found it surprisingly hard not to let it get to him. The best he could do was return the subtle implications that could possibly be interpreted as insults.

"Trust me. I've dealt with worse than you."

"Should I be insulted?"

"Maybe."

A somewhat tense silence followed.

"You're having a bad day, it seems", Gaara huffed.

Naruto couldn't have given him a more unimpressed and icy glare than the one he did.

"I assure you, it's none of your business," he stated coldly. The redhead smirked.

"True."

Naruto sighed. "I really don't find this conversation to be of any use."

Gaara smirked again. "For a man who waits for me to start talking, you seem quite ungrateful."

"In that case you must've misunderstood my expectations", the blonde assured. Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I wasn't aware you had expectations of me," he stated.

Naruto gritted his teeth. He could no longer stop it from happening.

"I don't. I have better things to do than to waste my time with such trivial thoughts", was the most civilized answer he could give.

This wasn't going anywhere. The entire conversation so far had been nothing but empty words and unnecessary bullshit. Naruto knew the redhead was trying to play with his mind. He was doing his very best to control the situation. And it truly made the blonde wonder where the man's priorities truly lay. Was getting inside his head really that desirable? The reply Gaara gave to his earlier remark was a good enough answer to that question.

"We both know you're lying," the man stated.

Naruto wanted to curse him to the lowest pits of hell. He found himself once again in the situation he'd been trying to avoid. Gaara's ability to mess with one's head was extremely irritating. Naruto didn't know if the time he spent thinking about Gaara actually was that obvious, or if the man was merely guessing. Perhaps it was just an assumption. Either way, it gave the lasting illusion of Gaara having the upper hand in this sick game of his, and Naruto wasn't fond of it in the least.

Naruto knew he had to turn the situation the other way around and decided it was time to change his approach. For a short while to come, he watched the redhead with a cold gaze, before confusing the man by rising to stand up.

"Lying is a waste of time, too. I'm not a fan of it. Give me a call when you're ready to stop wasting everybody's time with useless bullshit", Naruto said, as confidently as he possibly could.

Gaara's eyes showed he hadn't been expecting it. For a few seconds Naruto just stood there, watching him. The man seemed irritated and bemused, which of course made the blonde quite pleased with himself. He then grabbed his stuff, turned around and made his way towards the door. But he took his time, waiting. His wait paid off.

"Shit", Gaara's low voice muttered.

Naruto stopped in his tracks and couldn't help but smirk. He didn't need more than that. Honestly, he wouldn't get more than that.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked and turned around to face the other man again.

Gaara didn't say anything. But the annoyance plastered across his face was information enough. It seemed he hadn't expected Naruto to grow a pair and just walk away, even under the threat of losing a well-paying job. The blonde had never underestimated Gaara's ability to manipulate people, but it seemed Gaara had underestimated his. To be honest, Naruto was yet to even partake in this twisted game. He'd wanted to avoid it. It wasn't healthy. But in order to survive this man's "social skills", he might have to.

He waited for Gaara to speak. Or to make eye contact. Apparently the man's gaze was once again focused somewhere below his face. He seemed to get easily distracted by the unconventional appearance for a lawyer Naruto was pulling off at the moment. Perhaps other unconventional lawyer-client interaction might have the same affect. That gave Naruto an idea, one that might either work to his advantage, or get him killed. He was crazy enough to take the risk.

Naruto chuckled. He made his way back to the table, dropped his things on it, and walked over to Gaara. He stood tall in front of the redhead and gave a stare the man couldn't avoid. It didn't mean he didn't try. Which irked the blonde. After a short silence, Naruto took a hold of the edge of Gaara's chair and forcibly turned the seat towards him. The man had no choice but to face him. Naruto moved lower to meet Gaara's eye level.

"Do you even want to get out, huh?" Naruto asked with a provoking tone.

Gaara's eyes instantly flashed with anger. His jaw clenched, teeth pressed tightly together. Yet he still refused to speak. That was the blonde's cue to make him even more uncomfortable. In order to achieve that, Naruto placed his hands against the backrest of the other's seat, trapping the man in place. Needless to say, his tactic worked fairly well. It made the redhead visibly uncomfortable. Naruto had a feeling this was the closest the man had gotten to another human being in a long, long time. That's what the underlying anxiety indicated, anyway.

"Didn't we come to a conclusion of having masochistic tendencies? Is this your way of executing them?" Naruto continued, his face dangerously close to his client's.

Jiraiya had been right. He was playing with fire. And liked it.

His provocation seemed to fulfill its purpose. Gaara's body moved as if to lunge at him, but the rattling chains around his ankles reminded him of their location. So he stopped. Naruto didn't even flinch. The other man's jaw clenched tighter. Naruto moved his lips next to Gaara's ear, coming near to touching. He let his warm breath hit the man's pale neck.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked and let a sadistic smirk form onto his lips. He seemed not to notice the unprofessional aspect of it.

Gaara's hands clenched into fists. His breath turned uneven with either rage or...something else. Naruto's basic instinct of survival must've jumped out the window, because he slowly moved his left hand to touch the back of Gaara's neck. The pale skin was softer than he'd expected. The man's breath hitched, audibly. And Naruto enjoyed the strangled sound of it. He could feel the other's skin crawl under his touch. Whether it was out of disgust, or mere anger, he didn't care. Nonetheless, it was real, it was humane, and absolutely something Gaara hadn't planned. The sincerity of it was thrilling.

Naruto smirked. He slowly moved his hand up the man's neck. He didn't quite realize it himself, but the feel of it left the tips of his fingers tingling. Even more so, as he ran them through the messy, yet surprisingly soft hair. He could feel the other man physically shiver. He could see his pale green gaze avert eye contact, and lips part in some form of confused satisfaction. At the back of the other's head, Naruto suddenly clenched his hand into a fist, trapping a fistful of flaming red hair. Gaara tensed up. He didn't move, didn't speak. Naruto's lips moved further down, his breath now hitting the nape of the man's neck. He tightened the grip on Gaara's hair. The man's breath had grown heavy, though not loud. He seemed to truly struggle. Naruto chuckled again.

"You're surprisingly submissive, ain't you?" his lowered voice concluded.

The redhead refused to reply. Either that, or simply couldn't. The blonde smirked and pulled on Gaara's hair, forcing his head to tilt backwards.

"I kinda like it."

Naruto's words finally woke Gaara up from whatever trance he'd sunk into. In a reflexive manner, he rushed upwards, only to get pushed back down with force. His cuffed feet and the strong grip the blonde had on him forced him to comply. Naruto enjoyed this to the core and would've wanted to keep the man in his submissive state, but eventually let the fist gripping his hair unclench. The blonde's obnoxious gaze met a pair of eyes burning with rage. Though he probably should've been scared shitless, he only felt pleased. Even if it were for the element of surprise, he'd been able to crack Gaara's perfect cover. Gaara on the other hand didn't seem so happy about it. Naruto couldn't have cared less.

"Two can play that game of yours", he grunted.

The rapid growth of Gaara's killer intent was hard to miss. Naruto wasn't surprised. But he had to admit, the redhead's control of his obviously unbelievable rage was quite impressive.

Since nothing was holding him down anymore, Gaara slowly stood up. He was very close to the other one, and standing up easily exceeded the blonde's height. Naruto wasn't sure what would happen, but knew something would. From the corner of his eye, he could see Gaara's clenched fist fight the urge to move. But just like Naruto had anticipated, it stayed down. The rage in Gaara's eyes only intensified as he realized it wouldn't be wise to hit him. So he punched the wall behind Naruto instead. Passing his face only by inches. Naruto didn't have to look to know the man's fist had left a faint mark in the concrete wall. The rough surface of the wall had scraped his knuckles open, badly. Though left unvoiced, Naruto could only marvel at the man's strength.

They stopped to simply stare at each other. Gaara's gaze enraged, Naruto's as neutral and blank as possible. The longer they watched one another, the clearer Gaara's eyes burned with anger. He hit the wall again. And again. Over and over. Naruto refused to flinch even in the dangerously close position he was to Gaara's act of violence. He must've been a complete idiot for not being afraid. The redhead's force was unimaginable. Even then, something kept the blonde frozen still, something other than fear.

Gaara didn't break their eye contact even in the state he was in. And Naruto was unable look away. He was mesmerized by the sudden change in Gaara. The face that always lacked emotion was now so full of silent anger and rage that Naruto just had to stare. He wasn't afraid. He probably should've been. But he couldn't bring himself to be. Not even though he felt blood splatter onto his face. Not even though he heard the cracking sound of Gaara's fist making contact with the wall, without a doubt fracturing his knuckles. Not even though he was pinned between a raging creature and a bloody wall. He must've gone mad for not being afraid.

By the time Gaara was done, the punching fist wasn't pretty. Naruto had blood on his shirt and face, the taste of it haunting on his tightly pursed lips. Gaara's clenched jaw had no intention of relaxing. The redhead made the move to throw one more hit, but this time, Naruto caught the bloody fist into his own. Perhaps out of surprise, perhaps as the result of an actually intelligent decision, Gaara let him. The redhead's piercing gaze was determined to intimidate. Though somewhat effective, the blonde refused to let it show. For a while, nothing happened. They remained still, Gaara's bloodied fist pressed against Naruto's palm, the nearly nonexistent space between them seeming insignificant. The blonde could feel the other's cold breath hit his lips. It reminded him of the danger he really was in. To distract himself from it, he spoke.

"Stop it."

And he did. He yanked his hand away from Naruto's and turned away from him. It seemed that the man was attempting to calm down. The success wasn't astonishing, to say the least. Gaara's superficial composure only lasted for a second or two. As soon as his anger built up again, it became evident in his eyes. He picked up the chair next to him and without hesitation, threw it against the wall behind Naruto. The piece of furniture was no longer usable.

Naruto felt oddly calm. But he did have to hold his breath in order to keep himself that way. He knew that under the calmness lingered both panic and anger. He felt it rumbling quietly beneath the surface. But he was able to keep all emotions and urges in check. Miraculously.

Naruto had nothing to say. Neither did Gaara. No surprise there. Since that was the case, the blonde walked over to the table to pick up his things. He took one more glance at Gaara, whose eyes were still on him, before turning around and then exiting the room. As soon as he closed the door, sounds of abusing a chair could be heard. Most likely it was being banged against the wall repeatedly.

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. It came back bloody. He looked like a mess. Felt like one too. His mind felt perfectly blank, unable to comprehend what exactly just had happened. All he knew was that Gaara still continued his outburst and Naruto wanted to get away from the noise. Thus he began walking towards the exit.

A door next to the one he'd just closed, opened. And Naruto instantly knew he would get yelled at.

"What the _fuck_ was that?"

Naruto quickly recognized the voice as Jiraiya's. He turned around to face the man. The older one approached with a fast pace while talking into a walkie-talkie, commanding Gaara to be taken away.

"Don't worry about it", Naruto said, not coming up with a better answer. Jiraiya wasn't pleased, to say the least.

"_Don't worry about it? _Are you serious?! Do you know how hard it was for me not to call the guards? You came this close to ending up in the emergency room", he hissed, using his fingers to demonstrate just how close he meant. The blonde sighed.

"Really. I told you, he wouldn't hurt me. He's smart enough to know that", Naruto tried to explain. Jiraiya was beyond baffled by Naruto's attitude.

"Do you realize that an entire interrogation room is destroyed thanks to you and that homicidal maniac? There is blood on the walls and not a single usable furniture left. And if the taping of that _ever_ gets away from my hands, my career is over. Yours too", he continued his lecture.

Naruto gave a very simple answer. "And that's why it's never gonna happen."

Needless to say, Jiraiya wasn't convinced.

"I am so pissed at you. You better hope Sabaku keeps his mouth shut about this", he growled. Naruto couldn't help but to laugh.

"Trust me. He's not gonna say a word. His ego wouldn't be able to handle it", Naruto snickered.

The old man looked like he was about to smack the living hell out of him. Nobody could blame him, really.

"How can you be so…so damn laid back about this? This is not a game", Jiraiya tried to comprehend. Naruto grunted.

"Yes it is. To him it is. But that's not the point. Just trust me on this one. Okay?" he muttered, hoping this discussion wouldn't last much longer. He truly did not possess the energy it required.

"You're asking too much. I'm not gonna trust a convicted mass murderer", Jiraiya huffed. The blonde gave him a meaningful look.

"You don't have to. Just trust me. I know what I'm doing", Naruto assured. The old man looked extremely unimpressed.

"Didn't look like it", he pointed out.

"But I do", Naruto protested. Naturally, he left out the 'sort of' part.

Jiraiya shook his head. He seemed clueless of what to say. So he simply watched Naruto with worry. Naruto watched him back, hoping the man would just let him leave. Their short silence was broken by the static sound of a walkie-talkie. Jiraiya picked it up closer to his ear to get a clearer understanding of the message. He spoke a few words in return and then put it back into his pocket.

"Sabaku's in solitary", he informed Naruto. The blonde simply nodded.

"He'll probably be held there until the hearing", Jiraiya continued. Naruto frowned.

"I still need to see him before that", he stated as a matter of fact. Jiraiya snorted.

"You think I'm gonna let you into solitary with him?" he asked, as if the blonde was a complete moron.

"Yeah", Naruto said.

Jiraiya raised a brow. He remained amazed by the extent of ridiculous demands Naruto seemed to endlessly present.

"Don't be fucking ridiculous. There are no cameras, no mics, no nothing. You are _not_ going in there", he declared. The blonde had an answer to that as well.

"There's guards, ain't there?"

"Yeah. But Sabaku is an inmate who is not allowed to have meetings without full surveillance", Jiraiya pointed out.

"He just did", Naruto argued. It hardly was the best argument out there, considering how it'd turned out. Which Jiraiya immediately pointed out.

"And how well did that go?"

"I didn't die", the blonde said.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. It seemed like the only bright side of the situation wasn't impressing him.

"I don't understand why you are doing this. Do you even know yourself?" the man asked.

Naruto sighed. To be honest, he didn't. Not exactly. But he couldn't let Jiraiya know that.

"Yeah, I do. It's like you said, Sabaku is no ordinary inmate. But I still have my job to do and I'm asking you to make it a little bit easier. It's up to you", he said, trying his best not to sound uncertain.

Jiraiya fell silent for a while. Too long in Naruto's opinion. He felt like the man would do nothing but stare forever. But eventually, a look of defeat spread across his face. The man shook his head and huffed.

"You know what? Do what you want, brat", he muttered.

Apparently the discussion finally had come to an end, as the man turned to walk away. Naruto subtly sighed in relief. He doubted he could've come up with more excuses as to why it was okay for him to present obviously dangerous demands. The man was nearly out of sight already, when his voice still reached Naruto.

"I'm just gonna shut my eyes from it. Call me when you need to get in", Jiraiya spoke, before disappearing behind the corner.

Satisfied enough with the result, Naruto sighed, and continued his walk to get out of the building. Upon reaching the exit, he stopped to take a look at his shirt. It was stained with blood, which hardly was an ideal look inside the facility. Or outside, for that matter. One more thing he could be pissed off at Gaara for. With no easier option coming to mind, he ripped the top off and threw on his suit coat instead. The bloodied shirt he stuffed into his brief case along with the dress shirt. He didn't know if a fully tattooed lawyer walking out of a prison bare chested was any better than a bloody shirt, but he wasn't in the mood to care. Thus he opened the door and stepped outside. He received a few long stares from the guards outside the door, but frankly, wasn't even near to giving a shit.

Naruto looked up at the sky. The sun he'd watched rise in the morning was now hidden behind dark clouds. Most likely there would be rain.

With a sigh, Naruto reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and placed it between his lips. It wasn't morning anymore, nor was it the start of a day at the office, but he needed one. _Really_ needed one. He was ready to light the cigarette, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Naruto turned to look.

"Sir, you seem to have some blood on your face. Also, you are missing your shirt", a guard politely notified him.

Naruto simply stared at him, still itching to light that cigarette. What could he possibly say to that?

"Oh. I hadn't noticed."

With that, he lit the cigarette, took a long drag and then walked away from the prison grounds.

* * *

**Oooh, the tables have turned...at least for now. And yay, we finally got some closer interaction. Not much, I admit, but let's take it slow ;) I have to say that if these two ever get down to doing it, it's gonna be some damn angry sex. Please review, sweeties.**


	8. A Game for Two

**Jesus. First things first…before I started this story, I did some research on the prison system in Japan. I tried to find details on the architecture of the facilities, routines, cell conditions, etc. One thing I couldn't find was the color of the inmates' clothing, so I went with orange. I now found a human rights report on prison conditions in Japan and turns out they're grey. It also turns out that prison life in Asia is fucking horrible. This story isn't accurate when it comes to reality in prison, nor is it supposed to be, but I gotta tell ya, anything twisted and horrible I come up with for conditions in the prison are most likely a reality over there.**

**The second thing **I'd like to inform you people of is that I went through all the previous chapters and fixed all typos, etc. I could find. I have to admit that with the last couple of chapters I'd been seriously lazy when it comes to proofreading. But I did my best to get rid of all mistakes and promise to be more thorough from now on (holy shit it's annoying to read text with a shitload of typos).****

**Anyway, I've got a new chapter for you folks. Enjoy.**

* * *

A solitary cell. The loneliest, coldest, most depressing place he could think of. Four walls, each one like the other. The disturbingly bright fluorescent light and that aggravating sound it made. No heating, no windows. No bed. Just the cold, hard floor.

And of course, the exceptionally ugly, grey concrete covering every surface of the room.

Gaara was in a dark state of mind. The same exact mindset that had once made him the man he was now. It consisted of rage, confusion and the hopeless feeling of weakness. He wasn't weak and knew that, but a certain someone had made him feel that ugly emotion of inferiority. Gaara wasn't used to the feel of it. He didn't want to submit to it.

Gaara was very pleased to be as clinically intelligent as he was. It gave him the upper hand in life. The majority of the human race was stupid, average at most. Easy to play with. They were the game, he was the player. He liked it that way, always had. When Gaara had first met Naruto, he'd thought he'd found the perfect piece to add to his collection of victories.

Obviously, that plan had backfired.

"_Two can play that game of yours."_

He'd found another player. It made him mad. And challenged at the same time.

Gaara reached up to touch his neck. For just a moment, he let his eyes fall shut. The feel of the blonde's touch refused to leave his skin. Gaara chuckled, bitterly. He'd gone from zero to hundred in the split of a second. Not only had the man done the impossible by bringing out the animal in him, but he'd actually captured Gaara in that said state of mind. He couldn't get the anger roaring inside him to calm down. He still wanted to destroy something, hurt something. He'd become everything he despised. An animal lacking all control. He was so mad. Not just at the blonde, but himself. Mostly himself. How could he have let the guy crawl under his skin? How could he have let the man paralyze him beyond sensibility? And most importantly, how could he have let the blonde turn him into a raging beast?

A terrifying realization had hit him soon after he'd been taken away. That man's touch had been his first physical human contact of real significance in years. And it'd felt so _fucking_ good. It'd hitched his breath like nothing else before. He'd forgotten he even had a heart until it'd skipped a beat the second the man's hand touched his skin. It all made him even angrier. His entire life he'd loathed the touch of someone else. Any touch. Even those his body might've desired, his mind had still hated. But this one, the touch still burning on his skin hours later, had left him hating himself instead. He couldn't help but fear that the blonde had found a weakness Gaara himself hadn't been aware of.

He couldn't let him touch again. He couldn't give up his control.

Gaara lifted his right hand to his eye level. It was still bleeding. Bone was showing.

He wouldn't lose. Not to him.

* * *

Naruto wandered around the city. He wasn't sure where to go. He'd walked for a couple of miles now. People stared. He was still bloody and shirtless. His mind wasn't quite there. It'd escaped to a place where today hadn't happened. Where he wouldn't have to deal with what he'd just done. It just might've been the biggest mistake of his life. He'd angered a possible mass murderer and was now covered in the man's blood for causing him to go on an animalistic rampage. No part of that sounded good.

A drop of water hit his face. He turned his gaze towards the sky. It was raining.

"Shit."

He looked around to pinpoint his location. It appeared he was near the bar he'd been by a couple of days ago. And miles away from his hotel. The rain didn't really appeal to him, so he picked up the pace and made his way towards the bar. The last few feet he probably should've ran, since the rain was now pouring, but he couldn't be bothered. He stepped through the entrance and was welcomed by a full room of people. It seemed he wasn't the only one hiding from the weather. His appearance didn't go unnoticed. The long stares and murmurs made it clear that the rain hadn't washed the blood away. He didn't really care about his looks at that moment, but passed a mirror on his way to the counter, so he stopped to see. Bad idea, it seemed. He looked like he'd butchered something live.

"Oh, cutie's back", spoke someone behind him. Naruto turned around to see the one talking.

"Sai."

The man tilted his head.

"Come here, sweetie", he beckoned him.

Naruto just stood still for a while, but then made his way over. Sai placed a glass in front of him. Vodka on rocks. Naruto chugged it down in one gulp. Sai refilled the glass.

"Thanks", Naruto said and downed that one too.

"No problem. You don't look too good", Sai said, eyeing him curiously.

"Thanks", Naruto said again.

"But I do appreciate the whole 'no shirt' thing you've got going on", the other man said and smirked. Naruto couldn't help but to give him a weak smile.

"Thanks", he said once more. Sai snorted.

"You hurt your vocabulary?" he asked and poured another drink. Naruto took a bit slower with that one.

"I'm not sure what I've hurt. But I don't feel fabulous", he answered.

"I can see that."

They fell silent for a while. Naruto stared at the counter, not really thinking about anything. His brain seemed to have shut down. Maybe that was a good thing.

"Drink up. You're coming to the back with me", Sai unexpectedly declared.

Naruto looked up to face him. He hardly had the energy to refuse, so he downed the drink, placed the empty glass on the counter and stood up.

"Come on", Sai said and made his way through a door behind him.

Naruto walked past the counter, following the dark haired man. Behind the door was an office. Sai seated Naruto down. He grabbed the towel hanging on his waist, wetted it in a sink placed in the corner of the room, and then took a seat across Naruto. He dragged the chair closer and gently began wiping the blood away from Naruto's face. The white cloth quickly turned red.

"What happened?" Sai asked in a soft tone.

Naruto lowered his gaze. He didn't answer. Sai narrowed his eyes.

"This blood ain't yours", he observed. Naruto's eyes remained glued to the floor.

"No, it isn't", he admitted.

Sai continued wiping the blood away. He'd gotten done with his forehead and left cheek.

"You're not hurt", he stated. Naruto finally lift his gaze up to meet Sai's.

"Not physically."

Sai stopped his motions to listen.

"I think I might've done something really stupid", Naruto grunted and buried his face into his palms. Sai gently grabbed his wrist and lifted his chin up.

"Stay still, sweetie", the man said and continued cleaning his face.

They fell silent for a while. It was the good kind of silence, but didn't take away the rough edges of Naruto's grim mood. He remained stunned by his own actions.

"What did ya do?" Sai asked, breaking the silence.

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. "Dug an early grave for myself."

Sai got done cleaning the traces of blood. He put aside the towel and lowered himself down to crouch. He laid a kind gaze on the blonde.

"Look at that, you're handsome again", Sai said and smiled.

Naruto couldn't deny the man's flirting was uplifting, but remained unable to smile. Or reply.

"Listen. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it ain't the worst you've been through", Sai said softly, placing a hand on the blonde's bare chest.

Naruto glanced down to see his tattooed body and a pale hand tracing the pictures. The man was right. The most painful things were right there for him to see.

"We're the same, remember?" Sai reminded him.

Naruto still said nothing, but let his eyes soften just the tiniest bit. Sai sighed.

"You know, a lot of people have tattoos. It's not as big of a deal nowadays. But the one's we carry on our bodies are different. These images once defined who we are. Not the other way around. Never forget that. Nothing is more painful than being just a reflection of something else. We got away from it and whatever happened today can't be worse. Fucking _dying_ ain't worse."

Naruto became slightly taken aback by his words. Somewhat shocked by how true it was. The blonde instantly felt like an idiot for forgetting that. He placed a hand on top of the one on his chest.

"Y'know…I've gotten myself into something I'm pretty sure will end up on my skin, too", Naruto chuckled. Sai smirked.

"Yeah? I like you, you know. I don't know you, but I have a feeling that you're a stubborn bastard and that's what'll help you through any shit", the man said and tilted his head. Naruto shook his in amusement.

"I don't even fucking know you. Why am I letting you touch me?" he questioned, smiling crookedly. Sai shrugged.

"Why am I letting you touch me?" he asked in return.

Since neither one knew how to reply, they fell silent. Sai suddenly lifted his hand up and gently traced Naruto's lower lip with his finger.

"You've got some blood left there."

Naruto wasn't sure how to react, so he didn't. For a while, they watched each other in silence. Naruto had a hunch of what would happen, but wasn't sure how he'd feel about it. He closed his eyes. A pair of cold lips touched his. They stayed there for what couldn't have been more than a second, yet felt like an eternity. And then they were gone. Naruto slowly opened his eyes. He decided he had in fact liked it. It'd felt somehow comforting.

"Just for good luck", Sai said with a smile. A genuine one. Naruto chuckled.

"Let's hope it works", he said and stood up.

He walked over to a mirror and glanced at his reflection. The blood was gone.

"Hn. I owe you again", Naruto huffed and glanced at the other man. Sai smirked and made his way to the doorway. Naruto followed behind him.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to repay me one day", the other one assured.

Naruto smiled and stopped to watch the other man. His smile turned sly, as he reached out his hand to grab the back of Sai's neck. He then roughly pulled the man forward and pressed his lips on paler ones. The other man moaned in surprise. Naruto smirked against the cold lips before pulling away.

"That's one down", he stated. Sai stared at him, somewhat surprised.

"That'll work", he admitted, recovering from the shock.

Naruto smirked. They both burst out laughing. What else could they have done?

"You know what? I don't even know your name", Sai said, shaking his head. Naruto realized the man was right.

"I'm Naruto. A lawyer and a straight man regardless of kissing you", he told with a smile. Sai snorted.

"I'm glad you made an exception just for me", he chuckled.

"Sure. I like you, dude", Naruto said and bumped fists with the man.

For a second, it brought Sasuke to his mind. The though was quick to fade, out of force if nothing else. Sai studied Naruto's face. He brought his hand forward and gently brushed his fingers against the blonde's cheek.

"You've got scars on your face. I hadn't noticed", he muttered thoughtfully. Naruto turned his gaze to the floor.

"Yeah. You can't run away from your past, remember?"

Sai huffed, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry. You ain't the only one scarred."

Naruto smiled for the man.

"I gotta get back to work", Sai told him. The blonde nodded.

"Yeah. Me too. I'll see ya around", he said, winking his eye.

Once he made it outside, rain was still pouring down. But he didn't mind. Because today he'd done something he hadn't done in years. He'd made a new friend. He'd more than once come to the conclusion that it wasn't really possible at his age anymore. To make real friends. But somehow he felt that Sai might've been an exception in that sense too. With some people, it just clicked.

Naruto woke up from his thoughts as his phone rang. He reached down into his front pocket and took it out. His gaze was quick to darken. Sasuke was the one calling. Naruto didn't know whether to answer or not. He might've regretted it either way. Since that was the case, he accepted the call. But didn't say a word.

"Naruto?" an unusually soft voice asked.

"Yeah."

Neither of them talked for a while. The rain continued pouring, gradually heavier. Naruto was soaking wet.

"Where are you?" Sasuke finally asked, breaking the silence. The blonde grunted.

"Standin' in the rain."

Sasuke didn't know what he was supposed to say.

"Why?" was the only thing he could come up with.

Naruto's expression turned somewhat bitter, despite knowing the that other man wouldn't see it.

"Cause I've had a crazy fucking day", he said bluntly.

"How so?" Sasuke asked, sounding slightly cautious. Naruto had to laugh out loud.

"Let's see. I woke up to the most horrific feeling I've ever had, realized I've lost ten pounds, pissed off a convicted mass murderer and ended up covered in his blood. Also, I am standing shirtless in icy rain and will probably get pneumonia. Oh yeah, and I kissed a guy."

"Hn."

Naruto rolled his eyes. What more could he have expected of him?

"Why did you call me?" the blonde sighed. The line went silent for a few seconds.

"I feel like shit", Sasuke admitted. The blonde snorted sarcastically. "You should."

Silent again.

"Don't push me away", Sasuke pleaded.

Naruto shook his head. He could've tried to use the remains of whatever energy he had to continue the discussion, but if entirely honest, didn't want to.

"I don't wanna talk about this now. I'll call you when I get back home."

Sasuke never replied. Not about to wait forever, Naruto hung up. He put the phone away and turned to face the sky. Cold rain hit his cheeks. He wished it could've washed away the shitty feeling. But since it wouldn't, he shook it off himself. It'd been a weird fucking day, but something good had come out of it anyway. He was going to concentrate on that instead. He pushed away all negative emotions and took out his phone again. He flicked through the contacts to find a number. Upon finding it, he hit dial. He didn't have to wait long for his call to get picked up.

"Kakashi", was the simple answer on the other end of the line.

"Hey, it's Uzumaki", Naruto clarified and started to walk towards his hotel. It would be a long, wet walk.

"Oh. Hey. What's up?" the man asked.

"I need to talk to you about something. You got a minute?" Naruto wanted to know.

"Sure. Is this about Sabaku?" Kakashi pried. The blonde sighed.

"Yeah. Something happened. Sort of."

Kakashi waited silently for Naruto to continue. The thing was, he wasn't sure how to explain it. Or if it was a good idea to even try.

"I went to see him today. Shit got ugly", he eventually stated. A short silence followed.

"Okay…and?"

Kakashi sounded a bit unnerved. Naruto already knew his news would not receive much praise.

"You know how you said Sabaku didn't come off as impulsively violent?" he muttered, attempting to warm up his numb fingers. He was freezing cold by then.

"Yeah", Kakashi replied simply.

"Well that is now officially a load of shit", Naruto said bluntly.

Kakashi didn't respond right away. The blonde could only imagine what was going on inside the other man's head.

"You're not calling me from the emergency room, are you?" Kakashi asked, fearing the worst.

"Nope. He didn't lay a finger on me. Or anybody else", Naruto explained, while picking up his pace. The rain came down even harder.

"Then what's the issue?" Kakashi tried to comprehend.

Naruto nibbled on his lower lip anxiously. He honestly had no desire to admit the truth, but knew he had to.

"I provoked him. He didn't take it very well."

Naruto could almost hear the rolling of eyes going on at the other end of the line. He could hardly blame the man. He knew he'd acted like an idiot.

"How 'not well'?" Kakashi eventually asked.

His tone of voice clearly gave away how he felt about the blonde's confession. Naruto wondered what would be the best way to describe the situation. Assuming such a thing existed in the first place.

"Two chairs, a table and a wall took a considerable amount of damage. And of course it will take a shitload of work to get my white shirt rid of blood."

Kakashi sighed.

"How is that possible? That man is supposed to be fully restricted and under full surveillance, at all times. How could any of that have happened?" Kakashi couldn't help but to wonder. Naruto didn't feel like telling him at all.

"I…Well, that's the part that's kinda completely my fault."

"Care to elaborate?" Kakashi muttered, knowing it couldn't be anything good. Naruto cringed upon telling the truth.

"I might've asked them to keep Sabaku unchained."

Sounds of choking on coffee could be heard. And it took a long while for the sounds to die out. It was obvious Naruto wouldn't get praised for what he'd done.

"Are you _insane?_" The man hissed. There were only so many truthful answers the blonde could give.

"Maybe."

Kakashi continued coughing up his coffee. That gave a pretty solid idea of how he felt about what Naruto had done. But the man still felt the need to put it into words as well.

"That man has been listed as one of the most dangerous criminals in the country. He isn't actually _allowed_ to have any physical human contact and all interactions happen under full surveillance. And you wanted to give that man the chance to move freely? You are _absolutely_ insane."

"Uhm. Yeah. Pretty much", Naruto admitted awkwardly.

"Jesus…did you call me _just_ to let me know you've lost your mind?" Kakashi grunted.

He was not capable of understanding why anybody would've wanted to deliberately put themselves into a seriously life-threatening situation.

"No. I called you because I know you're fucking great at your job. I need you to make me a new valuation of Sabaku based on what I told you. How does it fit in his profile?" Naruto demanded to know.

"I don't know, kiddo. What you did was pretty messed up. You obviously think I won't report this. Why?" Kakashi wondered.

"Cause I have a hunch you are like me. Sometimes it's better not to play by the book. Even if you did insist on doing things strictly that way", Naruto said smirking.

Kakashi huffed after a short silence. "Maybe you should've been a profiler."

Naruto chuckled. "Knew it. Now will you help me out or not?"

Kakashi sighed. "Yeah, whatever. So, what exactly happened?"

The blonde paused to wonder how he'd explain the worst part of it all. It was easier said than done. There was really no way around it. He was forced to simply tell the truth.

"Well…I got sick of his bullshit and sort of…touched him. You know, to make him uncomfortable", Naruto admitted.

He could only imagine the look of horror quite positively spreading across Kakashi's face. Most likely, it was fairly impressive. The tone of voice that followed certainly was.

"I want to slap you", the man very openly told him. Naruto couldn't deny he just might've needed it.

"Me too. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So, I touched him...and then kind of pulled on his hair", Naruto cringed at his own words.

Kakashi fell silent. Dead silent.

"Now I just want to assault you", he eventually said. Naruto sighed.

"So did Sabaku. But he kept his hands off me. He was very aware of the location. So instead he just beat the shit out of a wall and a couple of chairs", he said. Kakashi sighed yet again.

"Did he go berserk right away?" he asked. Naruto had to think back in order to answer that.

"No. He kind of froze when I touched him. It took a good couple of minutes for him to react."

"Right...Has anything else unexpected happened?" Kakashi asked, trying to get the big picture here.

Naruto had to ponder about the meaning of unexpected. Everything seemed to be unexpected when it came to Gaara.

"Well...You did say he didn't come of as manipulative. Load of bull, that too", Naruto told.

Kakashi took a moment of silence to think about what he'd heard. The blonde waited patiently. Eventually, the other man had an answer to give. Somewhat vague, yet an answer nonetheless.

"I gotta say that none of this fits his profile. He certainly would've done something about your actions, but the rage you're describing would not be one those things. I'd say that what happened was either a onetime thing, or something that only you could make happen."

Naruto thought about this. If the latter statement was true, he'd found a weakness in Gaara. Other than having a unbelievably twisted way of controlling human minds, Gaara had nothing to hold against him. But now Naruto just might've found something to use to win this sick game. It made him strangely pleased.

"Thanks. That's all I needed. I'd appreciate it if this conversation didn't leave our knowledge", Naruto requested. He truly hoped the man would comply.

"Hn. As you wish. You owe me one", Kakashi declared. Naruto was content enough. The call ended after that.

The blonde put his phone away. It seemed he was good at owing people. Somewhat depressing.

Naruto had arrived at the hotel. He rushed inside and upstairs. As soon as he got into his room, he rushed to take a hot shower. It'd be a miracle if he didn't get sick. The warm water running down his body slowly regained the feeling in his fingers and toes. It was not the right time of the year to be running around shirtless. Not at all.

He stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and popped himself on the bed. Out of curiosity, he checked his phone for the time. 5 p.m., claimed the device. Also, he'd received a text.

"Hm."

The text informed him that the second hearing would be held on Monday. Only two days from now. It seemed that a free weekend would be out of the question. Again. He'd been working practically around the clock for the past three weeks. Without a day off. The case before his current one had been nearly as complicated and hadn't allowed him any time off. It was amazing he still was able to function at all. But at the very least, after the second hearing he'd have some more time to take it easy. The actual trial, if that ever became a reality, wouldn't start for a while, so he might be able to relax a little.

Naruto turned his laptop on. He opened up the file he'd saved the night before. He had a feeling it would be good to write some thoughts down again.

'_I probably fucked up today. Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I learned new things. I learned it's not a good idea to poke the bear…especially if it's locked up in a maximum security prison for mauling seven people to death. But I also learned that even the most dangerous creatures have weaknesses. Unfortunately that knowledge came with a side of some raging killer intent. But that's not really the point anymore. The point is that I possibly made a big fucking mistake, and I can't let the bear know that. So I just have to keep on poking, it seems. We'll see whether or not I, too, get mauled. _

_I never thought Gaara could become that way. The coldness and strangling control he usually possesses were gone in a second, replaced by something damn terrifying. I wasn't afraid at the moment, though. I guess if I'd been, I would've keeled over just from an overwhelming state of shock._

_I touched that man. I touched his cold, pale skin. His flaming red hair. I tugged it. I made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. And I loved every second of it. I am not even sure what about it made me so pleased. Perhaps the control of the situation. Maybe the rush of adrenaline. Maybe…just maybe, the feel of him._

_Shit. I've messed up, haven't I? I've gotten myself into something I'm not sure I can handle. But isn't that the whole point of living? Taking risks. Playing the game we were born to play, with the cards we get. Is it so wrong to enjoy the gamble? I'd say it's better than being afraid of it. That's where he and I are alike. We are both players determined to win. And if we lose, we'll only want more. As long as there are cards to be dealt, there are players to play the game._

_I guess, at the end of the day, it's all about who holds the best hand.'_

Naruto saved the short text he'd written. He shut down the computer and decided it was time to take a look at the case file again. He grabbed the file and placed it on the bed, but before opening it, concluded he needed food. He called up room service and requested to have something brought up. He then took out a notepad and a pencil. The case had gotten to a point where notes were essential in order to keep up with all the data.

He figured it would be best to start coming up with a strategy for the defense. The unidentified DNA was his best chance on convincing the jury of another party. He now knew that whoever it belonged to had somehow been linked to Gaara. Gaara must've been there. It was likely he knew what'd happened to that person. But Naruto had a feeling he wouldn't be able to get the information without a struggle.

Whatever Gaara's explanation was for his presence at the scene didn't really matter, if the prosecution never found any proof to support it. Also, Naruto wouldn't have to present the evidence of a body being dragged away, if the subject never came up. In that case he would simply have to link the person, whose DNA was found, to the murders. Thankfully he still had time to do that, as the possible re-trial wouldn't start just yet. Right now he simply hoped that the psychological evaluation of the witness would force him to drop out. If that didn't happen, the blonde would need a miracle to make the witness' statement invalid.

The good news was that he pretty much had a defense ready and waiting for Monday. The DNA, the witness hiding evidence and the lack of motive would quite possibly get them a re-trial. Naruto wrote down his strategy and just as he got done, a knock on his door was heard.

"Room service."

"Come in", Naruto permitted.

A young woman came in with a tray. She placed it down on a table, took the money Naruto offered and then left with thanks. Naruto got down to eating and thought about the upcoming hearing. He was nearly positive he had everything he needed to get Gaara a new trial. He found it ironic how keen he was on getting out of prison a man who irritated him to the bone. And vice versa, it seemed. Since the hearing would be held in just two days, it meant Naruto would have to meet Gaara again tomorrow. Swallowing food became more difficult when he thought about it. He didn't know what to expect. Would the redhead lunge himself at Naruto the second he walked inside? Or would he act like nothing happened?

He would have to wait until tomorrow to find out, it seemed.

The following morning was considerably more pleasant than the day before. The exhaustion had forced him to go to sleep before 10 p.m. and kept him blissfully unconscious a good ten hours. No nightmares appeared either. For the first time in weeks, he felt rested. He'd gotten up, ordered some coffee from room service and seated himself down on the armchair next to the window to smoke his morning cigarette. He was now halfway through the stick of cancer and watched the city just like the morning before. It wasn't a sunny morning, but he didn't mind. He was too relaxed to care. He simply enjoyed the peaceful state of mind.

After a couple of minutes of daydreaming, he reached to grab his phone and made a call.

"Brat", was the 'cheery' answer. The blonde chuckled.

"Hey, old pervert", Naruto said in return. A tired grunt followed.

"What do you want this early on a Saturday morning?", the man asked.

Naruto became more serious. He knew the old man wouldn't be excited for what he had to say.

"I need to see him", he told. The man sighed.

"Is it absolutely necessary? Seriously, I haven't gotten over yesterday yet."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, old man. The hearing is on Monday. So, I really need to see him", Naruto explained.

The older man groaned in frustration. And then sighed, sounding defeated.

"Damn brat. Fine. I'll pick you up in forty. Send me the address."

With that, the call ended.

Naruto took his time drinking the rest of his coffee, then got up and dressed himself. He couldn't bother with a suit. He'd been half naked the day before, so the point in looking fancy was long gone. He threw on a pair of black jeans, a white tee and a hoodie. He left the earring in place too. He felt like he'd strayed too far from the path of being professional, so what was the point in even trying?

Fairly soon, Naruto stood outside waiting for his ride. It was no longer raining, but the ground was still wet. A car honked. Naruto turned around to look, only to be hit so hard with jealousy, it physically hurt. There Jiraiya was. And so was a 1970 Classic Dodge Charger R/T, a car he would've sold a kidney for in a heartbeat. Naruto made his way to the car and kind of wanted to kiss the damned thing, but skipped that and took shotgun.

"I wouldn't be this jealous even if my wife got banged by another man", Naruto muttered as soon as they hit the road. Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, well maybe you'll be as awesome as me one day. Awesome people get cars like this", Jiraiya grinned. Naruto snorted and shook his head, but said nothing.

"I didn't know you were married", Jiraiya pointed out after a while.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I am. Been for four years now."

Jiraiya nodded. He felt somewhat surprised.

"You got married young then", the man stated, glancing at the blonde.

Naruto didn't have much to say to that. "Yeah."

"So, how's it been?" Jiraiya pried. Naruto had known he'd ask, yet still couldn't stop the sigh from happening.

"Well, it's…it's not great", he admitted. Jiraiya huffed.

"And there's the reason why I've never gone down that road", he muttered. The blonde frowned.

"Yeah…maybe it was a good call", Naruto mumbled, borderline bitter.

Jiraiya glanced at the younger one from the corner of his eye. It was one of those moments where the old man knew he was supposed to say something, but wasn't sure what.

"Hey kiddo, you'll be fine. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I've lived long enough to know that shit comes and goes. So don't overthink it", he comforted. Naruto chuckled.

"Thanks. But let's stop before this gets awkward."

Jiraiya nodded and smiled. The smile soon faded, as he picked up another touchy subject.

"About Sabaku…I seriously hope you understand what you're getting into", he said.

Naruto turned to look out the window. He probably should've faced the other man, but couldn't bring himself to do so. Mostly because he wasn't all that certain about the truthfulness of his answer.

"I do", he assured. Jiraiya turned to look at him.

"Ok."

That was all he said. Naruto wasn't sure what it exactly meant, but asked no questions. It was good enough.

They arrived at their destination. Both went through the mandatory security measures, as was expected, but the process was less bothersome with Jiraiya there. The older man then led Naruto to an elevator to take them down to the basement.

"This time, Sabaku will be cuffed", Jiraiya stated as they waited for the elevator to arrive. Naruto made a face of mild disappointment.

"Is it absolutely necessary?" he asked, even though the answer was a given.

"Yes."

Naruto didn't push it. The elevator doors opened, allowing them inside. A few floors lower they stepped back out. Naruto trailed Jiraiya's steps down a long, quite depressing corridor. A few doors down, a guard stood in front of a cell, placing cuffs on an inmate through the opening in the door. Jiraiya and Naruto stopped at the cell and the older man ordered the guard to stand by while he opened the door. Naruto's breath turned uneven the instant he realized what was waiting behind the iron door. By the time the door was open, he was prepared to panic.

Gaara stood there in the doorway, his hands cuffed in front of him. Strangely, he seemed even taller than Naruto remembered. The doorway of the cell was quite narrow, but the fact that the inmate's shoulders were nearly as broad as the opening could be considered unnerving. The man's jumpsuit's top half was tied around his waist, his torso covered only by a white t-shirt. Once Naruto realized the ridiculously fit shape the taller man was in, he honestly began fearing for his life. Had he known what was hidden beneath the orange clothing, he probably would've thought twice before provoking that lump of muscle.

The guard next to them was holding another pair of cuffs. The chain between them was longer and sturdier. Jiraiya nodded to the man, who then went on to chain Gaara's feet. The redhead didn't seem to give a shit. He simply kept on staring at Naruto with those ice cold eyes of his, jaw clenched. Naruto wanted to look away. The man's gaze was colder than ever, piercing enough to see right through him. In the end, he had to look away. He glanced at Gaara's right hand. The sight wasn't pretty. It hadn't been patched up, not even washed. Dried blood and exposed knuckles. Lovely.

The guard got done with his task. Gaara was now cuffed by both his hands and feet. Jiraiya handed Naruto a buzzer again, in case something were to happen. He then ordered the redhead to stand at the back of the cell, facing the wall. He did as told. With a stiff nod, Jiraiya gave Naruto permission to enter. For a split second, he regretted ever being born, ever choosing the career he had, and especially ever taking the job as Gaara's attorney. The moment passed, the regret disappeared, but the mild distress, that remained. Stepping inside the cell felt like walking straight into hell. It was a fact he was forced to ignore. The door closed behind him. He could hear Jiraiya order the guard to keep watch a distance away. Then he left. His footsteps were quick to fade. The blonde was on his own. He couldn't lie, it made him nervous.

Naruto stood still and tense, watching Gaara's turned back. He honestly hoped the man wouldn't turn around at all. But as most everything he'd ever hoped for, it was in vain. The second Naruto had to meet the man's ice cold eyes again, he wanted to run away. Too bad he was locked in a maximum security solitary cell. With a ridiculously strong convicted murderer he'd happened to piss off.

"Shit."

That was all he had time to say before Gaara had lunged forward, shoved him against the wall and pinned him against the cold surface. The man's forearm was pressed against his throat. It was hard to breath, but Naruto didn't even bother trying to get away. It would've been a useless attempt and a waste of strength he probably would need.

"Give me one good reason not to crush your throat", Gaara growled.

Naruto attempted to swallow nervously, only to realize it wasn't possible. The other man's face was only inches away from his. The blonde could see that there was absolutely no hesitation in his eyes. He knew the man wouldn't think twice about killing him, if that was what he ended up deciding on. Naruto was quite sure if he tried to speak, he'd end up choking on his own words. But he had to say something.

"I'm your only way out of this hell hole", Naruto said, doing his best not to stutter.

"What if I don't give a fuck?" was Gaara's argument. And a very good one at that.

"In that case I'm in really deep shit", Naruto wheezed.

His airways felt crushed already. Gaara added pressure, causing him to honestly choke. He tried to endure it, but after ten seconds of struggling, it became impossible to breathe at all. He had to do something. Otherwise he would be leaving in a body bag.

Thus he kneed the other one in the abdomen.

It worked. The man showed no sign of pain, but was forced to let go. Naruto was immediate to desperately inhale fresh air, only to violently cough every breath out. Gaara stopped to stare at him. He stared back, still struggling to breathe and nervous of what would happen. His wonderment only lasted so long. Suddenly the man lunged forward, fist first. Naruto instinctively closed his eyes expecting pain, but instead of his face, the fist made impact with the wall behind him. Cautiously the blonde opened his eyes. A cold gaze watched his from just inches away. Gaara's fist was bleeding again. It had to hurt. He'd hit concrete with a torn open fist and exposed bone. The hand had to be fractured, too. How could he endure pain like that?

Naruto realized Gaara wouldn't hurt him this time either.

"Stop. You're not gonna hurt me, so stop it", he demanded.

Gaara was visibly displeased with the other's tone, but remained surprisingly calm. They stared at each other for a while, the taller one with eyes too unpredictable to read, the other one with poorly disguised nervousness. Naruto was afraid to move. But knowing he eventually would have to, he reached out to take Gaara's hand into his.

"Let me take a look at it", Naruto requested, cautiously touching the man's injured hand.

His fingers barely brushed the other's skin, but the contact instantly made Gaara yank his hand away. He was quick to step away from Naruto.

"Don't touch me", the redhead growled.

Naruto looked at Gaara. He quickly realized the man was frightened of his touch. Or of what would become if he let it happen.

"Okay", the blonde promised.

They fell silent again. Naruto put a hand on his throat. It still hurt. The force Gaara possessed was honestly unbelievable, both impressive and terrifying. Naruto had always been strong, too. He would've easily taken down three men, but Gaara would've had no problem with ten. And when locked inside a small concrete cubicle with him, that became a scary thought.

Naruto coughed a couple of more times to be able to speak properly. He decided it was best to speak of something less provoking.

"The second hearing will be held on Monday", he informed. Gaara didn't react to the news.

"I've got the defense done and ready", Naruto continued.

It took a while, but eventually, Gaara gave a reaction. A stiff nod, but a reaction nonetheless. He seemed surprisingly calm and collected, but the murdering, cold look in his eyes remained the same. And it did make Naruto uncomfortable. The air felt too unstable to his liking. If he was going to stay a second longer locked inside the cell with that man, he would have to somehow balance the status quo.

"Sit down, okay?" Naruto requested.

Gaara made no move to comply. Naruto nervously bit down to his lower lip. He wouldn't feel at ease before being confident that the other man would remain calm. If the massive thing of muscle did not sit down, he would have to get out. He'd done a great job the day before keeping his emotions in check, but it seemed today wouldn't be like that. Naruto was so close to panicking, he could feel a cold sweat threatening to break.

Thankfully, Gaara eventually lowered himself to the floor. Naruto breathed out in relief. He soon sat down as well. Slowly. The undeniable feel of being locked inside the cage of a treacherous beast made him fear that any sudden movement would result in a fatal attack. And though Naruto would've liked to stay as far from the beast as possible, he knew he couldn't let his nervousness show as it only would've been provocative, and thus sat himself down in front of the other one.

"We'll make it to re-trial", he spoke in a calm tone. Gaara remained silent, empty gaze glued to the floor.

"When the hearing's over, I'm flying back home. I'll see you at the trial", Naruto explained.

Gaara nodded. He sat there on the floor, leaning his arms against his knees. The injured hand looked horrible. Naruto was well aware that the prison system was too rotten to care about the health of inmates, so it would be left that way. It would get infected.

Naruto felt the need to do something about it. After a while of hesitating, he took off his hoodie and t-shirt. Ignoring the questioning look he received, he put the hoodie back on, but grabbed the tee and went over to the small sink in the corner of the room. He wetted the shirt and then sat back down before Gaara.

"Give me your hand", Naruto demanded firmly, but calmly.

Gaara's eyes instantly reflected defensive type of anger. The blonde knew he had to give reason to his demand.

"If you don't let me clean it, you'll probably end up having one hand less", he said, refusing to give up.

Since it became obvious Gaara wouldn't move, Naruto cautiously reached towards him. He very gently brushed his fingers against the man's hand, just to see the reaction. As it turned out, he was still alive and wasn't being beaten into a pulp, so he decided to take the hand into his own. Gaara tensed up in defense, but didn't move or tell him to stop. Feeling confident enough, Naruto gently pressed his wet shirt against the open wound. It must've stung like a bitch, but Gaara's consistently stoic face showed no signs of pain. It could be deemed impressive.

Naruto felt brave enough to push one of the man's crouched legs down against the floor. Surprisingly enough, Gaara let him. Slowly and cautiously, the blonde inched a little closer to adjust his position. Though the redhead slowly began relaxing under the gentle touch, it appeared that after a while, the pain grew strong enough to affect him. His healthy hand clenched into a fist. His tense jaw and gritted teeth told of mild agony. Naruto did his best to be quick, but the dry and clotted blood proved to be difficult to get rid of. The eventual groan of pain let him know there wasn't more he could do. The blonde hurriedly ripped the stained shirt apart. He picked out a larger strip and tied it tightly around Gaara's hand. It had to hurt, but the man's expression had reverted back to its stoic mode.

"Done", Naruto told him.

The man looked at him with an unusual look in his eyes.

"Thanks", he muttered eventually.

Though a mere grunt, Naruto felt honestly surprised to hear the man say such. Surprised, yet glad.

They were positioned somewhat awkwardly. Naruto was more or less crouched between Gaara's legs, both well aware of how dangerously close to each other they'd ended up. Yet even then, neither one moved away. The redhead was close enough for the blonde to hear his naturally shallow breath. Inexplicably, between every inhale and exhale he heard, Naruto could feel himself shiver. Gaara might've noticed it, but seemed too busy staring to ever mention it.

Naruto didn't know what to do. He soon came to realize his sudden inability to move. While his instinct told him to back away, his body refused to comply. He wasn't sure whether or not he felt nervous. And if he did, exactly what was he so nervous about? Perhaps he felt wary of being so close to someone obviously dangerous and lethal, perhaps of not being able to back away. Maybe, just maybe, he felt nervous for not wanting to back away.

That possibility caused the blonde to feel uneasy in a way he never had before. Without realizing it, he resorted to his usual nervous habit of nibbling on his lower lip. Though probably unplanned, the other's gaze slowly dropped down to watch him do so. Naruto finally became self-conscious of his nervous mannerism, and stopped. Gaara didn't. He continued staring at the now still and parted lips. The short while his pale green gaze stayed to linger, confused both of them. Eventually the faintest of frowns appeared on the paler's face, and he met the blonde's blue eyes again. Questioning, as if not sure what was happening. To his disappointment, all he received was a gaze equally as confused as his.

The unthinkable happened. Though perfectly aware of what he should've done, Naruto did the exact opposite. Instead of forcing himself to move away and dismiss whatever it was causing him to feel strangely detached from his body, he let his mindless body make decisions on its own. Slowly, but surely, he brought a hand forward. In no way did Gaara acknowledge it. The blonde wasn't sure if the man was deliberately ignoring it, or honestly did not notice. Perhaps he felt confident Naruto wouldn't really dare to get close enough to touch. As it turned out, he did dare. The tips of his fingers eventually brushed against the other's cold skin, the palm of his slightly shaky hand pressing against the side of a pale face. Only then did the redhead flinch, his eyes widening in honest surprise. Paralyzed by some mild form of shock, he could only let it happen.

Naruto knew he should've been scared shitless and most preferably already out the door, but against all logic and reason, he only felt an odd need to get closer. In a way much different than yesterday. He didn't know why he felt so, couldn't explain why he allowed the feeling any power at all, but found himself slowly moving his hand lower and placing it on the other's neck. Exactly like the day before, only in a way more gentle. He found no meaning behind what he was doing, nor ever looked for any. Not really bothered by how aimless his actions seemed to be, he let his eyes flutter shut to block out the underlying fear, and began counting seconds. Seconds he expected there to be only a few of before Gaara would finally resort to violence. Seconds passed. No peak of violence ever occurred.

The blonde opened his eyes, only to realize Gaara had closed his. He doubted it had been intentional. For a split second, it took him aback. But in another split second, he had dropped down to his knees to get even closer. His free hand found its way against the other's chest, instantly turning the man's shallow breath heavier. Naruto could feel him shiver under his touch, even if it were only barely noticeable. And beneath the shivers, underneath the chest rising with shaky breaths, was a real beat of a real heart. Feeling it pound against his palm strong and steady, Naruto felt a sense of surprise. As if finding a beating heart inside that man had been an unlikely outcome. Now upon finding one, he wasn't sure whether to find it comforting, or terrifying. Either way, it surprised him.

Naruto stopped to watch the redhead fall deeper into a state that he knew he wasn't supposed to be witnessing. Somehow it felt sinful to do so regardless. Something compelled him to pull the man closer. He never did. And it turned out to be the best decision he'd made all day.

Gaara's eyes shot open. Flinching at the sight of the man's piercing gaze, Naruto finally realized what he was doing. As if suddenly burnt by the contact, his touch left the other one. Fueled by instant panic and terror, he rushed to back away from the man watching him with appalled eyes. For the while they stopped to stare at each other in absolute horror, time seemed to halt. As the moment passed, the long awaited violence finally caught up.

A fist Naruto never even saw coming struck the side of his face. Gaara's hands being cuffed, what he really experienced was the strength of two fists. It hurt every bit as much as he'd imagined it would, perhaps even more so. Without a doubt, a tooth cracked, if not several. But despite the pain, despite the urge to squirm in agony, Naruto was quick to act. Though guided less by logic and more by instinct, he managed to grab the other's cuffed hands, stand up and kick the man in the head while he still was down. Though weakened by the hurry, it possessed enough force to instantly bruise the man's temple and audibly crack a vertebra or two. The blonde falsely assumed it'd buy him enough time to back further away, but was quickly proved wrong as the redhead elbowed him in the knee. The feel of a kneecap temporarily sliding off its place was not something Naruto had hoped to experience.

The pain forced the blonde to lose focus for a while far longer than he really could afford. By the time he finally was able to think straight again, Gaara was on his feet and standing behind him. Barely standing himself, Naruto was unable to stop the man from wrapping the chain of his handcuffs around his throat. Feeling the cold metal gradually dig deeper into his neck, Naruto began to panic. Only a few seconds in, he was suffocating. Not knowing what else to do, he gathered all the strength he could muster, and backed against the wall behind them. Gaara's back hit the concrete first, and to the blonde's joy, forcefully enough to make the man to loosen his grip. Keen on getting free, Naruto seized the opportunity. Remaining breathless and still restricted by the chain, but out of the chokehold nonetheless, he was quick to turn around to face the other man.

For the split of a second, they stopped. Stopped to stare in anger. Naruto could feel the cold chain dig into the back of his neck, leaving far less room between the two of them than he would have preferred. Gaara must've agreed, yet refused to let the blonde escape. Though they couldn't have paused for longer than a single second, it felt unnecessary in all its existence. For the useless moment to pass, Naruto forced himself to move and kneed the other one in the abdomen. Whether Gaara liked it or not, he was forced to hunch over in pain. Though able to finally free himself, Naruto yet again misjudged the time it took for the redhead to get over physical agony. He paid for his poor judgment soon enough, because in a flash, Gaara was standing straight again, and wasn't the least bit hesitant to ram his fist into the blonde's face once more.

Naruto nearly lost his balance. Blood filled his mouth. The unexpected taste of it made him gag. He had to spit it out. Emptying his mouth on the concrete floor, he gave the other man an askance look. To his minimal consolation, the redhead looked no better. They were both bleeding. They were both out of breath. And absolutely none of it was worth the effort.

"This is fucking pointless", Naruto hissed.

He came to realize that not only was it pointless, but it was irreversible. How exactly would he explain it to Jiraiya?

"Just fucking stay away from me", he told Gaara, spitting out more blood.

The man clenched his jaw, but seemed to comply. Though pleased enough, Naruto was determined to keep his gaze on the redhead. He did not trust him to remain as harmless as he seemed to be at that moment.

Sounds of running began echoing from the hallway. Naruto flinched.

"Guards. Shit. _Shit._"

The look on Gaara's face was as blank as ever, not the slightest trace of alarm visible. The footsteps were closing in, loud voices accompanying the fast paced sounds.

"_Sit the fuck down_", Naruto hissed at the redhead.

Anger darkened Gaara's face again, but he did as told. Even in that state of annoyance, he knew what the smart thing to do was. He made the decision not a moment too late. As soon as he'd seated himself down, the cell door opened, slamming loudly against the wall. Jiraiya and a squad of five guards barged their way inside. Feeling dread spread through his body, Naruto wished he'd had any rational explanation to give. But he didn't, and would've rather been buried six feet under than confronted Jiraiya. The look on the old man's face was inexplicable. For the few seconds it took for him to take it all in, the purest form of horror dominated his features. Utter disappointment was quick to overcome the horror. Jiraiya's voice came out dry and tense.

"Restrain them. Both of them."

The old man was mad as hell. Naruto was embarrassed as hell. Gaara was annoyed as hell.

Two guards obediently grabbed both of Naruto's arms, forced them behind his back and placed a pair of cuffs around his wrists. Gaara got pinned to the floor face first, with surprisingly minor resistance. Naruto barely got a second to exchange brief glances with the redhead, before he was taken away and forced to leave the other one behind. The instant they made it to the corridor, Naruto yanked himself free and turned to face Jiraiya.

"Don't overreact. There's no need to have me cuffed", he attempted desperately to squirm out of the situation. The old man was having none of it.

"Shut your face. There's every need for it", he said, not sparing a glance in Naruto's direction.

Jiraiya grabbed the younger's arm tightly and dragged him to the other side of the hallway. They stopped in front of a cell.

"Open up", Jiraiya ordered the guards.

They did as told. The door was opened and Naruto found himself being shoved inside the cell. Jiraiya turned to face the guards.

"All those who want to keep their job, shuts the hell up about everything they just saw. Understood?"

A unanimous 'yes, sir' echoed through the hallway. The old man performed a pleased nod.

"Good. Inform the others too. Now, leave", Jiraiya demanded. The men were quick to scatter and leave.

Jiraiya turned to face Naruto. Though his angered gaze told more than enough, he spared no words telling what would happen next.

"Here's the deal, brat. You will be held in here for the next 24 hours. It's either that, or an actual arrest. You choose", he presented Naruto his choices.

As much as the blonde wanted to protest, he knew when humble silence was in order. Thus he nodded quietly. Jiraiya laid an angered look on him.

"If it were up to me, I'd make sure you never cross paths with that man again. But it's not, so I'm gonna lock you up instead. Deal with it", the man said, turned away and walked out slamming the door shut.

Baffled by how quickly the other man had disappeared, Naruto was left to stare at the closed door. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but did know it was nothing good.

He was quite possibly knee-deep in shit.

* * *

Gaara wanted to tear apart the guards holding him down with his bare hands. The side of his face was pressed against the cold floor and hands cuffed behind his back. He was in pain, but his mind not present to mind it. His thoughts revolved solely around the blonde. That fucked up son of a bitch who'd given him a beating he hadn't had in ages.

He'd let him touch again. Touch him in a way that'd caused something dead to come back to life. He didn't want that. He didn't want those things to live. Being dead inside was better than having something dying inside. That's what it would always come to. Everything living was always slowly dying. But even though he knew all that, the feel of the blonde's touch refused to leave his skin, refused to leave his mind. It allowed room for horrifying possibilities.

What if he couldn't avoid it? What if as long as the blonde was near him, he would end up the same way?

Though mere possibilities, they left him with very few options. He would have to get rid of him. He'd have to get rid of the blonde.

The thought made Gaara burst into a mad, twisted laughter. The guards pinning him down flinched at it. He couldn't stop laughing. His thought was absolutely ridiculous. He couldn't get rid of him. He couldn't get out. That man had trapped him into his own game.

* * *

**Seems like the old pervert was right all along.**

**Reviews appreciated, darlings.**


	9. Shades of Blue

_Naruto stands outside again. The fire, the colors, the smells. It's all there. This time he stands closer to the raging flames. It stings, hurts even. Yet he doesn't back away._

_Screams fill the air once again. He can tell the voices are close, yet seem distant. He can't make out the words. _

_He feels powerful. Even more so than last time. The flames dance, as if performing for him. He can't tear his gaze away. It is beautiful. The screams of suffering caress the air like a soft breeze. They become music to his ears. The scene is gruesome, yet so very beautiful._

_Something emerges from the flames. A human like figure. It isn't in agony. It makes no sound. It watches him, silently. He wants to move closer. He takes a step. The figure reaches out its hand. He wants to take it. He takes another step._

_It hurts._

_He moves closer. The pain becomes suffocating. But he wants to reach the one standing in front of him. So, he goes even further. The pain grows unbearable. _

_He gets burned. Skin peels off, he smells his own flesh beginning to cook. He can't go any further. He collapses to his knees. The figure watches him. He watches the figure. _

_He can't move anymore. He finally sees the flames around him and realizes, he is on fire. A cry of pain escapes his lips._

_The figure won't wait any longer. It turns around. He wants to follow. He drags his body deeper into the flames, deeper into agony. He ignores the pain, he ignores the suffering and tries so hard to catch it. But it isn't enough, he can't reach it. It is gone. _

_He is alone again. The screams have disappeared, the figure has vanished. Only he is left inside the fire. _

_He burns alone._

Naruto woke up screaming. Skin covered in cold sweat, he fought to stifle another cry of inexplicable terror. He trembled violently, unable to control it. He was hot and cold at the same time. He tried to sit up, only to realize moving hurt too much to be done. He felt paralyzed and struggled to breathe. It made him further anxious. His head felt heavy.

It took him some time to realize he was lying on cold concrete. The cool feel of it against his hot skin helped him to concentrate on his breathing. It must've taken minutes for him to calm down. Even after he'd properly woken up, he was afraid to move. He carefully turned from his side onto his back. It hurt like hell. Every inch of his body was sore. He had to give his everything just to get to a sitting position. But once he did, the pain began to ease.

Naruto glanced around him. Quickly enough, he realized he was inside a solitary cell. He was unable to tell how long he'd been there. He'd fallen asleep a few hours after getting locked up. But he did remember the few hours as being a living hell. Mentally and physically. It'd taken only a few minutes for him to realize what he'd done. And as reality kicked in, he'd come close to losing his calm. So many things had gone so wrong. He couldn't decide which had been worse; the kicking his client in the face part, or the touching him the way he'd touched part. Either way, Naruto was sure he'd suffer for it. The mere thought of how he'd behaved caused his skin to crawl. And worst of all, he had no way of explaining it. Not to Gaara, nor himself.

Naruto's hands were still cuffed. Moving his jaws made it clear there was still blood to spit out. Due to a jaw so sore it'd gone numb, he was forced to wonder if he had any teeth left. He could only imagine the state of his face, and quite frankly wasn't all that certain he even wanted to really find out. Thankfully, solitary cells rarely had mirrors.

Naruto became startled upon hearing footsteps outside his cell. After a rattling of keys, the door opened. Jiraiya appeared in the doorway. He said nothing, only stared silently, looking openly and obviously disappointed. The look made Naruto feel like a child.

"You look like shit", the man eventually grunted.

"I feel like shit", Naruto admitted.

Jiraiya went to lean against the doorframe, continuing to stare. Naruto stared back.

"Knows better than to hurt you, huh?"

The blonde closed his eyes in frustration. He couldn't bring himself to tell Jiraiya why exactly Gaara had lost it. Confessing such would only bring further wrath upon him. He decided to avoid the subject all together.

"How long have I've been here?" Naruto asked.

"It's Sunday evening."

Naruto felt some mild form of shock. "Are you telling me I slept for twenty hours?"

"Yeah."

Well, it couldn't be a bad thing.

"Am I getting out now?" Naruto wanted to know. The old man sighed.

"Yeah."

Naruto stopped to study the other man and his obvious displeasure. He seemed angry. But also had every right to be. And the blonde knew that.

"I know I fucked up. Just let it go", Naruto muttered. The old man scoffed.

"I'm not letting you out before you tell me what I wanna hear", Jiraiya told him. Naruto shot him a rebellious glare, but admitted defeat soon enough.

"You were right", he finally mumbled.

"Oh sorry, what was that?" the man provoked. The blonde hardly was in the mood for it.

"I said you were fucking right", Naruto repeated, raising his voice. The old man narrowed his eyes.

"That's damn right, brat. Now lift that beaten ass of yours up and get out", Jiraiya ordered.

Naruto slowly pulled himself up from the floor. Every move was pure hell. Groaning and grunting, he eventually managed to stand up. With careful steps he walked over to Jiraiya. The man's judgmental stare burned holes into him. His voice did not fall short of the expression on his face.

"I sincerely hope Sabaku is never getting out."

Naruto felt a stab of anger upon hearing his words. Why, he could not say.

"I'm not backing out", the blonde declared. The other man grunted.

"I know. That's what makes you an idiot on a grand scale", Jiraiya told, grabbing the other's arm and pulling him out of the cell.

Naruto was unable to keep a good posture. To be able to move even an inch, he had to stay slightly hunched over. Jiraiya stood silent beside him. Naruto didn't know what to say. He must've looked pathetic.

"You do realize that Sabaku might get released on bail, if the verdict gets overturned and the retrial happens?" the older man questioned, breaking the tense silence. Naruto nodded, but said nothing.

"If I were you, I'd be scared shitless. Once out, there's nothing stopping him from coming after you", he continued.

Naruto sighed. He knew the old man right, but found no reason to fear it in advance.

"I know. But going crazy over it ain't gonna help shit", he muttered. Jiraiya's harsh gaze softened slightly. He sighed.

"Shit, brat. I can't get you out of this mess", he admitted and shook his head.

"It's not your problem, so don't trouble yourself", Naruto told him. Jiraiya could hardly deny that.

"True. You're a grown man now. I'd help you if I could, but I can't. You have to figure this out yourself", he admitted.

Naruto agreed, but supposed it was too obvious to be voiced. He turned to glance in the direction of the cell where everything had turned to shit. Jiraiya noticed his stare.

"He's as cuffed as he can be. He can't move his feet, hands or head", Jiraiya explained.

Naruto snorted. "He must be ecstatic."

He finally tore his gaze away. Aware that only one door was separating him and Gaara, he felt nervous. He wouldn't have been surprised to see the man bring the door down with nothing but a slight shove. The thought caused him extreme discomfort.

"I need to get out of here."

Jiraiya nodded, and feeling somewhat sympathetic, immediately led Naruto to the elevator. Waiting for the elevator to arrive, Jiraiya freed Naruto's hands from the cuffs. He rushed to rub his sore wrists. The cuffs had left a bluish mark on his skin.

"It'll fade away in a couple of days", Jiraiya assured.

The elevator doors opened. As he stepped inside, a small smirk appeared on his lips.

"Can't say the same about your face though."

Naruto frowned in confusion, and then turned to look at the mirror inside the elevator. He choked on his own spit.

"Oh my_ fucking god."_

Apart from gawking at his own reflection in horror, he didn't know what to do. He looked like he'd been hit by a truck. His face was covered in blood, as were his clothes. His lower lip was split. He had a black eye and the right side of his face had turned a very striking shade of blue. But despite the horror that his face had become, the most gruesome part still was his neck. The crushing strength of Gaara's forearm had turned his skin purple. And as if that weren't enough, the cuffs' chain had left a detailed print across his neck.

Jiraiya couldn't help but to snicker at the face Naruto made upon seeing his reflection.

"You can only blame yourself, you know", he said knowingly.

Naruto turned to stare at him, looking extremely unimpressed. And then at his own image in the mirror. In the need to find something positive, he reminded himself he'd looked worse. In no way had it been his worst beating. But he truly hadn't expected to ever have a reflection of this kind again. Successful attorneys weren't supposed to get into fistfights and end up blue as a smurf. Annoyed and in excruciating pain, Naruto stepped into the elevator and shut his eyes from the sight in the mirror.

"Get me the fuck out of here."

In a matter of minutes, he was out of the prison and safely seated inside Jiraiya's car. As requested by Naruto, the old man was speeding through the city to get the blonde back to his hotel. Naruto reached into his pocket to get his phone. He'd had it with him the whole time, but down in the prison cellar, there'd been no reception available. He had no idea how many calls he'd missed, but after a while, the sent messages started coming through. He'd received five texts and seven voice mails, all of them from Sakura. The mere thought of her made Naruto cringe.

How would he explain this to her?

"Shit. How am I gonna explain this to the ball in chain?" he wondered out loud. Jiraiya laughed mockingly.

"Sorry, brat, but I can't help myself from enjoying this just a little", he snorted.

Naruto sighed. He knew he should tell her the truth. At least for the most part. Not the slightest bit excited to do so, he decided it could wait a little longer.

"We're here", Jiraiya informed, pulling the car on the side of the road. Naruto turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry I got you into this shit", he mumbled.

Having expected further lecturing and words of disappointment, Jiraiya surprised him by smiling.

"You know...I've been the closest thing you've got to a father", he unexpectedly said. "The moment I made the choice to become that, I accepted the fact that you were gonna be trouble. No matter how old you are, that won't change. And neither will the fact that I've got your back."

Though taken aback by the old man's suddenly calmer attitude, Naruto returned the smile given to him.

"Thanks."

He stayed for a while longer, but soon stepped out and closed the door behind him. He watched the man drive away in that enviably beautiful car of his, before turning to face the hotel and making his way inside. He'd nearly forgotten all about his beaten up appearance, but was reminded of it quickly enough. People in the lobby stared at him. The receptionist looked positively horrified.

"Sir, are you okay? Should I call an ambulance?" the woman behind the counter asked, sounding worried. Naruto shook his head.

"I'm fine. Thanks anyway", he assured and continued walking. Well, limping.

By the time he reached his room, he was in excruciating pain. He opened up his suitcase, dug out a bottle of pain killers and swallowed a good handful of them. He then sat on the bed and took a deep breath. He would have to call Sakura. Just the thought of it caused his headache to worsen. But knowing it had to be done, he took out his phone and made the call. Judging by how quickly it got picked up, the woman must've sat next to the phone for hours.

"Naruto? Are you okay?" she answered worriedly.

The blonde sighed. "Yeah. Sort of."

"What do you mean? I've been trying to reach you all day. Where have you been?" she demanded to know, still audibly worried.

Naruto shut his eyes and sighed. He couldn't believe what he had to tell her.

"In jail", he mumbled.

A long silence followed. Very, very long.

"_What?"_ the voice at the other end of the line hissed. Naruto said nothing.

"What the hell happened?" she asked in a demanding tone. Naruto phrased his reply in a way that wasn't too specific.

"I went to meet my client and shit went down. I'll tell you about it when I get home", he promised.

"When are you coming back?" Sakura immediately demanded to know.

"Tomorrow evening."

Sakura sighed. It was obvious she would have preferred to hear an explanation right away, but knew there was no use in pushing it.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow", she complied.

Naruto was relieved. "Yeah."

"I love you", Sakura told him.

It took Naruto a second to reply. Perhaps a second too long.

"Yeah, love you too."

He hung up. A strangle feeling caused him to frown. Declaring his love for her no longer felt the same.

Thoughts of the redhead once again filled his mind. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to forget the feeling being so close to that man had given him. For a second there, he'd forgotten where he was. He'd forgotten who he was with and what he was doing. Reality had disappeared. For a second, there'd been only him and someone he'd needed to get close to. He had no way of explaining it. It went beyond logic, it didn't reside in the realm of rationality. And it positively pissed him off.

Naruto grunted and let himself fall down on the bed, greeted by a soft mattress. Compared to the cold floor of the solitary cell, it felt like heaven. Though he'd only just woken up from a twenty hour slumber, it didn't take long for him to drift into sleep anew. Without a struggle, he slept till morning.

The following day, only minutes after leaving the bed, Naruto stood in front of the bathroom mirror. His bruises and cuts looked even worse than before. The pain hadn't dulled in the least. He'd taken a couple of more painkillers after waking up, but the affect seemed nonexistent. Drugs had always worked lousily on him. Which was a shame, since he was in fact needed at the courthouse in an hour, preferably looking presentable.

"Well that's not gonna happen", he muttered to himself.

He had no way of covering up the bruises. He obviously didn't own makeup, and even if he had, it wouldn't have been of much use. The bluish bruises had turned into a deep purple and flaming red, with a sickly green color in the mix. It looked nasty. It felt nasty. He couldn't turn his head without pain shooting down his neck and back. He really did not feel like making an effort. For anything. But in the unfortunate lack of any choice, he was forced to. He suited up, sleeked his hair neatly back and put on a black tie. The reflection hardly improved. Before, he'd looked like a filthy junkie, now he looked like a fancy junkie. Determined to stay positive, he figured the latter was the better out of two kinds of ugly.

With a sigh, he turned away from the mirror, grabbed his briefcase and headed out. Realizing he was close to running late, he hollered a cab and hopped in. The driver was a nice, chatty man. He didn't even seem to notice Naruto's bruised face. At the very least, he never pointed it out. Naruto did his very best to be nice in return, but simply couldn't bring himself to smile. When they finally arrived at the courthouse, he felt drained from pretending to care about the man's chattering. Keen on getting out, he paid the man and left.

As soon as he'd shut the passenger side door, Naruto noticed a van parked on the side of the road. 'Fuchu Prison Inmate Transport' was painted on the side of it. There were only so many things the vehicle could contain.

"Fuck", Naruto whispered, his breath hitching.

For a split second, he considered running away as being an option. But since it really wasn't, he could only stop and stare. The van's side door opened. A terrifying view was revealed. Gaara stepped out of the car and onto the street. He was cuffed in a manner that would've made Hannibal Lecter look like a moron wrapped in Scotch tape. Arms pressed tightly against his body by chains, hands and feet cuffed together and even more chain wrapped around his neck, forcing his head to hang low. The man could barely walk with all that metal wrapped around him. The sight was shocking, to say the least. But as Gaara turned the other way, Naruto got a glimpse of something that easily overshadowed the restrains.

The side of the man's face was bruised deep purple. The injured hand had seeped blood through the shirt Naruto had wrapped around it. His brow had an open wound, notable even from that distance. Naruto could see that walking was painful for him, but the man shook it off and forcefully took a step after another. It wasn't before he noticed Naruto stand a small distance away, when his steps finally came to a halt. The blonde's feet nearly buckled under him. Gaara stared deep into his eyes, as if into his soul. After what felt like hours of chilling staring, Gaara's lips curled into a twisted smile.

"Fuck", Naruto repeated.

His heart stopped beating altogether. The man's smile positively was the most terrifying thing he'd ever seen. And standing there, vulnerable to its ruthless power, reality finally hit him. Jiraiya had been right. He couldn't run away from that monster. He would come after him. The thought made Naruto consider skipping the hearing and running as far as he possibly could, as fast as his weak legs could carry him. Why would he help the man out of jail, if that literally was the only place where he couldn't get his hands on him?

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts when Gaara used one of his restrained hands to beckon him to come closer. The blonde wasn't sure what made him defy all logic and do as told, but cautiously he stepped forward. So did Gaara. The guards behind him were quick to act and pulled him back. The guards' stoic and tense expressions made Naruto nervous, but didn't let it stop him from closing the distance. Once standing there before the redhead, he said nothing. Simply watched and waited. Gaara's smirk grew wider.

"You don't look too good."

His eyes were nothing like before. Empty, yes, and cold, but so very manic. Like two mirrors reflecting the madness behind. Naruto was unwilling, as well as unable to reply.

"I like it", the redhead sneered.

Naruto's eyes grew colder by the second. In an instant, his fear was long gone and replaced by loathing. But even then, he remained silent. Gaara tilted his head curiously.

"What's the matter? Why don't you come a little closer?" he chuckled.

Naruto glared into his piercing eyes. There was no doubt he hated that gaze, as much as he was mesmerized by it.

"Because you can't fucking control yourself", he finally spoke.

Gaara's eyes flashed with something dangerous. In an instant, they were filled with anger. Just like before, his rage went from zero to hundred in a split second. Without a warning, he lunged forward. The poor guards were left to keep him from touching Naruto, obviously struggling to do so. Gaara didn't seem to much care about the hands fighting to keep him still. And as expected, all attempts of keeping him at a distance proved to be useless. He was able to drag himself close enough to be only an inch away anymore. In the eyes vividly filled with hatred, Naruto could see himself get murdered, over and over. As Gaara then spoke, his voice was but a whispered hiss.

"You're like spawn of Satan. You turn me into a fucking animal. I can't stop thinking about you. You've possessed me. _And I can't get out."_

Naruto could physically feel the hatred directed towards him. But despite the need to flinch, he remained still and unaffected. An expression suitable for his feelings hadn't been invented. The rage in Gaara's eyes only grew, as he realized the blonde refused to react. He visibly shivered with the urge to kill him. Never having witnessed such an intense form of loathing, Naruto wanted to look away from that demon, but forced himself to stay calm and leaned even closer. So close, he could almost feel him. The brief flash of surprise in the redhead's eyes indicated he hadn't expected it. But like Naruto, he knew that a step backwards would've been a sign of defeat. Thus he stayed still.

The blonde gave Gaara a look that told of confidence. Without a warning, he reached out to take a hold of the other's jaw. Not harshly, but determinedly. For the split of a second, an obvious look of pure rage visited the redhead's gaze, before it died down as quickly as it'd come. Ignoring the guards' demands to let go, Naruto kept his cool and watched as the redhead instantly relaxed under his touch. It seemed his touch had a calming affect with violent side effects.

"Stop it."

His demanding voice changed something in Gaara. The man fell silent. His eyes hollowed back to their normal state. The rage was gone as suddenly as it'd appeared. His lips were slightly parted. His face had become a blank canvas, as if he'd fallen into a trance. Naruto lowered his hand. As soon as he did, Gaara got taken away. Right before reaching the entrance of the courthouse, he glanced over his shoulder to see Naruto stand still. And then he disappeared through the doors.

Naruto stayed there for a while longer. He closed his eyes, inhaling a long breath of air. The sounds of the city helped him to calm down. It was unbelievable how bad of a mood Gaara awaken within him. Nothing good seemed to come out of that man.

After a few deep breaths, Naruto opened his blue eyes and turned to follow Gaara's steps. He made his way inside and to the second floor, exactly like the time before. The doors of the courtroom were already open. People had seated themselves down. Naruto stepped into the room, already expecting attention he hadn't asked for. Every gaze there watched him make his way to the front. Hyuuga's face was priceless. The blonde's bruised complexion probably wasn't what he'd expected to see. Ignoring the looks of horror, and just the slightest bit delighted by Hyuuga's expression, Naruto took his seat.

The door at the back of the room creaked open. Through it stepped Naruto's chained client, followed by guards keeping him on an iron leash. Though perhaps mildly entertained by the man's degrading state, the blonde refrained from letting it show. Gaara took a seat next to him. Losing the fight not to acknowledge him in any way or form, Naruto glanced at him from the corner of his eye. As expected, the man's trancelike state had faded, replaced by annoyance. Tearing his gaze away from the redhead, Naruto turned to face the judge. The man was overcome with shock. He could barely speak.

"Oh my god. What the hell has happened?"

Gaara and Naruto both muttered vague excuses.

"I tripped."

"Car accident."

Muttered quietly, hastily and barely understandably, none of it sounded even remotely like the truth. The judge obviously was far from convinced, but also could not let it become a hindrance. It wasn't relevant.

"Uhm...Right. The hearing has begun", he muttered and banged his gavel.

"Prosecution, please take your stand", he continued, still eyeing the two men.

Hyuuga stood up, finally tearing his baffled gaze away from the competition. He corrected his posture, cleared his throat and began his speech.

"In the case of Sabaku Gaara, the prosecution is demanding for capital sentence. Evidence clearly shows that Sabaku is to be held responsible for the murders of seven people."

"Objection. If the evidence was clear, we wouldn't be here considering retrial", Naruto pointed out.

"Your honor, are we truly going to let these men be present here in the state they are in?" Hyuuga butted in, before the judge even had the chance to speak.

"Objection overruled. Sabaku is still under conviction. Mr. Hyuuga, stay focused", the judge said.

Naruto scoffed. Hyuuga grunted, equally as displeased, but proceeded.

"Forgive me, your honor", he apologized. "We have a witness and a fingerprint. Sabaku has already been convicted, but the prosecution is not content with the severity of the current sentence."

"Has the witness been through psychological evaluation as requested?", the judge asked.

"Yes, your honor", Hyuuga assured. Naruto's interest spiked.

"Please pass the results over to the defense and me", the judge requested.

Hyuuga ruffled through a stack of paper, selected a few documents and did as told. Naruto began feeling slightly nervous. The piece of paper he was holding would determine whether or not the witness would be forced to drop out. He opened the folded paper. A quick glance was more than enough.

_'Shit.'_

The witness had cleared the tests without any issues. Which in itself became a huge one.

"As you can see, the witness falls comfortably into the range of mental stability and has no reason to withdraw from the process", Hyuuga pointed out. The judge studied the document handed to him, a curious frown between his brows.

"I see. Thank you, please return to your seat. Defense, take your stand", he advised.

Naruto stood up. He glanced at Gaara. He was expected to defend the retrial of a man he would've gladly seen burn to ashes at the moment. Hardly an appealing task to see through. But in the lack of any other option, he could only ignore any personal displeasure and begin his speech.

"The witness might be mentally stable, but it doesn't change the fact that evidence has been held in hiding. The court cannot rely on the word of a witness who has been dishonest. Also, the possible third party involvement has to be investigated. As of now, there isn't enough evidence to prove Sabaku is truly responsible for the murders. The defense thus demands the previous verdict to be overruled and a new trial to be held."

The judge seemed thoughtful. The blonde took that as a good sign.

"Thank you, please take your seat. We are on a tight schedule today, so I want this done quickly. Does the prosecution have something to say?" the judge asked.

Hyuuga clenched his jaw in mild annoyance. "No, your honor."

The judge nodded and stood up.

"I will retreat to make the final decision", he informed and left.

A quiet mumbling filled the room. Naruto turned to glance behind him. The injured party, which could also be described as a shitload of criminals, all looked as expressionless and detached as before. Frowning, Naruto tore his gaze away and turned to look at Gaara instead. The man's focus wasn't the sharpest. He just sort of stared blankly ahead, gaze empty and somewhat dead. Naruto didn't know what to make of it. He had nothing to say, and thus remained silent. Gaara soon turned to face him. He said nothing, but watched Naruto with eyes so cold, hell probably froze over. The stare was hard to ignore.

"What?" Naruto growled.

Gaara continued staring. It made the blonde feel uneasy and annoyed.

"Stop fucking staring if you have nothing to say", he grunted.

An unexpected smirk spread across the redhead's lips. Naruto instantly knew he was about to find a reason to smack his client.

"I was just admiring that pretty shade of blue plastered all over that fucking face of yours", Gaara told. "Matches your eyes."

It took all of Naruto's willpower not to disembowel that freak of nature. He was unable to keep his voice neutral.

"You seriously have the personality of sulfuric fuckin' acid."

Gaara tilted his head as if pleased with the reaction, and smiled that twisted smirk of his. Thankfully, before he had the chance to say anything, the judge returned. One more word, and Naruto would've skinned him alive.

"A final decision has been made", the judge informed, taking his stand.

Silence fell. Naruto tensed up, as did Gaara and the rest of the room. This was it. The moment that would determine if Gaara would ever have the chance to walk as a free man again. At that moment, Naruto wasn't sure if wanted him to. Before he could begin truly questioning his decisions, the judge cleared his throat, indicating speech.

"This was no easy decision."

The seconds between that statement and the actual verdict felt like years. Naruto wanted to get out of the courtroom as quickly as possible. He was so incredibly fed up with the man seated next to him, it was nearly unbearable.

"But in light of the current evidence...I will use my position to overrule the previous verdict", the judge finally declared.

In an instant, Naruto's mind went blank.

"A retrial will be held. The defendant, Sabaku Gaara, has the option of release from remand on a bail of twelve million yen. Sabaku is not allowed to leave the country. The hearing is over, you may leave."

The heavy, booming sound of the gavel echoed in the room. The verdict had become official.

Naruto found himself holding back a hasty breath. He'd done it. He got Gaara a retrial. And now he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He felt compelled to turn and see how the people sitting behind him took the news. He wasn't shocked. A benchful of pissed off yakuzas stood up and left in a hurry.

Naruto turned to look at Gaara. Gaara turned to him. But neither one spoke. They watched each other in silence, in mild wonderment. The redhead would be taken back to prison. That knowledge somewhat pleased the blonde. There was no way Gaara had the money to bail himself out. All he could was wait. And all Naruto could do was go home. His voice came out quieter than he'd intended.

"I need to go. I have a flight to catch."

Gaara didn't reply, just continued watching him. It seemed he was finally about to say something, but got interrupted by two guards advising him to stand up. He was taken away right away. Naruto watched the man go. He stayed there for a while longer. The room was empty now. It seemed so much bigger now that he was alone. A hollow, somewhat angry feeling found home within him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand Gaara. He couldn't understand himself. Why had he put so much effort into helping that man? Why had he made it personal? Every fiber in his body had begun to desire some form of revenge for the mental hardship he was forced to deal with. He felt the overwhelming need to somehow release the anger and madness slowly building up inside him. Only he couldn't. He couldn't stoop as low as Gaara.

Naruto shook his head to rid himself of the tormenting thoughts. He stood up, grabbed his possessions and walked out of the courtroom. He made his way downstairs and out of the building. Once outside, he decided to take a seat on the steps of the courthouse. He took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He'd already smoked that day, but it didn't stop him from having another one. He sat there smoking and tried his best to calm down.

Naruto could see the van from where he was sitting. Gaara stood outside it, waiting for the guards to open the door. A wave of anger washed over the blonde as he watched the man. The redhead eventually turned his gaze towards Naruto. Their eyes met, and just for a second, time seemed to slow down. Gaara's lips twisted into a mocking smirk. The moment passed as soon as the guards pushed Gaara into the van. The vision of the man's sneering smile wouldn't leave Naruto's mind and it made him furious. He tried to to fight it, the need to react. He didn't know why he should. But in the end, it no longer was a question of why, but a question of why not. There was only one answer to that.

Determined, he rose to his feet, left all his belongings on the ground and ran.

"Wait!" Naruto hollered at the guards, before they had the chance to get inside the van. The two men turned to see him run towards them.

"Yes?" was their simple question. The blonde reached the vehicle. He hurried to take something out of his pocket.

"Let's make a deal, okay? You let me inside that van for five minutes and I give you this", Naruto said, holding a considerable amount of cash in his hand.

The two men glanced at each other. It didn't take long for them to nod unanimously and accept the money offered. One of them pulled open the side door and let the blonde inside. The door then slammed shut behind him. Gaara sat in front of him. Upon seeing Naruto, he tilted his head curiously. He smirked again. In a flash, and free of all hesitation, Naruto lunged forward and hit the other one in the face. He made sure he punched the already bruised side to make the pain as strong as possible. Gaara's head swung to the side and remained turned. His lips parted in mild shock.

Before he had the chance to react, Naruto grabbed him by the chain around his neck and flung him against the wall. Since Gaara was shackled from head to toes, there was nothing he could do. He could only watch the blonde with an angry gaze. Naruto narrowed his eyes, and with unimaginable rage, smashed his forehead against Gaara's. The force caused the back of Gaara's head to collide with the wall. A bloody smudge appeared on the metallic surface. The redhead gritted his teeth in pain.

"Burn in hell", he hissed, watching Naruto eyes wide. He seemed almost shocked. It pleased the blonde.

Naruto gave him a look of despise. He could feel all the loathing he felt towards the man flow out. He didn't feel like sparing any of it, so he spat on him.

"You go fuck yourself. And while you're at it, get yourself a new lawyer", he growled.

He didn't stay to see a reaction, if there even was one. He simply got out of the van and walked away, not looking back.

* * *

**This chapter was a bit shorter, but only because the future happenings deserve a chapter all on their own. If you feel like making me happy, please review. Love ya.**


	10. Old Acquaintances

It was 9 p.m. and past sunset. Naruto stepped onto the streets of his hometown. Instantly, a sense of peace filled the air. He was home. He felt safe again. He was hundreds of miles away from Fuchu and Gaara, and felt immense gratitude for that. He couldn't even begin to explain the relief he'd felt once he'd boarded the flight back home. It'd been a bit of a struggle to get through the check-in though. The security hadn't been exactly ecstatic about his beaten up appearances, but he'd made it through nevertheless. The entire flight he'd thought about nothing but the freedom he'd just attained by quitting his job as Gaara's lawyer. By the end of the flight, the torturous past week had mellowed into a distant dream. Perhaps nightmare was a more appropriate word. Regardless of having a faint, nagging feeling in the back of his head, Naruto was sure he'd made the right decision. No money, no respect could be enough to replace his sanity. It wasn't worth losing it.

He'd made it out of the terminal and was waiting for a cab to turn up. The traffic was terrible. It would take at least an hour for him to get home. He didn't know what to expect from Sakura once he'd finally arrive there. Would she be furious? In all truth, she had the right to be. Naruto had fucked up, big time. Something about that redhaired psycho had made him shut his eyes from reality. He'd messed up his own head and possibly ruined important relationships. What Sakura thought about all of this was a matter of its own. Naruto had imagined her sitting in the kitchen, waiting for him to get home and planning numerous ways of gutting him. Actually, even getting disemboweled would have been less painful than having to explain the extent of his fucking up.

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing his phone ring. He checked to see the caller. It caused him to cringe, but he answered regardless.

"Hey, sweetie", he cautiously said. Sakura barely let him finish his greeting.

"Hey. You need to come home. Now", she rushed to say.

Her voice sounded distressed. Naruto grew slightly worried.

"What's wrong?" he asked, now determined to get a cab.

"There is a really scary looking guy sitting in our kitchen. He said he won't leave before you get here", she explained, now distinctively scared.

Naruto began panicking to find a cab. His wife's words immediately made him fear for her safety.

"Listen to me, honey. If he won't leave, get dressed and run the hell out of that house. Promise?" Naruto told her, running around desperate to find even one damn taxi.

"Okay", Sakura complied, tearing up.

"Don't cry, just get out. I'll be there soon", Naruto assured.

In the midst of his hurry and worry, he spotted a free cab on the other side of the road.

"I'll see you soon, sweetie. Just get out", Naruto told her again, and began running towards the cab.

"Okay", Sakura repeated, and then hung up.

Naruto reached the parked vehicle and hopped in. He hastily gave the address and extra money to get a faster ride. Naruto found it difficult to sit still. He had no idea who had forced their way into his house. He had no idea what they wanted. He could only hope Sakura would be okay.

The money seemed to motivate the driver, and it only took a half an hour for the cab to pull up a familiar driveway. Naruto paid for the ride, got out and ran towards his house. He spotted Sakura waiting outside. Upon hearing Naruto's footsteps, she spun around and rushed to meet him. Upon reaching the blonde, she clung to him with all she got.

"Oh thank god you're here", she whispered, visibly relieved.

Her relief was quick to turn into horror, upon taking a closer look at her husband's face.

"Jesus."

That was all she could say. Naruto frowned.

"We'll talk about it. But right now I need to get the stranger out of our house. You stay here," Naruto demanded, and began walking towards the front door.

He stopped to wonder if he should grab something to beat the shit out of them with. He owned a gun, but it was stashed away in his wardrobe. It wouldn't be of much use. Naruto concluded that since he was beaten up already, a few more bruises wouldn't make matters much worse, and opened the door. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, quietly. The kitchen was just behind the corner. He cautiously walked over to see what was waiting for him. A man sat by the table, his back towards Naruto. The man had dark hair and was dressed in black from head to toes. It was no one he could recognize.

"Who the fuck are you?" Naruto demanded to know.

It seemed the man hadn't heard him arrive, as he flinched upon hearing the blonde speak. The man slowly stood up. Naruto was preparing to break every bone in his body, but instead froze still when the man turned around.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten me?"

Naruto didn't know what to say. He was too shocked to speak. A tidal wave of memories flooded his mind. Memories he didn't know what to make of. He didn't know whether to punch the man or embrace him.

"Kiba."

The man grinned.

"Yep. Still alive and goin' strong", he spoke and stepped closer.

Naruto simply stood there and watched him, eyes wide with surprise. For several seconds, he didn't know how to react. Kiba waited patiently. After a while of staring like an idiot, the blonde burst out laughing and grabbed the other man into a tight hug.

"Jesus, you're chokin' me", the man chuckled, but returned the hold.

Naruto squeezed him for what felt like forever, before finally letting go. Speechless and baffled, he could only stare at the man in awe. He'd thought they'd never meet again. He had known Kiba for years. When practicing his career outside the law, Naruto and he had been inseparable. They'd carried out their jobs as a pair most of the time. For years, he couldn't have imagined living without the friendship they'd shared. But then Kiba went to prison. While he'd been doing time, Naruto had decided to turn his life around and went to study law, leaving it all behind, Kiba included. As far as he knew, Kiba never made it out of gang life. Most likely, he still hadn't.

"I never thought I'd see you again", Naruto told, still baffled.

"You ain't gon' get rid of me that easily", he smirked.

Naruto smiled a genuine smile. Seeing his old friend stand there in the flesh, hearing his raspy voice and that familiar broken street dialect, the blonde encountered a rare instance of nostalgia.

"I missed you, dude", he admitted, not realizing how his carefully rehearsed middle class lingo automatically began to crack.

"Yeah. Missed you too", Kiba replied.

Naruto had no idea what he was doing there, but neither did he really care at the moment.

"You still with the gang?" Naruto pried. Kiba nodded.

"Till the day I die", he chuckled.

Naruto shook his head. A somewhat sad look overcame his joy. "Yeah. I wasn't able to keep that promise."

Naruto and Kiba had both strayed from the narrow path around the same time. Their first encounters had been quite hostile. They'd despised each other to the core. It'd lasted for months. But then they got a job that went horribly wrong. Kiba got stabbed. Vital organs got hit, resulting in massive blood loss. He would've bled out, weren't it for Naruto who'd carried him to safety, all the while running from truly dangerous people. Kiba got treatment in time and miraculously, survived. After that day, they'd stuck together. They'd made the oath to stay loyal to one another and the gang, till the day they'd die.

Naruto never kept his promise. And even though it was better this way, he felt a pang of guiltiness.

"Don't worry 'bout it. It's been years", Kiba assured him.

Naruto grunted. "Yeah."

Kiba studied his face. A snort escaped.

"You don't look too pretty."

Naruto lifted his hand to touch the side of his face and then his neck. It still was sore to the touch.

"I know. Nothin' serious", he assured. He had no desire to actually explain any of it.

They fell silent for a while. Naruto then realized there really had to be a reason for Kiba to have come.

"Why are you here?" he asked curiously. Kiba's face turned serious. That wasn't a good sign.

"I got some shitty news for ya", he muttered.

Naruto had absolutely no idea what to expect. They hadn't been in touch for years. But judging by the look on the other's face, it really wasn't good.

"There's some pretty nasty rumors going 'round town", Kiba revealed.

Naruto frowned, but refrained from interrupting. The other man sighed.

"It's 'bout your current case", he told, glancing at the blonde. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise.

"Why'd there be _any_ rumors 'bout that?" he wondered.

Kiba sighed yet again and took a seat at the table. Naruto seated himself beside the man. He patiently waited for an explanation.

"It's well known on the streets. Yakuza's spread even deeper 'round here than before. Even we occasionally do jobs for 'em. They pay good money, y'know", Kiba explained.

Naruto wanted to feel shocked, but wasn't able. He'd expected it. There really weren't many places yakuza hadn't slithered into anymore.

"What's it got to do with me?" Naruto wondered. A hesitant look shadowed the other's features.

"Y'know, I'm not supposed to be here, tellin' you this", Kiba admitted.

Naruto hadn't thought he was. If the rest of them learned about this, Kiba would probably get punished.

"But I couldn't just keep quiet. This is the real shit", the man continued.

For a second there, he pondered if he truly should tell anything more specific, but eventually carried on anyway. To show how serious he was, he made firm eye contact with the blonde.

"Sabaku's name is a big deal under the radar. I don't know much about him, but yakuza wants him gone. As soon as the hearing got done yesterday, the word was already out. He's gettin' a retrial and they don't like it."

Naruto was taken aback by the news. He had no idea word traveled that fast nowadays. But he still did not understand what he had to do with any of it.

"That…ain't a shock. But it still don't have nothin' to do with me", he pointed out. Kiba shook his head.

"This is where it gets shitty. They know you're his lawyer and they know you fuckin' slay at it", he spoke.

His expression turned even more serious. Naruto saw that he was about to say something that would make a grave difference. But even then, his expectations fell dramatically short of what reality turned out to be. As Kiba spoke again, his voice was dressed in an apologetic tone.

"Sabaku ain't the only one they want dead."

It took Naruto a considerably long time to truly understand what Kiba was saying. But when he finally did, a wave of shock hit him strong enough to make him feel physically sick. Yakuza wanted him dead, too.

"You can't be serious", was all he could say.

Kiba lowered his gaze in an apologetic manner. "Sorry."

Naruto rose from his seat and not knowing what else to do, began pacing around the room. He pulled his hair in frustration, cursed under his breath in anger. This couldn't be happening. Not only had he a pissed off a mass murderer, but now a bunch of hitmen as well? If what Kiba was saying turned out to be true, he had no idea what to do. He couldn't contact the police. When dealing with the mafia, it would be useless. He had no affiliations to the underworld anymore either. He couldn't get protection from there. And he couldn't protect himself without resorting to violence, which again would lead to more trouble.

A terrifying thought then crossed his mind.

What if something happened to Sakura? What if she was now as much in danger as he was? He wouldn't be able to forgive himself, were something to happen. But yakuza had no reason to come after him since he quit his job as Gaara's lawyer, did they?

"Iquit my job as Sabaku's lawyer. Shouldn't that be enough for them to forget 'bout me?" Naruto asked Kiba.

The man clearly saw the anxious state of mind Naruto was in, and cringed knowing he had to tell him the truth.

"I doubt it. They ain't got clue how much you know. They'll whack you just to be sure", the man admitted. The blonde's panic grew visibly stronger.

"What 'bout my wife? She'll be safe, right?" Naruto asked, an undertone of desperation audible in his strained voice.

Kiba shrugged. "I'm really sorry, blondie…I can't promise you anything."

Naruto was now both panicked and angry. Angry at himself. Had he known what it would mean to be Gaara's lawyer, he never would've accepted. Just as he was about to declare that aloud, the front door opened and Sakura peeked inside. Naruto couldn't see her from his position, but could've sworn she'd been crying.

"Naruto? Are you okay?" Sakura's shaky voice asked.

He wasn't, and thus didn't answer right away.

"Naruto? If you're dead, I'll kill you", she irrationally assured, tearing up again.

Naruto sighed and concluded it'd be best to say something. "I'm fine."

He could hear Sakura step inside and close the door. The sound of her cautious footsteps approached from behind the corner, and soon she appeared in the kitchen doorway. Her gaze immediately turned towards Kiba. And then to Naruto.

"I think you really need to explain something to me", she told him. Naruto glanced at her.

"Sweetie. I'm gonna ask you nicely to leave this room", he said, not giving any further explanation.

He had to get her out of the room. There was no way in hell he'd discuss being a target in a hitman's black book, if his wife was listening.

"What? No", Sakura declined.

Naruto wasn't in the mood for any resistance, and made it extremely clear.

"Leave. _Now."_

Sakura flinched. It wasn't like him to raise his voice. She watched him eyes wide, but then turned around and left. Naruto made sure she was outside hearing range, before turning to face Kiba again.

"The fuck am I gonna do?" he asked, not able to hold back the tremble in his voice.

Kiba laid a sympathetic look on him. "I don't know."

Naruto didn't know what to say, so silence fell between them for a short while.

"You still smoke?" he then asked.

"Yeah", Kiba said and smiled crookedly.

"I'm gon' make coffee. And then smoke the shit out of a cigarette", Naruto declared. He received no protests.

Ten brief minutes later, the blonde poured two cups of fresh coffee and handed the other one to Kiba. They sat down at the kitchen table once more and both lit a cigarette. The room filled up with smoke. Naruto cracked open a window. It'd started raining again.

He was at a loss. He had no idea what to do. If yakuza truly wanted him dead, there was nothing he could do about it. There were tens of thousands of yakuzas. He wouldn't stand a chance.

"I'm a dead man", Naruto stated out loud.

Kiba's jaw clenched. "I wish I could say you ain't."

Naruto took a drag from his cigarette. It calmed him, slightly. But not enough.

"I have to do something. I have to at least try", Naruto muttered through gritted teeth. His friend sighed.

"You gotta start tweakin' your gun skills back to their old glory", Kiba instructed. The blonde grunted.

"Yeah", he agreed.

Fights, guns and violence in general were no unfamiliar subjects to him. He'd fought, shot and stabbed his way through his teenage years. But never killed a man. He'd never killed and never wanted to. But now he might not get a choice in the matter.

They'd sat there for about twenty minutes smoking cigarettes after another, when Sakura's footsteps reached the kitchen again. He turned to face the woman standing behind him. She wasn't pleased in any shape or form.

"You're smoking inside", she stated the obvious.

"Yeah, I am", Naruto grunted, clearly refusing to discuss the matter any further.

Sakura glared at him, but then walked over to the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup. She joined them by taking a seat at the table as well. Naruto was surprised at how calm she was, taking the situation into consideration. But judging by the watchful eyes studying Kiba, she did have her suspicions. Somewhat uncomfortable under the watching gaze, the man presented her an awkward smile.

"I guess I should apologize to you. And introduce myself. I'm Kiba", the man said and offered a handshake to Sakura.

She didn't take it. Only shot a dirty glare at it.

"I don't think so. Why are you in my house?" she demanded to know.

Kiba glanced at Naruto. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to say anything, and thus didn't. Naruto felt relieved. Sakura was aware that he had a less glamorous past, but he'd never been too specific when telling her about it. He'd left out the crime part. And the gang part. And actually everything that implied he'd been in any way involved with that side of the law. Sakura didn't even know the stories behind his tattoos, and quite frankly preferred it that way.

"Kiba's an old friend of mine. We went to school together", Naruto told her.

Unsure of what else to do, Kiba could only nod frantically and smile like an idiot. Sakura's suspicious gaze only grew harsher, but eventually turned to look away.

"From law school?" she asked.

"Yeah", Naruto confirmed.

She nodded and glanced at the man once more, though only briefly. She asked no more questions. A somewhat awkward silence followed. Though an occasional idiot, even Kiba could tell he'd overstayed his welcome.

"I guess I should get going", he figured and stood up.

It was obvious he wasn't exactly needed there. He wasn't going to push his luck.

"Thanks for the coffee, blondie. See you around."

"Yeah. See ya", Naruto said and flashed a weak smile.

For a second longer, Kiba watched him with worried eyes, but then turned away and left. The front door clicked shut, leaving the house silent. Sakura and Naruto remained seated. Naruto continued taking drags from his cigarette and kept quiet. Sakura watched him.

"It's bad for you, you know?" she then said, obviously referring to his smoking. Naruto emptied his lungs of thick smoke.

"There's worse shit I could be doing", he stated, taking yet another drag. Sakura remained displeased.

"They don't help smokers get children at the clinic."

"Oh, really?" Naruto replied in a bored tone.

It naturally annoyed the woman to no end, but she refused to let it show. She continued watching her husband poison himself with nicotine.

"Why did you lie to me?" she suddenly asked.

Naruto turned to face her. "What you mean?"

Sakura tilted her head. The blonde could see he was going to get fucking grilled, absolutely scorched. He always knew, her eyes always gave it away.

"That man. He's no lawyer. Why did you lie?" she asked again.

Naruto couldn't look into her eyes and continue spewing out lies. So he looked away.

"Yeah he is", he muttered, trying his best to sound convincing.

It probably would've worked better had there actually been eye contact involved. His obvious lie caused Sakura to snap.

"Oh, fuck you. No he isn't", she scoffed. "You think I didn't notice your accent crack? Think I didn't notice he had the same exact tattoo that you have on the back of your hand? Sasuke has that tattoo as well. And that's no cute friendship shit. So, I'll ask you again. _Why did you lie?_"

She was nothing short of angry anymore. Naruto could see that, but it only made him the same way.

"Stay out of shit you know nothin' about", he hissed.

"Maybe I'd know if you ever talked to me", she hissed back.

Naruto glared at her. He was well aware he probably shouldn't have said how he really felt about the subject, but also knew that sugarcoating shit didn't take the smell away.

"There's no need for you to know."

Sakura instantly looked hurt. But said nothing. Soon enough, she stood up and gave her husband a displeased look. It seemed she intended to walk away without saying anything, but changed her mind.

"I don't even fucking know _you_", she hissed, the anger obvious in her voice.

She then finally walked away, giving him the finger. Naruto found it childish. Yet returned the gesture anyway.

He was left there alone. Not a single thing was fine at the moment. As much as Sakura angered him, he wanted to keep her safe. And he didn't know if he could do that. He wanted to talk to somebody. Somebody who'd understand the situation. Somebody who'd understand in how deep shit he actually was. He hesitated for a moment, but then took out his phone and made a call. It didn't take long for it to be answered.

"Hn."

Sasuke at his finest.

"I'm in town", Naruto informed.

"Hn."

The blonde rolled his eyes. He already regretted calling.

"Don't fucking 'hn' me", he said.

He didn't. Instead he said nothing at all. Naruto was so ready to hang up, but fought against it.

"Are you gonna say something, or am I just wasting my time here?" he asked after a while.

Sasuke sighed. "Yeah, yeah. What is it?"

"I need to see you. The Place in ten. Be there", Naruto demanded, and hung up.

He put out his cigarette, gulped down the rest of his coffee and headed out. He didn't bother informing Sakura.

Fifteen minutes later, he was sitting at the The Place, sipping a beer. Sasuke was late. Naruto checked the time. It was nearing midnight, but he didn't mind. He had nowhere to be the following day and he was going to enjoy that freedom to the fullest.

The bar's front door opened. Sasuke stepped inside. Naruto glanced at him, but turned away again. Sasuke walked over to the counter and took a seat next to him. The man ordered a drink and waited for it to arrive before speaking.

"What is it?"

Naruto turned to properly face him. The look of horror soon plastered across the man's features indicated he hadn't seen the state of the blonde's face right away.

"Oh my fucking god. What the hell happened?" Sasuke blurted in shock. It was obvious he had not expected to see such a sight.

Naruto didn't even know where to begin. In fact, he didn't know if he should even tell him. But in the crying need to get it out of his system, he did.

"I need you to promise me that not a fucking word of our conversation gets around", he demanded.

Sasuke nodded slowly, sincerely confused. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Fine. Now tell me, what the fuck happened to your face?"

Naruto sighed. He could've beaten around the bush, but that would've been a waste of time and energy. So he told the honest truth.

"Sabaku happened."

He had to make sure he wouldn't call the man by his first name anymore. Although, judging by the clenching of fists, Sasuke wouldn't have heard the difference, only the meaning.

"I'm gonna fucking kill that guy", he muttered, obviously angered. Naruto chuckled.

"Don't worry. He don't look much prettier than me", he assured. It wasn't actually a lie. Sasuke raised a questioning brow.

"Are you telling me you got into fistfight with a locked up homicidal maniac?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yep."

Sasuke seemed doubtful. "How is that even possible? Isn't he supposed to be under surveillance at all times?"

Naruto chuckled. All he really could do anymore was laugh at his own stupidity. The more times he admitted his idiocy to other people, the more he started questioning if he had any intellectual processing happening inside his head anymore.

"I told them to keep him unrestrained. Ain't that fucking fantastic?" he revealed, still chuckling.

Sasuke looked horrified. He was. And as rare as it was for him to show emotions that extreme, the look on his face certainly made up for a few past occasions.

"You are a complete idiot", he stated so wholeheartedly, it made Naruto cringe.

"That I am. And that's why I got that freak a retrial and myself a spot on yakuza's list of people to whack", he continued.

Yet another chuckle slipped him. The whole situation was too fucked up to even be taken seriously anymore. Sasuke was at a loss for words. Naruto's face turned serious as he realized he'd have to be more specific.

"I saw Kiba today", he told.

Sasuke's face went dark. He'd never liked the man. Then again, he rarely liked anyone.

"He told me that yakuza has a price on Sabaku's head. Mine, too", Naruto muttered.

There was absolutely nothing Sasuke could've said to that. Thus he didn't. The blonde took the liberty to keep on talking.

"So now I'm pretty much just waiting to die. We'll see which one gets the pleasure, Sabaku or yakuza", Naruto murmured.

Sasuke was yet to recover from the shock. He could only stare at his friend in utter silence. He then turned to grab his drink and downed it in one sitting. The aftertaste compelled him to cringe, among other things.

"Not to be an asshole, but I fucking told ya, didn't I?" he had to say. Naruto glared into his onyx eyes.

"You're the definition of an asshole", he grunted, and finished his drink. He ordered another one right away.

"I don't really care about myself at this point anymore. I'm more worried about Sakura", Naruto said after a while.

"She has nothing to do with this. I don't think they'll go after her", Sasuke assured. The blonde snorted.

"We're talking about the goddamned mafia here. Nothing can be taken for granted", he reminded.

Sasuke knew he was right, but felt the need to comfort him. Even if empathy wasn't one of his strongest points.

"She'll be fine", he assured anew. Naruto shook his head.

"There's no need to sugarcoat this shit", he said dismissively. "Dude, I'm going to get killed by the mob. And if not them, by a mass murderer. Either way, there is no guarantee my wife will be safe."

Sasuke sighed. There obviously was no point in trying to be positive about this. He ordered another drink.

"Yeah, okay, you're right. I ain't gonna lie. You're in deep shit. But you're perfectly capable of defending yourself", he pointed out. Naruto laughed.

"C'mon. A shitload of yakuzas versus me. I wonder, which one will become extinct?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Sasuke didn't want to lie, but he also didn't want to voice the truth, and thus kept silent. As did Naruto. For a few minutes, they drank quietly.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to ya", Naruto finally said. Sasuke turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry I was an asshole", he apologized, attempting a weak smirk.

Naruto lifted up his fist. Sasuke gently bumped his own against it.

"We cool?" Sasuke wanted to confirm.

"Yeah", Naruto said with a smile. It was quick to fade away.

"You know...when we left the gang, I started to believe I wouldn't die like this. That I'd die as an old man, in my own bed", Naruto spoke, with a slightly bitter tone.

Sasuke's normally harsh eyes softened, but he didn't dare to say anything in the fear of interrupting.

"I ain't afraid of dying. I've never been. Back in the day, getting killed was a constant possibility. I just hate that I thought I'd gotten away from it", Naruto continued.

He then laughed bitterly. He felt stupid.

"I actually thought I could run away from it all. My whole past. Ain't that fucking ridiculous?"

He fell silent for a while. Sasuke felt like it was considerate to just let him have that silence.

"That's why I pushed you away, too. You're the only thing left from the past", Naruto then said, nearly whispered.

Sasuke watched him, somewhat speechless. He felt a stab in his heart. It hurt to know that Naruto had wanted to get rid of him. But he also understood. And that was what he wanted to show. The man dragged his stool closer to Naruto's and grabbed the blonde into his arms. It was a strong, sincere embrace. Not something that happened between them very often.

"Fuckin' moron", he whispered into the other's ear.

The blonde relaxed in his arms, not even attempting to hide the need for comfort.

"You're never getting away. I won't let you", Sasuke continued.

Naruto returned the hug and held on tightly.

"I won't let them get you", the raven promised.

It was a promise Naruto knew the man couldn't keep, but it calmed him down nevertheless. They pulled apart. Naruto smiled for the other man.

"Thanks", he said.

Sasuke gave him a small, crooked smile. There was nothing more to say, so a change of subject seemed to be in place.

"So, you kissed a guy, huh?", he snorted. Naruto laughed.

"Yeah, I did. Twice actually", he admitted.

"Switching sides, then?" Sasuke snickered. The blonde made a face.

"No", Naruto grunted and flipped his friend off.

"Was he at least cute?" Sasuke pried. Naruto smirked in amusement.

"Yep", he admitted, and playfully winked his eye. Sasuke couldn't help but to burst out laughing.

"Good, good. Don't tell Sakura. She'd murder your cheatin' ass", he advised. Naruto rolled his eyes. Though, Sasuke was probably right.

"Hn. True."

Sasuke let his chuckle die down, a more serious look replacing the amusement. The blonde knew he'd ask a question. Most likely one he wouldn't want to answer.

"What are you gonna do about Sabaku?" the man asked. Naruto had to sigh. He couldn't believe he'd have to admit his stupidity yet again.

"Well...the final hearing was today. After I left, I bribed the guards to let me inside the transportation van, kicked Sabaku's ass and told him to get a new lawyer" Naruto told.

Normally Sasuke would've been shocked, but more shocking things had already been said, so he couldn't really bother. In fact, only one thing perked his interest.

"So...you're not working for him anymore?" Sasuke questioned.

"No", Naruto verified. His friend seemed instantly more pleased.

"I'm glad", Sasuke admitted. The blonde nodded. "Me too."

Sasuke downed his drink. So did Naruto.

"Listen up, blondie. Tomorrow we're going shooting", Sasuke declared.

Naruto tilted his head curiously. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. We need to get your aim back in shape. You're gonna need it", the other one said and stood up. The blonde watched him thoughtfully for a short while, before shrugging.

"Sure, why not", he complied and rose from his seat as well.

They made their way outside. Once there, Naruto took out his cigarettes and placed one between his lips. Sasuke glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"You've started smoking again?" he then asked.

Naruto stopped to look at the cigarette pack in his hand. He hadn't put much thought into it, but Sasuke was probably right.

"Yeah, I guess I have."

He then lit the cigarette and took a long drag. Why had he ever even quit? Sure, it was bad for his health and would destroy his looks, but none of that seemed to matter much under the current circumstances. Sasuke's mildly judgmental gaze was quick to turn defeated.

"I'll bum one", he muttered.

Naruto glanced at him vaguely surprised, but politely handed one over. Sasuke placed it between his lips, lit up and filled his lungs with smoke. An actual moan escaped his parted lips.

"Jesus. Nicotine is a gift from God", he sighed. Naruto chuckled.

Sasuke had quit smoking a few years ago. He'd barely fallen short from being a chain smoker. Naruto could remember seeing him with a cigarette between his fingers, no matter the time or occasion. He could also remembered how difficult it'd been for the man quit. It'd involved a lot of OCD, frustration and fits of rage, but in the end, he'd made it. Judging by the man's reaction to his old best friend, it wouldn't last much longer. The blonde smirked. He'd always thought Sasuke didn't look complete without a cigarette. And there he was again. The complete package, the guy Naruto had missed.

"I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow, moron", Sasuke informed.

Naruto couldn't help but smile. As odd as it sounded, getting insulted by Sasuke felt nice. As if everything were okay again.

"Yeah. Sleep tight, prick."

Naruto watched his friend disappear into the dark. He left behind a cloud of smoke to dance in the air. Naruto didn't stay for much longer. Exhausted, he went home. It was time to sleep the shitty day away. And prepare for the next one.

When Naruto woke up the following day, it was past noon already. He was surprised Sakura hadn't woken him up. He assumed she remained angry at him.

For a few minutes, Naruto stayed in bed and enjoyed the surprisingly peaceful feeling. He hadn't forgotten about yesterday, it all still was fresh in his mind. But nevertheless, he felt at ease. There was nowhere he had to be, nothing he had to do. Apart from meeting Sasuke, of course, but he didn't think of it as an obligation. He could've stayed in bed all day, but eventually forced himself to get up. He couldn't bother to dress himself, and instead walked out of the bedroom in a pair of boxers. He stretched himself awake on his way to the kitchen. Feeling the urgent need for coffee, he went straight away to make it upon reaching the kitchen. He'd loaded the coffeemaker and pressed it on, when a familiar, deep voice unexpectedly spoke behind him.

"Seriously? No pants? It's almost 2 p.m."

Naruto flinched so violently, he nearly fell over. Trying to keep his poor heart from ramming through his rib cage, he spun around to look behind him.

"Oh my_ fucking god, _you_ prick. _I almost had a heart attack", he hissed.

Sasuke snickered. He sat there by the kitchen table, reading the day's paper. He had his glasses on. As far as Naruto's opinion went, they made the man look like a moron. It was comforting to know that even the pretty boy looked like an ass sometimes. But even that wasn't enough to ease his annoyance.

"Fuck you", Naruto hissed, leaning against the kitchen counter to recover from the shock.

Sasuke chuckled. "Fuckin' pussy."

"Fuckin' sadist", the blonde muttered and gave him the finger.

"Yeah, love you too", Sasuke said, shaking his head and then turning back to the paper.

"How long have you been here?" Naruto asked, watching the coffee slowly drip into the glass carafe.

"A couple of hours", the other one answered, not looking away from the paper.

"Two hours? You've been reading that paper for two hours?" Naruto asked.

"Nah. I also watered your dying plants and watched you sleep", he revealed, turning the page.

Naruto poured himself a cup, deliberately only for himself. The twisted bastard sitting in his kitchen without permission was not deserving of fresh coffee.

"You sick fuck", the blonde mumbled and took the seat across Sasuke. The raven grunted.

"Ain't we all?" he said, folding up the paper and dropping it on the table.

Naruto lit a cigarette. He offered one to Sasuke, but the man declined. It took about twenty-five seconds for him to regret that decision and ask for one anyway. Soon they both sat there smoking, enjoying the silence.

"Is Sakura home?" Naruto eventually asked, shattering the quietness.

"Haven't seen her", Sasuke replied.

Right after he'd said that, the front door opened. Sakura soon appeared into the kitchen. She gave Naruto a displeased look. The blonde wasn't sure if it was for the smoking or just for the love of it. Sasuke on the other hand received a sweet smile.

"Hey, Sasuke", the woman purred.

"Hn", was all he said, not sparing as much as a glance in her direction. Sakura rolled her eyes, but didn't push it.

"When you're done with that slow suicide of yours, I'd like to talk to you", she told Naruto.

The blonde sighed, but put his cigarette out and stood up. He gave Sasuke a subtle look of despair, which again made the man smirk. Leaving his friend in the kitchen, Naruto followed his wife out the door. He could hear Sasuke's distant sadistic chuckle follow him. It hardly helped the matter. Naruto and Sakura made their way upstairs to the master bedroom. Sakura closed the door after them. That gave the blonde a fairly good idea of how unpleasant the following conversation would be.

"Yeah?" he asked, as he went over to his wardrobe.

"What happened to your face?" Sakura pried without shame, and took a seat on the bed.

Naruto's movements froze for a split second. He'd forgotten all about his face and the fact that this discussion actually had to happen.

"I told you. My client lost his shit", he mumbled, and pulled on a t-shirt.

"Why?" Sakura asked.

Now that was the part Naruto wouldn't tell her.

"He's a homicidal maniac. That's why", he told her, throwing on a pair of grey jeans. The woman took a while to continue questioning.

"Was it a onetime thing?" she wanted to know.

Naruto stopped his movements yet again. He considered lying. But in the end, he felt it didn't really matter anymore, and thus told the truth.

"No."

Sakura was about to speak, but perfectly aware of what she had to say, the blonde cut her off.

"Don't worry. I already resigned", he muttered, closing the doors of his wardrobe.

He moved on to trying to fix his hair. The success was questionable. Sakura had relaxed slightly upon hearing his words. But that relaxation only lasted briefly.

"Why did you lie to me yesterday?" she asked. Once again, Naruto stopped what he was doing and sighed.

"I didn't, okay? Please let it go. Why would I lie to you?" he asked, beginning to feel frustrated. Sakura glanced at him.

"Because you have something to hide."

Naruto shook his head, hiding all traces of lying. "No, I don't."

Sakura was prepared to start yelling again, but upon remembering they had company, decided against it. Since neither one of them had anything to say, Naruto quite simply turned away and left the room. He made it back to the kitchen and drank the rest of his coffee in a few gulps. It'd gone cold and bitter.

"Okay. Let's go."

Keen on leaving the house as quickly as possible, the blonde rushed his friend up and out. On the yard waited Sasuke's parked car, which Naruto easily preferred over public transportation.

"Are we going to the police department's firing range?" Naruto asked once they'd left the driveway. The other one nodded.

"Yeah. I haven't been there for a while", Sasuke told.

"I haven't shot in a long time", the blonde realized.

Sasuke chuckled. "We'll see how rusty you are."

Naruto made a face. Though unsure of his current skills, he was determined to show the bastard. And he did. Two hours later, they were still at the range, and Naruto was yet to miss a mark. He'd forgotten how good it felt to hit the target. A rush of more than just adrenaline. An odd thing it was, the urge to shoot holes into things. He supposed it was something every man was born with. And admittedly, some women he'd met as well.

"Rusty my ass. In your face, asshole", Naruto sneered. Sasuke grunted.

"Hn. Luck all the way, dickhead", he muttered.

His own practice had gone worse than he'd expected. He'd only missed four marks, but it was four too many. As expected, he was annoyed by it. And because of losing to Naruto. It probably went without saying, but he did possess quite the competitive nature. Especially when it came to the blonde.

"Don't start crying", Naruto sneered.

"Shut up, moron", Sasuke grunted, and fired the gun. It hit, but not accurately enough to his liking.

"You're such a fucking manbaby", Naruto chuckled.

Sasuke refused to reply. The blonde lowered his gun and put it away.

"You wanna get a drink?" he asked his friend. The man was aiming again, quite steadily so.

"Sure", he complied, and fired the weapon.

It missed. Sasuke grunted. The blonde had to roll his eyes.

"Let's go before you blow somebody's brains out", Naruto suggested and turned to walk away.

Sasuke watched the blonde go. He moved to follow his friend, but stopped after a couple of steps, only to take a bitter glance at the target. He aimed once more, smirked and pulled the trigger.

Bullseye.

A while later, they were sitting at The Place again. Naruto was in a miraculously good mood. Taking into consideration the fact that he had no idea when he'd get shot, stabbed or run over, it truly was miraculous. Coming to terms with yakuza wanting him dead had been an unexpectedly quick and painless process. The fear of getting killed felt just like it'd felt years ago, so there wasn't really anything new to accept. He didn't want to waste his time on being frightened. Instead, he sat there with Sasuke, drinking a beer. Just like old times. Getting tipsy, talking about shit that didn't really matter and ignoring the cloud of death hovering above.

"So, you found a girl yet?" Naruto pried from Sasuke.

It was a question Naruto asked on a regular basis. Every few months, give or take. And every time, the answer was the same.

"Nah."

Naruto shook his head, chuckling.

"I don't get it. You wanna to be alone year after year. I can't remember you having a girlfriend, like, ever", he said.

Now that he thought back, he couldn't remember Sasuke ever even talking of a girl. Or about screwing one. Or actually acknowledging the existence of the opposite sex at all. It made the blonde wonder about something.

"Are you still a virgin?" Naruto blurted. Sasuke nearly choked on his beer.

"What?" he hissed, coughing violently. "_No_."

"Aw, ain't you sensitive? Such a prude", Naruto sneered and watched Sasuke keep on choking. The man finally caught his breath.

"I just ain't a dumb dick, goin' around telling everything", he hissed and coughed a couple of more times.

"No, it's something else entirely that makes you a dick", Naruto chuckled. Sasuke gave him the finger.

"Keep on doing that and I'll sit on it", the blonde threatened.

Sasuke made a face. "You're disgusting."

Naruto laughed. He felt at ease. It'd been a long time since he last had felt so comfortable around Sasuke. Only now did he realize how far away exactly he'd pushed the man. He felt a sense of sadness thinking about all the great moments he probably had missed because of his own stupidity. But then again, it was pointless to dwell in any kind of self-pity. Instead he wanted to concentrate on that exact moment and the man beside him. He'd known Sasuke for a long time. Twenty years. No, more actually. Basically his entire life. He knew him inside and out. At the very least, that's what it felt like.

Apart from one small thing. A teeny tiny thing. Something he'd wanted to ask for years, but just never had. Why, he didn't really know. There was no real reason. And as Naruto watched his friend sit there beside him, he figured he might as well finally ask.

"Sasuke?" he muttered to get the other's attention.

"Yeah?" the man asked, turning to face Naruto.

The blonde looked deep into the other's eyes to make sure he wouldn't turn away. Sasuke wasn't entirely sure what to prepare for. Turned out the blonde asked a question he'd expected him to ask a long time ago.

"Are you gay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

And just like that, it was over. Naruto asked, Sasuke answered honestly, and no need to take the matter further was in order. The blonde sighed.

"I'm hungry."

Sasuke smiled. "Yeah, me too."

It was later that evening and Naruto sat on the couch watching television. He'd sat there for a few hours already. The TV didn't have much to offer, but he watched it anyway. It'd been ages since he'd last had the chance to simply be lazy, and now that he had, he was determined to make the best of it. Sakura had come to sit with him at some point, too. For a while they'd watched the TV silently, holding each other, like no fight had ever happened. Most of the time that was how they made up, by simply pretending no fight ever took place. It was easier than talking. That never worked for them very well.

Sakura had moved to the kitchen to prepare a late supper. She liked to cook. She was good at it. Naruto cooked occasionally, but his cooking was mostly terrible, so he let Sakura handle that department. When it came to chores, Naruto's specialty was taking out the trash. That was pretty much the only thing he did not fuck up. Sakura didn't let him wash dishes anymore. After he'd destroyed an entire set of plates, Sakura had banned him from the kitchen for a week. And given a lifelong ban on washing even a single dish. Doing laundry he'd forbidden himself. Ending up with pink laundry instead of white five times in a row had made him stay away from that horrible invention called a washer.

Naruto was woken up from his lazy trance as Sakura stepped into the living room.

"Sweetie", she said to get his attention.

Naruto turned to face her. "Yeah?"

Sakura smiled kindly.

"I just wanted to say I'm glad you resigned. It wasn't doing any good to you", she said.

Naruto suddenly realized he hadn't thought about Gaara all day. His wife's words caused images of the redhead to flash before his eyes. An odd feeling stirred inside him. He didn't know what it was exactly, but it forced him to skip a breath. He pushed the feeling away. It wasn't something he wanted Sakura to take notice of.

"Yeah, me too", he agreed and forced a smile.

With a brief nod, Sakura disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving Naruto alone. The odd feeling was quick to return. It lingered for a while, but went away eventually. He'd gotten near to dozing off, when suddenly there was a knock on the front door. Mildly startled, Naruto flinched. Feeling a little drowsy, he checked the time. It was 11 p.m. Whoever it was knocking on their door, wouldn't be welcome at this hour. Nevertheless, Naruto heard Sakura open the door. No voices followed, which seemed strange. He turned to look in the door's direction. His gaze couldn't reach behind the corner. Soon enough, a set of light footsteps moved down the hallway. Sakura appeared in the living room doorway. She had an odd expression on her face.

"I think it's for you."

She seemed taken aback, startled even. Naruto tensed up. He had a bad feeling about this. Not hesitating, he left the couch and made his way towards the door. He went around the corner that'd blocked his view and lifted his gaze to see the visitor.

It was safe to say, all color drained from his face.

"Gaara."

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**Ooooh...plot twist. Well, not so much. I guess we all saw it coming. But nonetheless, potentially exciting. Please review, my sweeties. **


	11. The Moth and the Flame

**Hello, lovelies. I have a new chapter for ya~ I wanna thank you for all the reviews, I very much appreciate every single one of them. You should see me sit here and smile like an idiot while reading them. So thank you.**

**Anyway, here's a new chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

The universe holds countless amounts of things that cannot be explained in words. Falling in love. Being pained by the death of a loved one. Feeling summer rain hit your skin. The fear of unknown. The laugh of a child and the feeling of loneliness. These are all things that words cannot explain. Yet Naruto now discovered a whole new level of unexplainable.

All the words in the world combined wouldn't have come even close to describing the wave of rage that washed over the blonde the instant he saw those hollow eyes make contact with his. Those sick, twisted pools of poison, inside that scull he wished he could have crushed with his bare hands. Every last inch of him wanted to gouge them out of that morbid head of his. He wanted nothing more than to beat the man unrecognizable.

It only took a split second for Naruto to lunge forward and grab the redhead by his throat with a grip so strong, it instantly became impossible for him to breathe. In a very deliberately violent manner, Naruto shoved Gaara against the outer wall of his house. The man's head made a sickly, cracking sound upon coming to contact with the white brick wall. Without as much as pausing, Naruto landed a powerful hit on the man's already bruised face. His act of violence must've caused pain, yet Gaara gave no sign of agony. Naruto's growing sadistic side was determined to get a reaction out of him, and to fulfill that craving of his, he grabbed the redhead's injured hand and slammed it against the wall. As Gaara hissed in pain, Naruto knew it'd paid off. He ruthlessly tightened his grip around the man's throat and pushed the side of his face against the wall.

"What are you doing at my house, you sick fuck?"

The slowly tightening chokehold on his throat made Gaara finally cough in the need for oxygen.

"It's kinda late for you to come crawling back. My patience has run out", Naruto hissed, more than prepared to crush the man's airways.

Gaara's breathing quickly grew so pathetic, it made Naruto chuckle. But that amusement of his only lasted so long. His gloating was abruptly cut off, as Gaara kneed him in the abdomen with all he got. Considering the strength the man possessed, the blonde was forced to let him go. He didn't waste time on recovering from the kick and would've assaulted the man again, weren't it for the few words Gaara rushed to utter.

"Stop. I need to talk to you", he said, breath heavy and strained.

Choking hadn't left him as weakened as it had Naruto, but the blonde felt pleased enough with the reaction nonetheless. He was about to dismiss the man's words and simply go for yet another hit, but a strange look behind the other's usually hollow gaze made him reconsider. He narrowed his eyes, suspicious of the redhead.

"Stay there. Don't you dare move an inch", he growled.

Naruto gave him no chance to reply, as he already turned around and dashed inside, closing the door behind him. Sakura watched him run down the hallway and up the stairs to their bedroom. It confused her. She didn't know what was happening, but judging by the look on Naruto's face, it couldn't be good. She hesitated for a second, but eventually went to follow the blonde. She went up the stairs, approached the bedroom and cautiously peeked inside. What she saw turned her confusion into fear.

There in the middle of the room stood her husband, loading a gun. Sakura didn't dare say anything. Naruto turned to face her.

"Don't come outside", he told sternly and then rushed out of the room, leaving his wife to watch him go.

He made his way back downstairs and to the front door. With force he pushed the door open and immediately turned the gun towards Gaara. He perfected his aim on the man's head and took off the safety.

"You have thirty seconds to explain why you're here. Waste it, and I'll blast your brains out."

A vague expression of surprise flashed in Gaara's eyes. The look was gone as quickly as it'd appeared. To make sure the man knew he was serious, Naruto took a step closer and pressed the gun's barrel against his temple. The redhead didn't as much as flinch.

"You're down to ten seconds", the blonde reminded, lightly shoving his head with the gun. Gaara didn't seem bothered by it.

"I need you."

Naruto's steady aim faltered. Those were not words he had expected the man to speak. His surprise became a distraction big enough for Gaara to have the chance to make a move to get the gun. His movements helped Naruto regain his focus. In the blink of an eye, Gaara found himself pinned against the wall again, the gun still pressed against his head.

"Don't even think about it. There's absolutely no reason for me not to shoot you", the blonde hissed.

"I need you", Gaara repeated.

Yet again, the words confused Naruto. Yet he refused to let it show.

"Well you should've thought about that before pissing me off", he growled.

Gaara said nothing, only watched him silently. Naruto noticed that there was something different behind his hollow gaze. He had no word for it, but it was confusing to see _anything_ in those eyes. Though intrigued by it, he couldn't let the fascination overcome common sense.

"I need to show you something", Gaara told.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"You'll see if you come with me."

Naruto laughed out loud. It'd been a while since he'd heard a joke as laughable. He had no reason to believe a word he said. And absolutely no reason to actually go anywhere with a maniac like him.

"You can't seriously think I'm going anywhere with you. I value my life more than that."

Gaara smirked. "You know you will."

There it was again. That sick, twisted smirk that efficiently destroyed faith in all that was good and pure. Naruto would've liked nothing more than to shoot the smirking son of a bitch in the face.

"Shut the fuck up", he growled, fully prepared to pull the trigger.

His finger twitched dangerously with the need to fire. Gaara took notice of that, but didn't seem to find it truly threatening. His features remained as void of expression as always.

"You'll regret it if you don't come", he reasoned.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man. Gaara realized his reasoning was worth as much as thin air. Well aware of his skill to manipulate others, he forced a gentler look into his eyes and even went as far as seeming needy.

"I need you."

It worked its usual magic. Upon realizing how much it took for a man like Gaara to say such a thing, manipulation or not, Naruto's harsh gaze softened. He knew he wasn't supposed to let a mass murderer in any way cloud his judgment, but as much as he hated to admit it, Gaara was right. If he didn't go, he would spend the rest of his life wondering about it. He was trapped in that man's power to fascinate. He couldn't say no.

"Fuck", the blonde hissed in frustration, but lowered the gun.

He was still very much prepared to use it in case Gaara decided to give him a reason for it. But as the man remained calm, showing no indication of being a threat, he let himself relax a notch.

"The hell do you want from me?" Naruto asked, searching his pockets for cigarettes.

He placed one between his lips and lit up. He inhaled a long drag, before letting the smoke slowly slip out from between his lips. Gaara watched him do so, somewhat curiously.

"I need to show you something", the redhead muttered.

"Yeah. You told me already. Give me one good reason why I should help you", Naruto demanded, as he took another drag.

Yet again, Gaara watched him intently with curious eyes. Naruto ignored the stare on him.

"Because you need me", the paler one reasoned. The blonde narrowed his eyes at him.

"No. I just need to get away from you", he argued.

Gaara smirked. "Yakuza wants you dead."

Naruto didn't as much as glance at him. "I know."

The redhead couldn't bother feeling surprised. It was clear just how ineffective his attempts to motivate the blonde to come along were. He moved slowly away from the wall, calmly enough not to alarm the other one. Cautious of the gun in the blonde's hand, he stopped to stand behind him. He was very close. Naruto could almost feel him, but then again not. His grip on the gun tightened. He involuntarily flinched as a hand came from behind and reached to take away the cigarette between his lips. Displeased, he turned around to face Gaara. The man gazed at him in silence as he took a drag from the stolen cigarette. Annoyed, but curious, Naruto watched him slowly let the smoke escape from between his lips. He hated to admit it, but it was sort of mesmerizing.

"If you intend to survive, you need me", Gaara spoke in a low, placid voice.

To anyone who wasn't familiar with the redhead, it might've come across as gentle, but Naruto knew he didn't possess attributes of that kind. The blonde was forced to stop and think about his words. Gaara was right. He wouldn't survive on his own. But that did not mean he was prepared to lay his life in the hands of a lunatic.

"Dying can't be much worse than having to spend time with you", he sneered and snatched his cigarette back.

Gaara scowled. Though tempted to feel annoyed, he knew it would've been of no use. Instead of getting angry, he gently pushed Naruto against the wall. As expected, the gun's barrel instantly found its way against the redhead's chest.

"I still have this thingy. So if I were you, I wouldn't get too comfortable", Naruto explained, provokingly blowing smoke into his face.

Gaara smirked. He knew the blonde wished to threaten him, at the very least annoy, but none of the kind even crossed his mind. Instead of doing the sensible thing and stepping away, he took a gentle hold of the blonde's wrist and forced the gun harder against his chest. If only to agitate, he brought his face as close as he could without touching. Though barely a whisper, his voice lacked no confidence.

"You won't shoot me."

Naruto chuckled. "You have no idea what I'd like to do to you."

Gaara moaned in a mocking manner. "Sounds dirty."

"Fuck you."

"Still dirty."

Naruto's eyes narrowed in annoyance. He knew the man's only objective was to piss him off. In no way keen on being controlled by the redhead in any way, he forced himself to keep calm. And if that didn't work out, he could always shoot him.

"I'll make a deal with you. You come with me and I'll keep you safe", Gaara then suggested.

Naruto paused to think about it. Keeping yakuza away was impossible on his own. It would've been close to impossible even if he did get help, but the chances might increase. It wasn't a bad offer. Logically speaking. But since it seemed that logic consistently jumped out the window whenever Gaara was around, Naruto wasn't all that certain it was a good idea. Choosing either way, it would be risky. He gave himself enough time to finish his cigarette, before finally making a decision.

"Fine. I'll go with you. But this baby is coming with me", Naruto stated, referring to the gun.

Gaara nodded. He seemed pleased enough.

"You wait there", Naruto then instructed and turned to go back inside.

Sakura was waiting for him in the kitchen. Her face was painted with worry. She sat by the kitchen table and upon hearing Naruto enter, she stood up. Naruto walked over to her and seated her back down. He crouched down in front of her.

"Listen. There's somewhere I need to go", he explained.

Sakura's face darkened. "Who is that man?"

Naruto didn't know what to tell her. Had he said that an accused mass murderer was standing in front of their house, she'd lose it. On the other hand, Naruto had a feeling the 'old friend' excuse wouldn't be convincing enough in the current situation. He was only left with option to tell her what reality allowed him to tell.

"I don't wanna lie to you, so I won't tell you."

Sakura dropped her gaze. She wanted to feel angry, but couldn't bring herself to do so. The seriousness of the situation was apparent and even though she didn't know what was happening, she was smart enough to understand it wasn't the time for questions. Thus she didn't ask. She could only nod weakly, her gaze remaining on the floor. Naruto said nothing more. He stood up and with a sigh, turned away and walked out. Gaara stood there waiting.

"Walk", Naruto ordered. Held at gunpoint, the man did as told.

Gaara turned behind the corner of the house and Naruto followed him. Though not sure what he'd expected, what waited behind the corner was enough of a shock for him to lower the gun. Right there, parked on his driveway, was a brand new Maybach 62. A car worth more than his house. By the time Naruto woke up from his wonderment, Gaara was already inside the vehicle. Remaining stunned, Naruto shook his head a few times to make sure he was not simply imagining things, before walking to the car. He opened the passenger side door and seated himself down. He then turned to look at Gaara. The man was hunched over under the steering wheel. It took the blonde a long while to realize what was happening. Gaara was hot-wiring.

"Oh my fucking god. You just got out of prison and the first thing you do, is steal a Maybach?"

Gaara said nothing. The engine roared to life. Gaara lifted himself up, glanced at Naruto and then wordlessly pulled off the driveway. Only once they'd driven to the other side of the city, did Naruto realize he had no idea where they were going.

"How far are we going?" he asked with a grunt.

Gaara didn't bother even glancing his way. "Three hundred miles east."

Naruto became somewhat shocked for not having even thought about the possibility that they might be traveling far. He ignored the brief urge to punch himself and concluded it was too late to whine about it. He turned to glance out the window. They'd reached the highway. It seemed Gaara wasn't one to care about speed limits. Which wasn't exactly preferable while driving a stolen car.

"You really thought that a Maybach was the best choice?" Naruto wondered out loud.

Yet again, Gaara said nothing. Naruto couldn't claim he was surprised. He failed to understand why stealing a car had struck as a good idea to him. Though a peculiar choice, a far stranger thought soon crossed the blonde's mind. He turned to look at the man beside him.

"Why aren't you in prison?" he asked. Gaara remained silent for a while, but eventually smirked.

"If I have enough money to hire you as my lawyer, I have enough money to bail myself out", he said, then turning his gaze back to the road.

Naruto rolled his eyes. He didn't exactly appreciate the implication of his high salary, but didn't make an issue out of it. He was thoughtful when it came to Gaara's wealth. Why did a man who'd disappeared for years possess such massive amounts of money? Those missing years of his also were one of the many mysteries Naruto found strange about the redhead. There were six whole years of Gaara's life that hadn't been recorded in any way or form. No missing person report was ever filed, nobody had missed him. Naruto couldn't help but to wonder why that was. He did have family, at least according to the file info. And even stranger was that at the time of the man's arrest, there hadn't been many difficulties in finding him. Why had he left his hiding? Especially at a time like that. He must've known they were after him.

Naruto found himself staring at the man beside him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, so much he wanted to know. But he knew that asking questions of that nature wasn't an option. Gaara wouldn't tell. Naruto knew that.

"You gonna tell me where we're going?" he asked instead.

"No."

Naruto grunted. "Why?"

Gaara didn't reply. The blonde sighed.

"Are we just gonna sit here silent for hours?"

Gaara remained as quiet as he had so far. Naruto wasn't sure why he even bothered to try communicating. It was like talking to a goat. All he received was silence and a blank stare. Perhaps a weird noise, if in luck. The man and his difficult nature went beyond frustrating. Naruto already regretted agreeing to this. There was no guarantee that getting killed by yakuza would've been any worse. In fact, there was no guarantee he wouldn't get killed by the redhead. For all he knew, they might've been driving to a remote location, perfect for strangling and dismembering a person. Naruto had to be losing his grip on sanity for going along.

"I'm not gonna kill you", Gaara suddenly stated.

Naruto turned to look at him. Had he thought out loud?

"I'd rip your head off before you'd even have the chance", he growled in return.

Gaara chuckled. He said no more. Neither did Naruto. The next thirty minutes were perfectly silent. Though awkward and boring, it did give Naruto a chance to think about everything that'd happened in just a short amount of time. He'd been losing his grip on the perfectly polished life he'd worked hard to attain for some time now. But in the past week or so, it seemed that everything had simply collapsed like the twin towers. Suddenly and brutally. He'd remained surprisingly calm, given the situation. Perhaps he hadn't really processed the disaster yet. Or maybe he'd simply gotten too used to shit hitting the fan. It didn't matter, really. The situation was what it was. Focusing on whining about it wouldn't change a damn thing. All he could do was his very best to stay alive. A piece of cake.

"Make a stop at the next gas station", Naruto said after a whole lot of silence.

It took a while, but eventually Gaara nodded. After a few miles, he pulled over to the parking lot of a gas station. Naruto stepped out of the car and watched Gaara drive next to a gas tank. The man got out and moved to fuel the car. There he stood, fueling a stolen Maybach like it was nothing. Naruto wondered how long it would take for the cops to find them. The owner must've reported it stolen. Nobody bought a car worth millions of yens and didn't soil their fancy designer pants upon finding it stolen.

Naruto tore his gaze away from the redhead and his ridiculous loot, and stepped inside the service station. A bell attached to the door announced of his arrival. The clerk turned to see him. Naruto nodded in acknowledgment.

"Two packs of Marlboro's red and a coffee", Naruto muttered upon reaching the counter.

He took out his wallet and was about pay for his purchases, but paused to think.

"Actually, make it two", he added, and finally paid to the man behind the counter.

The clerk nodded and took the offered money. Naruto took the packs of cigarettes and poured two takeaway cups of coffee. On his way, he grabbed a couple of plastic milk containers. Once outside, he made his way to the most ridiculous choice of cars to steal and took his seat. Gaara was already behind the wheel. Naruto offered a cup coffee to him. Gaara stared at it suspiciously for a brief moment, but eventually accepted what he was offered. He took off the lid and glanced at the cup's contents. He seemed slightly displeased. Naruto sighed and tossed him one of the small containers of milk. Gaara happily poured it into the black liquid.

"Thanks", the redhead muttered.

He took a sip and let out a vaguely happy sigh.

"Hn. It's been seven fucking years since I last had coffee that didn't taste like shit."

Naruto tilted his head and stopped to watch the other man curiously. It was odd to see him as a civilian. No inmate clothing, no cuffs and chains. No prison. Naruto couldn't imagine what it was like to be in prison for that long. He'd never been convicted of anything. There'd been a few close calls, but a couple of days in jail was the worst he'd been forced to endure. Mainly for public underage drinking and flipping off an officer. Once for a fight on the streets. But even then he'd been a minor, so it'd hardly been a big deal. Actually it was a miracle he'd never been sentenced to prison. It seemed that he was lucky after all.

They got back on the road. According to Naruto's calculations, it would take nearly seven hours for them to reach their destination. Although, with the speed Gaara was going, it might not take as long. By the time the speedometer read 85 miles per hour, Naruto had to buckle up to keep himself from worrying about getting killed. If they didn't get pulled over, it'd be a miracle. And if that happened, they'd both be going to prison. Even without his fancy law degree, he could have claimed that over-speeding in a stolen Maybach was very much illegal.

They'd been driving for a couple of hours when Naruto noticed Gaara getting drowsy. The man tried hard to keep his concentration by adding even more speed, but after a few minutes, he'd always have to shake his head to stay awake.

"You tired?" Naruto asked, giving the redhead a sideways glance.

"Nah."

Bullshit. He was tired as hell. And stubborn as all holy hell.

"When have you last slept?"

Gaara sighed. He ran his fingers through his flaming red hair. "Not since before solitary."

Naruto's jaw dropped. He was sitting in a car going nearly 90 miles per hour, driven by a lunatic that hadn't slept in days. If this wasn't fucking dangerous, nothing was.

"Turn right over there", Naruto told him, pointing at an exit.

Gaara glanced at him. "No."

Naruto pulled out the gun he'd shoved down the back of his jeans.

"Yes", he argued, and emphasized his demand by flashing the gun.

Gaara gritted his teeth in annoyance, but knew he had no choice. Upon reaching the turn, he roughly turned the steering wheel, not bothering to slow down much. They were now on a small road leading deep into a large forest area.

"Drive", Naruto ordered.

Gaara did as told. After ten minutes or so, the blonde concluded they were far enough from the highway.

"Here's fine", he informed.

The redhead stopped the car and turned the engine off. Complete silence fell. They were deep enough in the woods for the sounds of the highway to die out. Naruto turned to face the other man.

"You need to sleep", he said firmly. Gaara stared at him as if something from outer space.

"I'm not sleeping with an armed asshole sitting next to me", he grunted.

Naruto's eye twitched in annoyance. Although he had to admit, he wouldn't have slept either, had it been the other way around. But he didn't have much of choice when it came to carrying a gun. Being in the same car as Gaara required it, as did the fact that yakuza was chasing him. Double the risk of getting into a shitty situation.

"I'm not gonna go unarmed either", Naruto declared.

"Then I'm not gonna sleep. I'd rather die from sleep deprivation than get shot by you", the redhead informed. Naruto was quick to grow frustrated.

"I really wanna bash your head in", he grunted through gritted teeth. The redhead shot him an icy glare.

"Yeah? Please do and I'll have a real reason to kill you."

Naruto was rapidly nearing the point of abusing firearm. He could see it in his mind. And it was glorious. But were he to turn the other's head into mush, he'd be stuck with what'd be left of the lunatic in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Not exactly ideal either. So instead of acting out any violent urges, he had to be content with just emotional abuse.

"God I wish yakuza gets your head. Cause I ain't dirtying my hands with someone like you", Naruto hissed.

It was hardly a surprise that Gaara was beginning to lose his temper fairly quickly.

"If I wasn't insane before, you certainly have made me", he growled, clenching his hand into a fist.

His urge to pound Naruto's face into a bloody pulp was obvious, but he seemed to be fighting against it. Like an utter idiot, Naruto was merely amused by how easily he was able to rip apart the man's ice cold façade. It was a personal victory like none else.

"Trust me. You being insane has nothing to do with me."

Gaara proceeded to grit his teeth in silence for a while longer. As expected, he eventually could no longer contain himself and threw a powerful punch at the window on his side. The glass cracked. Naruto fell quiet, so did Gaara. Since the most probable outcome was obvious, only one solution existed. Utter and absolute avoidance of the entire situation. Naruto witnessed Gaara kick the door open and step out, before slamming it shut again. It was safe to say, he was not in a good mood.

Naruto sighed and put the gun away. Gaara was obviously dead tired and angry as hell. He himself wasn't that much more perky or happy. Two stubborn and volatile minds did not create the best of equations. Naruto yet again questioned why he'd agreed to come along when it'd obviously been a horrible idea to begin with.

Though not sure what good it could possibly do, the blonde swallowed his pride and stepped outside as well. Gaara had wandered off some feet away. Naruto watched the man kick the trunk of an old, sturdy tree. The sight was worth rolling his eyes for. It looked childish. It _was_ childish. They both were.

"Stop acting like an idiot", Naruto grunted.

Gaara stopped abusing the innocent tree and turned to face the blonde instead. A laugh of the sick, ironic kind slipped his lips.

"Idiot? Me?" he questioned, slowly taking steps towards the other one.

A twisted smile spread across his lips again. The one that never failed to make Naruto flinch.

"Yeah, I am. And you know what? It's all because of _you._"

The redhead's voice came out as more of a hiss than real speech. The man's approaching steps made Naruto want to back away, but he had a feeling it would only make the man lunge at him. Thus he stayed put.

"You make me act like an idiot. Like I have no control over myself", Gaara continued, now way too near for Naruto's liking.

It didn't take long for them to be face to face. Close enough for the threat to turn tangible.

"You turn me into something so sick and twisted, it shouldn't even exist", the man hissed, not an inch away from the blonde's face.

Naruto had become painfully aware of his surroundings. Needless to say, he felt far from comfortable.

"I want to make you suffer. I want to gouge your eyes out. I want to rip your beating heart out of your fucking chest."

Naruto's survival instinct finally declared an emergency. The man's words weren't a joke. The blonde would've wanted nothing more than to either run away or shoot the obvious danger in the face, but was unable to move. Gaara stood so close, Naruto was forced to lean against the side of the car to preserve the tiny gap between them. It was somewhat concerning to realize that the redhead could've done anything he pleased, and there wouldn't have been a damn thing the blonde could've done to stop him.

As Naruto silently questioned if he perhaps should truly prepare to get murdered, Gaara surprised him by lifting his hand next to the blonde's face, as if to touch him. Naruto flinched, but the touch never happened. Instead, after brief consideration, the hand got pressed against the car. Naruto found himself pinned between a ridiculously expensive vehicle and a man he knew could've killed him using a single post-it note. He didn't know how to feel about it. Unexpectedly, the rage in the redhead's gaze briefly faltered.

"But I can't. I can't do any of it, cause you've got a chokehold of my _fucking_ soul", Gaara said in a surprisingly soft, yet bitter tone.

Like many times before, Naruto found himself trapped by the other's poison green stare. He could feel the warmth of the other man's body, so close to his own. He came to wonder how, despite looking like a walking corpse, he was so hot. Temperature-wise. Confused by it, Naruto cautiously moved his hand up and pressed it against the man's forehead. He was burning up.

"You've got a fever", he muttered quietly.

Gaara said nothing, only continued watching him silently. It was then Naruto realized his gaze wasn't as much intent and focused as it was glassy. Like the eyes of a sedated animal. How exactly the man was even able to stay awake through such sleep deprivation and high fever went beyond reason. The realization of the redhead's state brought Naruto's defensive attitude crashing down. This sick creature was no hazard to anyone but himself.

"You need to sleep."

Gaara shook his head weakly. Naruto sighed.

"Listen. I'm not going anywhere with you if you don't get any sleep."

Gaara shook his head again. He was visibly exhausted, absolutely dead tired. It'd been days since he'd last slept and even though it didn't always seem that way, he was only human. He wasn't invincible, he got sick, he needed sleep. The blonde reached to his left to open the door to the back seat. He then grabbed Gaara by the arm and lead him to the back. Naruto seated himself on the backseat, his feet remaining on the ground. He gave the redhead an askance look and sighed.

"I'm gonna allow something really fucking stupid, just so you would sleep."

The redhead tilted his head curiously. Naruto could not believe what he was about to say.

"I'll sleep next to you on the back seat."

Gaara's face fell. It seemed that disbelief was the theme of today.

"I'll leave my gun outside. You'll wake up if I move even an inch. Okay?" Naruto suggested.

He felt insane for even considering letting that violent thing sleep next to him, but keen on eventually making it out of the woods, he was forced to compromise. Gaara said nothing, only stared at him in mild horror. Naruto ignored the other's silent argument and moved to lie down. The leather cladding of the seat felt cold even through clothing. It was cold in general.

"Get in. Let's get this over with", he muttered, waiting for something to happen.

Gaara stood still. Naruto grunted.

"Now."

It took a few more seconds of uncertainty and silent wishing to squirm out of the situation, but finally Gaara moved to get inside. He seated himself on the back seat and stopped to ponder witch way to lie down.

"I ain't gonna have you kick me in the face all night", Naruto told him right off the bat.

Obviously stripped of the option to at the very least face away from the blonde, Gaara grew even more hesitant. Naruto did his very best to remain patient and not lose his temper. The cold was quick to get to him. The longer it took for the redhead to recall how to get into a horizontal position, the worse Naruto shivered with cold. As luck would have it, the night would be freezing and he was dressed in nothing more than a t-shirt and a light hoodie.

"C'mon. Make that fever of yours useful and be my heater", he demanded, a small tremble audible in his voice.

He barely had the chance to finish, before an unexpected warmness took him by surprise. Naruto frowned and turned to look at the redhead. Gaara had taken his jacket off and laid it on top of the blonde's shivering figure instead.

"You're the one with the fever. It'll get worse."

Gaara refused to face him, as if allergic to acts of kindness.

"I'm fine."

Though reluctant, the redhead swallowed his pride and finally lowered himself down next to Naruto. They both squirmed uncomfortably to find a position including as little awkward contact as possible, but since the space was narrow and limited, they were forced to remain face to face. They stopped to stare at one other in silence. In the end, it wasn't as much awkward as it was just uncomfortable. Two grown men weren't meant to share the backseat of a car.

"The gun", Gaara grunted after a while.

"Right", Naruto muttered and reached to grab it.

He then threw it out the still open door. "Happy?"

Gaara nodded and reached to shut the door. They took the most comfortable positions possible in the narrow space they had, then fell silent for a short while. It might've lasted, hadn't there been something Naruto really wanted to know.

"Why the hell did you steal a Maybach?"

Gaara smirked. It was quirky, not the kind Naruto had gotten used to.

"Why not?"

The blonde chuckled. "Good point."

It was so damn cold. Summer wasn't far away, but obviously it was far too early to celebrate it. Gaara had a high fever and no jacket, yet he showed no sign of being cold. He was superhuman. Naruto was sure of it.

"Whatever it is you wanna show me, I hope it's worth this hell", Naruto mumbled as he shivered from the cold.

"It is", Gaara assured.

Naruto found it hard to believe Gaara wasn't cold. He himself felt as if he'd been swallowed by a snowman. He slowly lifted his trembling hand to touch Gaara's forehead once more. It was still hot to the touch. The air temperature had dropped low enough for their breaths to turn visible. It was possible he'd wake up next to a corpse.

"Take the jacket back."

"I don't need it."

Stubborn as fuck.

"If you die, it's not my fault."

"I won't."

"Fine."

They fell silent again. Naruto watched Gaara struggle to stay awake.

"Sleep. It's fine."

Gaara obviously wished to argue, but wasn't physically capable of doing so anymore. It took approximately 30 seconds for him to fall asleep. For Naruto it took a lot longer. He was too cold to fall into a proper slumber. The shivering kept him awake. To pass the time, he watched the man beside him. Naruto had never seen him sleep. It was fascinating to witness him let his guard down so openly. Yet even fast asleep he had a stern, stoic face. He was like a sculpture. Not a mistake on the perfect porcelain skin. Hollow cheeks and sharp jawline, as if carved from stone. Cold, cold stone. Naruto wondered if he ever looked anything but stoic and stone cold. Did a peaceful side of him exist? Did he ever feel peaceful? He didn't come across that way, to say the least. Naruto couldn't help but to wonder what it was like inside his head.

It felt strange to be so close to him. Again. Asleep he seemed less dangerous. Though a nice change, Naruto was well aware that were he to move even an inch in the wrong direction, he'd earn himself a one-way ticket to the morgue in the blink of an eye. He couldn't let the illusion of calmness cloud his judgment.

It was strange, really. He had no idea what he was even doing there. He must've been out of his mind to agree to the redhead's request. Not two days ago he'd wanted to rip off the man's head and bury it six feet under. And without a doubt, Gaara had wanted to do the same to him. Naruto failed to understand why Gaara had come to him for help in the first place. It didn't seem like him. The only explanation Naruto could come up with was that the man _really_ didn't want to lose his lawyer.

Naruto tilted his head enough to see out of the window. The night sky was clear and covered in twinkling stars. They were visible in a way that was impossible in the city. The artificial lights always outshone the stars. Naruto smiled at the view. He'd always loved to watch the night sky. The stars reminded him of all the people who'd become ones themselves. He rarely thought about his parents, but the twinkling sky reminded him of them. As well as many of his friends who'd lost their lives to the ways he'd left behind. His relationship with the night sky could be described as bittersweet.

A sudden movement beside him caused him to flinch. He turned his gaze away from the stars and looked to his left. It seemed the cold had finally gotten to Gaara. The man was still fast asleep, but had begun shivering ever so slightly. Naruto brushed his fingers against the other's forehead. The fever wasn't as bad anymore. Apparently the cold had done its job. Careful not to wake the man up, Naruto lifted the helm of the jacket laid over him and slightly drew himself closer to Gaara. He then lowered the jacket back down, assuring it also covered the redhead.

They were only an inch away from touching each other anymore. If Naruto went any further, he'd get pressed against the other one. If he backed away at all, he'd lose the warmth of the jacket. It was somewhat of a challenge to fall asleep while worrying about keeping the exact position he was in. After about ten minutes of trying and failing to fall asleep, Naruto concluded he had to back away, even if it meant he'd be freezing the whole night. He'd barely moved an inch, when suddenly Gaara's strong arm wrapped itself around him, bringing him to a halt. A sturdy grip held onto the back of his shirt. Naruto froze. Not having anticipated such, he had no idea what to do.

The blonde checked to see if the man was still asleep. Indeed he was. For a while, Naruto tried to figure out what to do. In the end, he decided he'd have to squirm away from the grip. This was in no way appropriate. Not even remotely. Naruto moved to lift the man's hand away, but before he actually had the chance to do anything, he found himself pulled against the other's chest. Gaara's breath was still even, indicating he hadn't woken up. Given the situation, it would've been unlikely to begin with.

Naruto's breath on the other hand, hitched. Utterly and completely knotted in his throat. His body, rigid with shock, was pressed tightly against the redhead's. His lips were nearly attached to the nape of the man's pale neck. Despite the effort, he could barely back away half an inch. Though he would've preferred to hold his breath in for the rest of the night, Naruto eventually was forced to exhale again. His warm breath hit the redhead's pale skin. Gaara moaned in his sleep. The low, raspy sound had an unexpected effect on Naruto. As it reached his ears, his tense body relaxed in an instant. He unintentionally inched closer to the one beside him, and moved his arm to return the hold around him. Before he even had the chance to realize what was happening, he fell asleep. Though not awake to realize it, he wasn't cold anymore.

When Naruto woke up the next day, it was light outside. Gaara no longer was next to him, yet it wasn't cold. Also, the car was no longer still.

Naruto jolted up. They were on the road again. He had no idea what time it was or where they were. To rid himself of drowsiness, Naruto shook his head a couple of times, before moving to the front. After a small struggle, he was riding shotgun again. For reasons unknown, he felt annoyed.

"What time is it?" he wanted to know.

"2 p.m."

"Where are we?"

"Halfway."

Naruto grunted. His back was aching. His head was aching. Sleeping on the backseat of a Maybach wasn't any more luxurious than it would've been in the back of a Prius.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Naruto asked, audibly irritated.

Gaara shrugged. Hardly a sufficient answer, but Naruto couldn't bother to make an issue out of it. He wondered if the redhead knew how they'd slept. For a brief moment after waking up, he'd thought of it as a dream, but as it'd dawned on him that it was none of the kind, it'd quickly turned terrifying. Even more terrifying was the fact that it was the only way he'd been able to sleep. In the end, he concluded it was the warmth of the other one that'd made him doze off.

Something important crossed the blonde's mind. He reached out his hand, as if waiting for something.

"My gun", he said. Gaara glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"I don't have it."

"Yes you do."

Gaara hesitated for a moment, but then reached to open the glove compartment and pulled the gun out. With a grunt, he placed it into Naruto's hand. The blonde checked that it was still loaded and then put it away.

"Do we have coffee?" Naruto questioned.

Surprisingly enough, Gaara handed him a cup. Naruto happily took what was offered. It was still warm. Funny, how small things could make one so satisfied. Sipping from the cardboard cup, Naruto took out a pack of cigarettes and rolled down the window on his side. Gaara gave him a questioning sideways glance.

"You honestly gonna smoke in a car worth millions?" he asked. Naruto snorted.

"You s_tole_ a car worth millions. I don't think you have a say in the matter", he grunted and lit a cigarette. Gaara shook his head, but had to chuckle.

"Gimme one", he then demanded. Naruto offered one, he took it. The car filled up with smoke.

"How far exactly do you think you're gonna get with this car?" the blonde mumbled.

"I changed the license plates. Also, I now legally own this car. It's funny how people behave at gunpoint", Gaara explained, as if he'd been talking about the weather.

"Then why don't you have the key?" Naruto asked, raising a questioning brow.

"The moron swallowed it. Thought it would actually change a thing."

Naruto didn't bother to feel surprised. Instead he felt annoyed.

"You've had a gun this whole time?"

Gaara said nothing, only smirked.

"Asshole."

Naruto's urge to kick him in the face increased considerably. Going on a road trip with Gaara was exactly as pleasant as he'd expected. He had even gone as far as to naming it 'an unbearable amount of bullshit'. But despite the downsides of traveling with the redhead, it wasn't a complete waste of time. Naruto had learned new things about Gaara. For example, stealing a rich bastard's car with a gun told him Gaara wasn't all that innocent. He'd also learned that sleeping next to him was far more pleasant than necessary. Whether or not those could be considered an extension to the list of downsides was worryingly debatable.

Naruto shook his thoughts away and took one last drag from his cigarette, before throwing it out the window. He then flipped open the sunblock over his head. There was a mirror inside. Upon studying the state of his face, he was happy to learn that his complexion wasn't as blue as it'd been a while ago. His neck looked better as well. A faint line left by the chain was still visible, but it wasn't too bad. His split lower lip was still sore. The wound was quite deep. It would take longer to heal. Naruto turned to look at Gaara. The side of his face remained a deep shade of purple. It wasn't as dark anymore, but did look painful. It wasn't pretty. Gaara glanced at Naruto from the corner of his eye.

"You sure know how to kiss with a fist", he muttered through a smirk.

Naruto said nothing. Understandably, the subject made him uncomfortable. Gaara got the hint and didn't continue discussing it.

"We'll be there in a couple of hours. But we'll have to wait till dark", he said instead.

Naruto nodded. "Okay."

For reasons neither could really pinpoint, the atmosphere wasn't as tense as it'd been before. Perhaps awkward sleeping in each other's arms had something to do with it. Naruto shuddered at the thought of it. He wasn't repulsed by it and that was what made him disgusted. In no way was he supposed to find the redhead anything but repulsive, for ethical reasons alone. Yet somehow he failed to stay away from him. Why? Not knowing made Naruto angry and frustrated, at himself mostly. The man was a mystery, a walking question mark. Perhaps that was what'd brought him a full circle back. The mystery of it. He was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. And given the difference in power between them, he would probably get burned, badly.

"I need more coffee", Gaara suddenly said, startling Naruto away from his thoughts.

It seemed they'd reached yet another gas station. Gaara was already halfway out of the car. Though tired, Naruto decided to follow the other's example and stepped outside as well. He found his way inside the service station, and craving a refill of caffeine went over to the counter to find himself some. Before he had the chance to do anything, Gaara appeared beside him, handing out a cup of coffee. Naruto glanced at him, somewhat surprised, but eventually took what was offered.

"Thanks."

Gaara nodded. They'd barely made it back outside when Gaara suddenly grabbed Naruto by the arm, bringing him to a halt. He turned to look at the redhead in confusion. Instead of offering an explanation, Gaara silently nodded in the direction of their stolen vehicle. Naruto turned his gaze to see.

"Shit."

There was a cop car parking right next to the Maybach.

"_Shit_", Naruto repeated and turned back towards Gaara.

He quickly grabbed the man's wrist, dragged him further away from the entrance, and then placed a pack of cigarettes into his hand. Gaara frowned at the strange gesture.

"Just smoke. And stand like you ain't ever done shit."

Gaara did as told. He was facing away from the car. That was good. Though it was unlikely he'd get recognized, it was better to be safe than sorry. He was technically a free man, but if recognized, the cops might grow too interested in them. Keen on not getting busted driving a stolen vehicle, that was something the blonde very much wanted to avoid.

Naruto was facing Gaara and watched over his shoulder as the cops got out of their car. There were two of them, both men. Like Naruto had feared, they stopped on their way to study the jet black Maybach. Judging by the looks on their faces, he dictated they were simply admiring the sweet ride. All was good so far, but if the car had been reported stolen, there was a big chance they'd get in trouble. Time moved slow as fuck, but eventually both officers began walking away from the car. Neither of them seemed to be anything else than excited about a car they'd sell their own mother for. The two cops passed Gaara and Naruto, and without as much as glancing their way, the pair disappeared inside. Relieved beyond belief, the blonde let himself breathe again and rushed to drag the other one to the car.

"Gimme a smoke", he demanded, as soon as he'd seated himself down again.

Gaara did as the blonde pleased, and handed him one. Naruto took the cigarette offered and lit up.

"It was a bad fucking idea to steal this car, y'know?" he mumbled, as Gaara started the engine and drove away from the parking lot.

"Life would be boring if I didn't have bad ideas."

Naruto snorted. "For a smart guy you sure do a lot of dumb shit."

Gaara gave him a halfhearted glare. "You're one to talk."

Naruto returned the look. "God you're annoying."

"Thanks. So are you."

For the next two hours or so, they drove in silence. Naruto was still tired. Despite sleeping nearly twelve hours, the coldness of the night hadn't exactly enabled peaceful rest. Exhausted and bored, Naruto eventually dozed off. By the time he woke up again, the car had been pulled over. The blonde rubbed his drowsy eyes and glanced around. Gaara wasn't in the car. They were parked on the side of a quiet street. Naruto immediately rushed to check he still had the gun in his possession. Relieved to know it was still on him, he relaxed and stepped out of the car. His gaze searched for Gaara. Soon enough, he spotted the man a few feet away, walking towards him.

"Where are we?" Naruto asked once the redhead reached him.

"On the other side of Land of Fire."

They'd traveled a long way.

"So what now?" the blonde pried. Gaara shrugged.

"Now we wait."

The mere thought of useless waiting around caused Naruto to sigh. Prepared to be bored, they both went to lean against the car. Silence fell and they allowed it to continue. The quiet gradually grew mildly awkward, but to be fair, neither had really expected the need for small talk to become a reality between them. The metallic surface felt cold against their backs, despite it being an unusually warm day. Perhaps summer was nearer than expected. It would get colder in the evening though. Naruto knew that and cursed himself for not bringing a jacket. It was probable they would have to sleep in the car again.

"You talk in your sleep", Gaara suddenly spoke, startling the blonde.

Naruto turned to look at him. "Oh."

The redhead frowned. "Is Sakura your wife?"

Naruto instantly grew tense. He didn't like hearing her name on his lips. He found no reason for the man to know about his life and especially not about the people close to him. But if he'd blurted out things in his sleep, there was no point in hiding it.

"Yeah", he grunted in a slightly defensive tone. Gaara nodded.

"She opened the door for me. Pretty girl."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. Him talking about his better half felt offensive and…dangerous.

"Don't talk about her."

Gaara turned to look at him, that trademark smirk of his spreading across his face.

"Why?"

Naruto shot him a piercing glare. "You know why."

The smirk stayed, but Gaara pushed the matter no further. Naruto was pleased enough. The temperature had started to drop. Judging by the lighting, it was around 5 pm. It wouldn't get dark before eight.

"Are we just gonna wait for the dark here and freeze to death?" he mumbled.

"No. We've still got a few miles to go. But it's just an hour drive or so", Gaara said.

"Then why are we here?"

"Cause my ass fell the fuck asleep."

Naruto was about to say something, but was interrupted by his own rumbling stomach. Gaara snorted.

"You hungry?"

Naruto huffed. "Yeah."

Gaara pushed himself away from the car and walked to the other side.

"Get in", he said before taking the driver's seat.

Naruto did as told. In a matter of minutes, he found himself standing outside a bar. Somewhat astonished that such a place could be found at a location that remote, he nearly forgot to follow Gaara inside. As he finally did step through the entrance, he found the redhead already seated by the counter. Naruto went to take the seat beside his.

"Get something to eat. You're gonna need it", the redhead instructed.

Naruto had no idea what he meant, but did as told. Concluding he needed some alcohol in his system to survive this trip with Gaara, he got a beer to fix that.

"Don't get drunk. I need you sober", the paler one said, upon witnessing Naruto chug down half of his drink in one sitting.

"It takes a lot more than this to get me drunk", he grunted.

It didn't take long for him to get food, either. He'd eaten so poorly in the past few days, the first bite felt like heaven.

"What exactly are you expecting me to do?" Naruto pried between bites.

"You'll see. Patience", Gaara said. The blonde snorted.

"Trust me, it's taken a considerable amount of patience to be here with you. I have no idea why I'm here or where we're going. If that doesn't take patience, nothing does", Naruto assured. Gaara's lips twisted into a smirk once again.

"I can't be that bad. If I were, you wouldn't be here."

Though it might've been half true, not in a million years would Naruto have admitted it.

"Bullshit. I'm here cause I need to stay alive", he argued. Gaara grunted. His expression turned thoughtful.

"Why ain't you scared shitless about your situation?" he then asked.

Naruto swallowed a mouthful of food and sighed. He'd feared the moment this particular subject would make itself known. Feared, because it'd inevitably lead to an uncomfortable conversation about his past. Something he had no intention of discussing with Gaara, preferably with no one.

"I ain't gonna talk about it with you. Ever", he informed and continued to empty his plate.

Gaara tilted his head. "Why not? We're probably gonna die anyway."

"No", Naruto repeated.

He'd gotten done with eating and rushed to destroy the rest of his drink as well. Once he'd placed the empty glass on the counter, he was quick to get on his feet.

"Let's go."

Gaara rolled his eyes at the blonde's obvious dodging of an unpleasant situation, but figured there was no point in asking questions he would not get answers to. Instead of getting hung up on it, he followed Naruto outside and back inside the car. The rest of the ride was perfectly silent. Like Gaara had predicted, it took about an hour before they finally got off the highway again. The redhead chose an exit that turned into to a small road leading into deep woods. They drove for another mile or so further into the forest before Gaara parked the car. An eerie quiet replaced the sound of the engine, making it clear just how far from the city they'd ended up again.

"Get out, we're here."

Naruto did as told, stepped outside and followed the man to the back of the car. Gaara opened the trunk. Apart from two huge shovels, it was empty. Gaara picked up both of the shovels and handed one of them to Naruto. The blonde gave him a questioning look, but grabbed the thing upon realizing no explanation would be offered. The man closed the trunk and searched through his pockets for a compass. Something Naruto certainly hadn't had much use for. The redhead studied it for a while, before turning around and walking away from the path, into the woods. Naruto had no idea what was going on, but followed the man anyway. Amazingly, he didn't really mind how potentially unhealthy it was to follow a murderer into pitch black darkness and walked behind the man for a good thirty minutes, before finally growing frustrated.

"Where the hell are we going?"

Gaara said nothing, but stopped walking. He glanced around and then took a few more steps to the right. He stopped to stand next to a tree that had to be at least 150 feet tall.

"Come'ere."

Naruto made his way over to the tree. He watched Gaara stick his shovel in the ground and start digging. For short confused while Naruto simply stood still and watched, but eventually followed the man's example. The shovel was heavy as hell and the digging caused him to sweat like a pig, despite the air being cold again. After twenty long minutes they'd dug a hole three feet deep. Naruto's shovel came to an abrupt halt, stopped by something solid. A strange cracking noise followed. Naruto looked up to see Gaara. The man only nodded, instructing Naruto to continue digging. And dig he did. Slowly, but surely he began to realize what he was digging up.

From beneath the disturbed dirt and soil emerged a decomposed body. A human corpse. The smell hit him like a slap across the face. He wanted to gag.

"Jesus."

This was _not_ what he'd expected. Not at all. The body was pretty much nothing but a pile of bones, yet it smelled horrific nonetheless. It didn't take Naruto long to realize who the body had belonged to. This was the body that'd been dragged away from the murder scene. It had to be. That was the only reason why Gaara would've taken him there that Naruto could think of.

A drop of water hit the blonde's face. And then another one. Naruto could feel a bitter burning travel up his throat. He took a deep breath to swallow down the nausea and keep himself focused. He then reached into his pocket to take out his phone. He made sure the phone's caller ID was hidden and then dialed a number. It didn't take long for the call to get picked up. A formal tone of voice answered politely. Naruto decided to skip the introductions.

"Interested in a shallow grave with a surprise inside? Trace the coordinates of this phone call."

With that, Naruto hung up. Rain had started pouring down. He was soaking wet. He turned to face Gaara. There was only one thing on his mind.

"We need to get the fuck away from here."

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**There you go, sweeties. Hope you like it. Oh yeah, I just wanted to tell you that I'll probably edit some of the chapters at some point. I won't be changing anything crucial, mainly just the over all layout of the text to make it a bit more pleasing to the eye. I'm not sure when I'll have the time to do it, but it'll be dealt with eventually.**

**Please review, love ya.**


	12. Crossing Lines and Breaking Boundaries

**Hello, sweeties. New chapter for ya. Please keep reviewing if you feel like it, it's extremely helpful to know how well readers perceive the emotions and situations I've tried to create. So yeah, hope you enjoy the chapter and write a review of it.**

* * *

It was dark. The car engine hummed steadily as they drove along the highway. Otherwise, it was quiet. Naruto didn't know what to say. He'd just dug up a corpse. It must've belonged to the one misplaced from the murder scene all those years ago. The blonde wasn't sure what to think of it. His current ability to form opinions was fairly limited. A million different thoughts ran through his head. He had many questions, but very few answers.

Why had Gaara buried the body? Had he killed them? Who exactly were they?

No matter how hard Naruto tried to understand, he only confused himself further. Exhausting himself with questions he could not answer seemed pointless. It _was_ pointless. The only true priority was to get as far away as possible, as fast as possible. He couldn't risk getting caught digging up a dead body in the middle of a forest. The mere thought of that caused him to feel incredibly paranoid. They'd been driving for an hour already, yet it wasn't good enough. The grave along with the corpse was left far behind, yet it wasn't far enough. Naruto wanted nothing more than to go back home and pretend none of it ever happened.

A row of police cars with sirens on drove past them. Naruto sighed as he realized he wouldn't be getting home tonight.

"We need to stop somewhere remote", he muttered.

Gaara nodded. If they continued driving along the highway at that hour, the risk of getting pulled over would grow to be high. Especially with a newly found corpse in the area. It was best to pull over on their own terms and lay low for a few hours. As soon as an exit came to view, Gaara turned off the route. The exit brought them to a smaller road, one that passed through a village. They made it to the other side of the quiet village and ended up parking on the side of a large field. The scenery came as a pleasant surprise. It seemed they were no longer in a bigger city, but instead the countryside. Naruto didn't mind. It was calm and quiet and he doubted the police would bother coming to such a remote location. The serene surroundings calmed his restless mind.

Naruto stepped out of the car and filled his lungs with fresh air. He hadn't been away from the city for a long time. He'd forgotten how different the air was in a place that close to nature. Instantly less stressed, the blonde seated himself on the hood of the car. He tilted his head to face the sky. The stars shone bright again. Flashing a weak smile, Naruto tore his gaze away, only to find Gaara standing in front of him. In the dark, his eyes seemed as bright as the stars. Hollow, but bright. Like the eyes of a feline. It was hard not to get sucked into that stare. Even more so, when fixed on him.

"How does it feel like to sit on 53 million yen?" Gaara asked.

The man's low voice startled Naruto back to earth. The blonde smiled crookedly.

"Like having an ass made of gold", he chuckled.

Gaara mimicked the other's quirky smile. Though genuine, it did not quite suit him. Without realizing it, Naruto stopped to watch the man. Gaara watched him back. A strange feeling settled around them. Not unpleasant, only different. Naruto patted the metallic surface next to him.

"Try it out", he said to the man still standing.

Gaara gave him a curious look. He hesitated for a second, but then shrugged and hopped onto the hood, positioning himself an appropriate distance away from the blonde. He let out a thoughtful grunt.

"You're right. It's like having an ass made of gold."

Naruto chuckled. It was beginning to get cold again, but apart from a slight shiver, he didn't mind. Gaara eventually took notice of the other's pitiful tremble, and though he considered simply ignoring it, ended up taking off his jacket and laying it on the blonde's shoulders after all. Naruto turned to see him. He could've come up with an argument of some sorts, but decided there was no real need for it. Instead he accepted the rare act of kindness and put the jacket on.

"Thanks."

Gaara said nothing, only nodded. Naruto found himself smiling. Barely noticeably, yet it made it no less real. Despite the darkness, Gaara noticed it. Though he did not return it, his consistently stoic expression softened in mild surprise. Naruto turned his gaze away quickly enough, but though he felt the redhead's stare on him, he couldn't say he minded it. Feeling relaxed and calm, he lowered himself down to lie. The hood of the car wasn't too uncomfortable. Only cold. Gaara didn't seem at all bothered by chilly air. Naruto found it odd. The wonderment of temperature suddenly reminded him of something.

"Is your fever gone?" he asked.

Gaara turned to face him. "Yeah. I think so."

Naruto beckoned him closer. The man seemed hesitant at first, but eventually lowered himself to lean against the hood. The blonde reached out to touch the man's forehead. His skin wasn't hot anymore.

"Yeah. You're fine", Naruto agreed and lowered his hand.

Gaara stopped to stare at him, but said nothing. Not sure what that meant, the blonde disregarded it altogether and turned to gaze at the sky again.

"The sky looks nice", he told.

The redhead huffed, as if finding it funny, and laid himself down next to Naruto.

"Yeah. It does."

The odd calmness between them felt eerie. Naruto didn't know what to make of it. Spending such a long time with the redhead had somehow changed the chemistry between them. The dangerous undertone was still there, but it didn't come off as strong anymore. Naruto feared he was getting too used to the man.

"I like to think that once you die, you get to be one of the stars", Gaara suddenly spoke.

Taken by surprise, Naruto turned to look at him. It was an unusually comforting thing for the redhead to say.

"Me too", the blonde replied.

Gaara turned to face him, but said nothing. In a way, his silence felt safe and comfortable. But even that could not stop Naruto from scoffing bitterly.

"I guess we'll be joining them soon enough."

The redhead scowled, his gaze turning harsher. It wasn't anger, but perhaps something akin to disappointment. His voice came out annoyed.

"No. I told you I'll keep you safe."

The man's determination took Naruto by surprise. He failed to understand what caused Gaara to feel so strongly about it. There was no real reason for him to waste all that effort. Apart from keeping a good lawyer, of course, but there were a bunch of those around.

"Why?" he had to ask. Gaara frowned.

"I don't know", he admitted. Naruto scoffed.

"I'm capable of taking care of myself", he assured. His claim didn't receive much trust.

"Why would you be?"

Naruto fought not to cringe. The conversation was dangerously drifting towards the subject of his past again. It might've been simple stubbornness, but he truly did not want to share it with Gaara. Even though that particular moment seemed free of any mind games, there was no guarantee it was over for good.

"I really don't wanna talk about it with you."

Gaara grunted. He seemed less than happy with the answer, but said nothing. Naruto sighed.

"_You_ won't tell _me_ anything. Why should I tell you?" he asked.

His question earned him no answer, but instead resulted in silent staring. The redhead seemed thoughtful, hesitant even. Eventually he sighed in defeat and reached into the front pocket of his jeans. He took out his wallet. The man flipped it open and pulled out a picture. For a short while, he stared at it silently, before somewhat reluctantly handing it to Naruto. Feeling curious, the blonde took what he was offered. It was a picture of a man. For a second he thought it was a picture of Gaara. The resemblance was uncanny. But upon closer examination, facial features set them apart.

"His name was Sasori", Gaara told.

Naruto studied the picture further. It was old, and disturbingly enough, resembled a mug shot. The man truly looked very similar to Gaara. He had pale skin and red hair, yet his face wasn't as stoic.

"He's the one we dug up today", the redhead suddenly admitted.

Naruto nearly choked on his own spit. "Are you serious?"

Gaara nodded. It took the blonde a while to connect the dots.

"So this is the guy who was dragged away from the scene?"

Gaara's face darkened dramatically, but he nodded again. Naruto stared at the picture in silent awe. Something marvelous began to form in his head. If this really was the guy who'd been moved from the scene, making the witness' statement invalid would be a piece of cake. Their entire statement consisted of seeing a man resembling Gaara kill a bunch of contract killers. The man in the picture looked like Gaara, astonishingly so. Would the witness really be able to tell the difference between them after seven years? It seemed unlikely.

Naruto turned towards Gaara to share his thoughts, but changed his mind upon realizing that this was also the person who'd mattered. If he'd truly been important to Gaara, telling the man he was going to use this dead guy as someone to blame the macabre freak show on would've been as smart as feeding fire with gasoline. In the end, Naruto said nothing. To his surprise, it seemed that the redhead already knew what was holding him back.

"It's been years. It's fine. That's why I brought you here", he muttered.

Naruto nodded, not sure what to say. He dropped his gaze back to the picture, a certain curiosity itching to make itself known. He hesitated to ask, but eventually could not help himself.

"Who was he?"

Gaara grunted and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He was…important."

"A friend?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"I guess."

"Something...more?" he asked, even more cautiously.

Gaara snorted, as if finding it ridiculous. "No. Not really."

Naruto didn't know how to interpret his answer, but let it be. It wasn't any of his business. He gave the picture back to Gaara, who again returned it to its rightful place.

"We'll have to hand in that picture once the body's DNA gets matched with the one found on the ax", Naruto told.

As usual, Gaara nodded silently. He was awfully quiet. He always was, but this seemed like a different type of quiet. Naruto didn't blame him. He couldn't even imagine what it must've been like to bury his own friend. Not to mention dig them up years later. But though he failed to relate to such a morbid act, he could tell that even for a man like Gaara, it was no easy task to include a stranger in something so personal. That led Naruto to wonder, had the redhead only showed him the picture because he'd eventually have to anyway, or had he sincerely wanted to share the story behind it? He wasn't sure, and knew it shouldn't have mattered. Yet despite knowing that, Naruto found himself sighing in defeat and turning to his side to face Gaara.

Though hesitant at first, he slowly reached to grab the man's hand. The redhead flinched in surprise, but didn't pull away. He seemed bewildered by the gesture, but not alarmed. Naruto guided the other's hand to touch his face and surprisingly enough, Gaara let him. The uncertain, yet curious touch gently traced the scars on his cheek. Without realizing it, Naruto closed his eyes.

"I was ten. This is how I got baptized to the gang."

The fingers brushing against his skin came to a halt, indicating surprise. Naruto opened his eyes. The redhead seemed taken aback by his sudden honesty.

"Hurt like a bitch. But I didn't cry", the blonde chuckled.

Gaara said nothing. His touch lingered on the other's skin, without either of them really noticing it. A moment of silent stillness followed. It took several seconds for the redhead to realize he was still touching, but once it dawned on him, he moved his hand away as if it'd gotten burned. He drew the hand back and close to himself, but remained facing the blonde. To avoid an awkward moment, Naruto chuckled casually.

"So yeah, I'm capable of handling myself."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "It don't change a thing."

Naruto snorted. "You're persistent."

"Or a pain in the ass, as you like to put it", the redhead smirked.

Naruto shook his head, mildly amused. He wasn't entirely sure how good of an idea it'd been to tell about his past, but since Gaara had told something about his, it'd felt appropriate to return the favor. Even if it did seem like the rules of appropriateness generally speaking didn't quite apply to the two of them. Naruto could only hope he wouldn't have to regret telling him.

"I think we should get some sleep", the blonde said, fighting the need to yawn.

Gaara huffed. "I don't sleep."

Naruto frowned. His need to yawn suddenly disappeared.

"What do you mean, you don't sleep?" he questioned.

"I just don't. I lie down for approximately an hour a day. If I fall asleep for an hour, that's fine. But otherwise, I don't", Gaara told him. Naruto's frown grew deeper.

"You just slept last night", he pointed out. The other one shrugged.

"Yeah. About four hours. Longer than I have in years."

The blonde fell silent. Disregarding the fact that no human being could survive on such little sleep, he wondered exactly what the man had been doing for the rest of the time. Watched him sleep?

"What the hell were you doing then?" he asked, curious.

"Not much. Smoked a pack of cigarettes. Shot a dying deer", the man said.

What the fuck?

"You shot a deer?" Naruto had to confirm.

"Yes."

The blonde sighed. He'd mistakenly thought nothing could surprise him anymore, but obviously he'd been very wrong. He also could not overcome the fact that the redhead supposedly did not sleep. It couldn't have been true.

"How can you not sleep? Everybody has to sleep."

Gaara shrugged. "I can't. I just can't."

How was that man even alive anymore? On the list of mysteries science could not explain, it ranked fairly high.

"Yeah, whatever. You're sleeping tonight. Get up," the blonde ordered and pushed himself off the car hood.

Gaara made no move to comply. Sighing, Naruto grabbed the man by the wrist and pulled him on his feet. Ignoring the scowl it earned him, he then went to open the back door and gave the other one a demanding look.

"Get in."

Gaara hesitated, but after a while of being very intensively stared at, did as he was told. Naruto watched the man lay himself down on the backseat. He then followed the other's example and took his place beside him. The space was just as narrow and uncomfortable as it'd been last time, and yet again, they were forced to face one another. Naruto squirmed his way out of Gaara's jacket and upon succeeding, laid it over both of them. The redhead grunted.

"I'm not cold."

"Not yet", Naruto argued.

He wasn't particularly tired, but knew the cold would numb his awareness fairly quickly. Gaara seemed in no way affected by the cold or the lack of sleep. Naruto remained amazed by how the redhead could live without sufficient sleep. Sure he often looked tired, but even that easily blended in with the stoic expression his face always bore. Amazingly, his stamina did not seem to suffer despite the lack of rest. In a way, it was impressive.

"Aren't you ever tired?" Naruto asked. The redhead scowled.

"Always."

It was perhaps the most sincere statement Naruto had ever heard him speak. Even the way he said it sounded absolutely exhausted.

"Why won't you just sleep?"

Gaara sighed and shut his eyes, beginning to grow frustrated.

"I can't", he told yet again. Naruto couldn't understand.

"Try", he said, as if it'd help a thing. The redhead gave him an unimpressed sideways glance.

"Yeah, I'll try. Just go to sleep already."

Naruto felt the brief need to protest, but supposed there was no real need to do so. It'd been a long and strange night. Silently denying the newly discovered comfort in sleeping beside the redhead, he zoned out in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, his sleep wasn't peaceful.

_Naruto watches the fire again. It burns even brighter than before. It is even more beautiful, and a difficult one to tear his gaze from._

_He listens to the screams, he enjoys the smell of gasoline. Everything is exactly the way he wants it to be. The world in terror and chaos, him calm in the middle of it. Controlling it. What more could he want, what more could he possibly ask for? He has never felt such a peaceful state of mind before. There is nothing he has to worry about. He is in control, he has the power. It is relaxing, comforting. He is no longer the one suffering. He gets to enjoy the suffering of others._

_He hears a noise behind him. Intrigued, he turns to look. Cold air hits his skin warmed by the fire. Only darkness greets his curiosity. There is nothing but darkness there. There is nothing for him to see, but something he hears. The sound of breathing. Somehow, he can tell that somebody who cannot be seen stands before him. He can feel them stand there, watching him. They feel...powerful._

_The fire grows hotter. It stings his back. _

_The breathing grows louder, heavier. Naruto wants to see, so he takes a step forward. It doesn't help, he still cannot see. He steps anew. _

_The further away he travels from the fire, the hotter it burns. As if pleading for him to return. By the time he has been swallowed by the darkness, the heat is peeling away his skin. The light is gone, but the heat grows stronger._

_The breath is now right beside him. He can make out a vague humanlike figure. It is the one from before._

_The one that got away._

_He reaches out his hand, offering it to the figure. It won't take it. The figure turns around. He asks it to stop and wait. It won't. _

_The heat is unbearable, the darkness is pitch black. He no longer sees the figure, the sound of its breath fading away. As the sound vanishes, silence replaces it. It is the loudest silence he has ever heard._

_Naruto's pleads turn into screams. He screams, yet i__t doesn't change a thing. He is alone again. Alone and in pain._

_He must be dying._

Naruto's blue eyes shot open, a hasty and strangled cry turning visible in the freezing cold air. The stifled scream deflated his lungs, but despite the desperation for air, he failed to inhale. He shook violently, cold sweat coated his skin. He tried, but failed to move. His body had turned numb with irrational terror and felt as if it'd weighed several tons. As the sensation in his body slowly returned, he realized a pair of hands on him, holding him down. The panic paralyzing him instantly multiplied.

"Calm down_"_, a familiar deep voice told him.

Words. How were they formed? Forcing them felt like cuts on his skin.

"I can't."

His shaky hands reached for the closest support available, fists closing around the fabric of the redhead's shirt. He pulled the man closer, never realizing the affect of it. The body beside him tensed up, quickly rigid with unexpected horror. Naruto felt it, but couldn't bring himself to care. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, he could barely speak.

"_Don't_. Don't you fucking dare leave me alone."

His speech escaped as more of a hiss than anything else. Just as he began fearing the redhead would abandon him, the tense body next to him slowly relaxed. A hesitating pair of arms moved to hold him. Though the feel of them was inexperienced, he eventually found himself pulled against a strong chest. As if his life had depended on it, Naruto clung to the man with every ounce of strength he possessed. It must've neared painful. His trembling was violent to the point of making it hard for the other one to keep him close. He did understand it was Gaara he held onto, but the risk of it did not seem relevant. His anxiety showed no sign of surrendering. He couldn't think straight.

"Calm down", Gaara's low voice instructed him again. The blonde gritted his teeth tightly together to stop the trembling.

"I can't", he repeated.

Every attempt to calm down failed. No amount of willpower or deep breaths of air helped. He was still stuck somewhere between the dream and the real world. He needed a proper wake up call.

"Hit me."

Despite the tremble, his voice came out clear and determined. Short silence followed.

"What?"

"You heard me. Hit me."

It took a while, but eventually a strong fist collided with his jaw. The pain was quick to spread out, leaving his head on the verge of a pounding ache. For a moment there, the blonde was left to watch stars and wonder exactly why he'd asked for this to begin with. Understandably he felt the urge to return the favor, but as he noticed the trembling weakening and his breath slowing down, he calmed down. To convince himself of having beat the panic, he took a few deep breaths to make sure it truly was gone. Though relieved by it, returning to the real world made him realize whom he was holding on to. Still very much pressed against the redhead's chest, still very much being held by him, Naruto found an entirely new reason to feel uncomfortable. The position was strange and awkward, so much so that neither one dared to move away. Facing one another seemed far worse than staying put. They remained still and quiet for a long time. Neither one knew what to say.

"Let's pretend it never happened", Naruto eventually stated, as nothing else came to mind.

A stiff nod was all Gaara could give in return. The lips moving against his neck caused him to grow tense and uneasy again. As silence fell, the hold he had around the blonde turned awkward and uncertain. He was supposed to let go, he knew that. Yet he didn't. The mere thought of moving paralyzed him. He feared what would follow, feared what wouldn't. Even when Naruto finally let go and drew his hands away, Gaara found himself unable to do the same. He shut his eyes, desperate to find his focus. But in the midst of a million distractions, it was useless. No matter how hard he tried not to feel the breath on his neck, the heartbeat against his chest, or the scent he'd learned to recognize, he failed miserably. He'd repeated the mistake he'd sworn to never allow to happen again. The one that turned his judgment into thin air and made every breath a struggle. And it was intoxicating in a really, really bad way.

He had to get out of the car.

"Move. I'm getting out."

Gaara tore his arms away from the blonde and rushed to open the door. Naruto watched him step out and shut the door behind him. Left alone, he sighed. He knew exactly what the redhead was bothered by. In fact, he was surprised by how well the man handled it. Perhaps the fact that he got to punch Naruto in the face had helped the matter.

Naruto reached into his pocket to find a cigarette. As he placed it between his lips and lit up, he could feel the rest of anxiety fade away along with a smoky exhale. A frown appeared between his brows. He was getting sick of the dream repeating itself. It was suffocating, it was frightening. It caused him to balance on the thin line of something he could not name. Words could not describe how mortified he was to know he'd actually pleaded for help from Gaara. The last man on earth he would've wanted to see him go through that.

The car was filling up with smoke. Naruto opened the door to let it out. Soon enough, he left the warmth of the car as well. Once outside, he found Gaara leaning against the hood, shoulders tense and head hanging low. The anger building up inside him was obvious. Naruto knew he should've kept his distance, but moved to stand beside him regardless.

"You're better than that", the blonde grunted. Gaara laughed a dry chuckle.

"Easy for you to say", he growled.

Naruto sighed. They were stuck in the middle of nowhere, hiding from cops and lacked the option of going home. His patience had worn too thin to deal with a sociopath's anxiety issues.

"Get over it."

Naruto was quick to realize everything wrong with his choice of words. Gaara slowly turned to look at him, the closest thing to hellfire igniting in his eyes. He pushed himself away from the car and took a step closer. Naruto refused to flinch. It seemed to annoy the redhead. Before he knew it, the blonde found himself slammed against the hood, pinned between the car and a promise of something painful. Gaara watched him with a gaze that failed to focus, lips twisting into a smirk that was not the least bit amused.

"You don't fucking get it", he hissed.

It would've been easy to feel intimidated by the somewhat violent attitude, yet the blonde refused to sink that low. He should've been afraid, but simply wasn't. Challenged, Gaara grabbed Naruto by the front of his shirt and roughly pulled him closer.

"You just don't fucking get it", he repeated.

Naruto saw that the anger building up inside the redhead was about go loose again. He'd seen it happen enough times to know what would follow. He also knew how to prevent it from escalating. Determinedly, yet gently, he placed his hands on both sides of the man's face, forcing him to focus.

"Stop it."

His voice came out harsher than planned. It only caused the redhead to grow even angrier. Though Gaara tried to back away and free himself, he was stopped by a pull forward, ending up even closer. He wanted to struggle against it, but became distracted by the blue eyes watching him barely an inch away. Something about them weakened his resistance to pathetic squirming, and eventually, killed it altogether. Realizing it, he felt like laughing at his own stupidity. He never learned, did he? Never learned to keep his distance. And only ever noticed his mistake when it already was too late, when his mind already was wiped blank by the blonde's touch.

Naruto watched the rage behind the other's eyes fade away, replaced by a glassy stare. Not the like caused by fever, but one of defeat and tranquil. In fact, it became challenging to look away from that gaze. Planned or not, the blonde's voice came out much softer than before.

"Stop."

The redhead's parted lips twisted into a weak smirk. He finally let go of Naruto, letting his back land against the car hood again. Gaara easily could've stepped away and left him there, but instead let the blonde pull him along. It was as if he'd given up entirely. Naruto wasn't sure what that meant. Perhaps he should have felt afraid. At the very least nervous. Yet he didn't. Only then did he really realize how close the other's face was. A low hum of amusement slipped the redhead's lips.

"You shouldn't touch me. It's dangerous."

Naruto figured he was supposed to flinch, but found himself too distracted to do so. He'd never noticed before how red the other's lips were. Nearly did not fit the pale face.

"Dangerous?" he whispered, curious.

Why did he do this? Why did he touch him? He wondered, were those lips as cold as the rest of him?

"For me?" he wondered out loud. "Or for you?"

Gaara flinched. Barely, but the blonde could feel it. A thin coat of sudden uncertainty fell upon the man's glassy gaze. The redhead moved to back away, only to have the blonde follow him. Naruto sat up, reached out and grabbed Gaara by the collar of his jacket. He wasn't shy to pull the man downwards and closer, forcing him to lean his hands against the hood. He patiently waited for the man's wandering gaze to stop avoiding his. It did, eventually, and stopped to stare at him the same way as before. Naruto swallowed nervously, though not entirely sure why.

"I can't. I can't stop", he then admitted.

"You have to."

Naruto exhaled sharply. He should've stopped. He still could have stopped and promised to never do it again. But he wasn't much of a liar. He'd never been.

"Why?"

It seemed to happen on its own. He never decided to reach out and run his fingers down the other's pale neck. Yet there he was, doing exactly that, only stopped by a tight grip around his wrist. He turned his focus back to the redhead's face, finding himself being watched by a stare that seemed to reflect an internal battle. Before Gaara could bring himself to answer, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of frustration.

"Cause I can't say no."

His voice came out even lower than usual. A deep chuckle followed. He brought his face closer, and when barely an inch away anymore, opened his eyes. It was possible his stare had never been as piercing.

"You're like a drug to me." He was close. Too close. "You drug me, like heroin. You destroy me like heroin. And I fuckin' need you like heroin."

Naruto could tell Gaara had never intended to tell what it was his touch did to him. Perhaps that explained the shivers crawling down his spine. His hold on the collar of the redhead's jacket tightened. He lowered his gaze and let out a breathy chuckle.

Couldn't say no? He could've done anything, and never been told no? He'd never been one to turn down a challenge.

He didn't bother lifting his gaze up to warn him. He surprised himself as much as Gaara by burying his fingers in red hair and pressing his face against the other's neck. The man quickly grew tense. Naruto let his breath hit the other's pale skin. In an instant, the redhead's body fell weak.

"Don't."

The demand came out pathetically weak. To the blonde, it wasn't a good enough refusal. He only replied by pressing his cold lips against the man's neck. The redhead flinched, one of his arms nearly buckling under him. Whether he noticed it himself or not, he pushed himself closer to the blonde. The feel of his body forced Naruto to close his eyes. While his head felt light, a strange heaviness weighed inside his chest. He wanted to believe that was the cause of his suddenly faster heartbeat. What'd caused the heaviness, he was afraid to even think about. He found himself moving his lips lower down the redhead's neck, every now and then pressing them against the unusually hot skin. It earned him a few shaky breaths, a few skipped ones. But none of that sounded as rewarding as the stifled groan he lured out by gently biting down on the nape of the man's neck.

"Fuck. You have to stop."

The blonde barely listened. He moved aside the shirt covering the other's shoulder and smirked against the revealed skin.

"And if I won't?"

Gaara chuckled nervously. He was shaking and hated it.

"You'll drive me crazy."

It might've been that the blonde never listened to a word he said, or did exactly that. He must've gone mad himself, for he found himself tilting his head just enough to sink his teeth into the redhead's shoulder. A strong grip took a hold on the back of his shirt, accompanied by a poorly stifled gasp. Gaara felt his breath hitch, only barely escaping as hasty and shaky exhales. The teeth sunken into his shoulder should've hurt, yet something convinced him otherwise. Every last inch of his body felt like it was on fire. He knew he wasn't supposed to surrender to whatever sick form of pleasure it was keeping him still, but found himself doing so regardless. Once he realized that, he already knew there was no going back.

Naruto flinched at a sudden taste of iron on his lips. As if woken up from a deep sleep, he opened his eyes and inched away. His teeth had drawn blood. The blonde's lips parted in the realization of what he'd done. Not knowing the reason for it scared him. Knowing he wanted to do it again terrified him. Even if only to run away from the slowly growing terror inside him, he attempted to back away, only to be stopped by a hand gripping a fistful of his blonde hair. The hold on the back of his shirt tightened, as if demanding for his attention. Though having tried to back away, he found himself even closer. Close enough to feel the other one shiver against him.

"Don't you fucking dare stop."

It was no request, it was a demand. It might've been the slight tremble in the redhead's voice, or perhaps the low tone of it, but Naruto found himself disregarding all intention of backing away and escaping. He halted, found himself strangely enough not questioning it. Quietly he questioned himself for not questioning, but never let it bother him. Instead, he did what he supposed would please the other man, and pressed his lips against the pale skin anew. The redhead inched closer. Though Naruto should've anticipated it, it still took him by surprise. Enough to encourage him to move up towards the other's jawline. Slowly and cautiously, as if a whisper void of sound. The further the blonde let himself go, the harder it became for the redhead to remain silent. His breath fell short, as he fought not to release every small sound threatening to escape.

Naruto discovered that the more the other one squirmed against him, the harder it became for him to keep himself under control. He was no idiot. The heavy breath on his skin made him perfectly aware of the situation's nature. He felt his body respond to the echoes of what he knew to be sin, yet somehow seemed to ignore the severity of. And somewhere low below all reason, he could only focus on the hands that could've been all over him, yet weren't. A grunt of frustration escaped his lips.

"Just fucking touch me."

His words worked like magic. In the fraction of a second, Gaara cast away all rules of not touching the blonde and did as he was told. Instead of pitifully clenching his fists to the point of physical impossibilities, he was quick to dig his nails into the blonde's sides. The desperation of it surprised even him. It was that exact moments he realized it wasn't the blonde's touch that'd become his weakness, but the man himself. Everything about him made Gaara shiver with both hate and craving. And right then, the two had together morphed into something he wasn't able to resist. In all his pathetic weakness, he hated how much he enjoyed it.

Naruto never planned it. It could be he hadn't really expected the redhead to do as told and touch him, but regardless of the reason, he accidentally let out a surprised moan. The hold on his waist tightened, painfully so. The sound of Gaara's breath grew frustrated, perhaps even annoyed.

"Don't. Don't make sounds like that."

The blonde let out a dry chuckle and backed away just enough to meet the other's gaze.

"It's your fuckin' fault, ain't it?"

The redhead fell silent. His lips parted, as if surprised. And he was. Surprised by how little he minded how bad of an idea all of what he was doing truly was. Rebelling against all the rules he'd set for himself, he slid his hands under the blonde's shirt. With a hold just the slightest bit unsure, he inched the other one closer. The empty space between them narrowed into something barely worth mentioning. Gaara wasn't entirely sure what to do with the inch or two left. He knew what he could've done. He knew what he wanted to do. Yet feeling hesitant, all he did do was stare at the blonde's parted lips, his hold on the man's waist tightening with frustration.

Naruto couldn't help but wonder if Gaara was aware of how nervous he came across. If he noticed how shallow and wary his breath was. How still and rigid he stood, yet how obviously he wanted to lean forward. While he wondered about all that, he failed to notice his own breath turn heavy, his body subtly press against the cold touch under his shirt. Before he really even realized it, he'd done what Gaara had been too scared to do, and leaned forward. Not far enough to close the gap all the way, but enough for his lips to brush against the redhead's. He could tell that the needy shiver it caused wasn't one Gaara had planned. The smirk spreading across the blonde's face was too obvious of a challenge to be considered as anything else. And Gaara was too much of a competitive moron to let it slide. A low growl escaped his parted lips.

"I fucking hate you."

It shouldn't have come as a shock, yet still made him flinch. Taken aback by the lips pressing against his, Naruto released a surprised sigh. The mouth closing around his lower lip stifled the sound, before breaking away just enough to mirror the smirk that'd most likely led to this in the first place. Surprised speechless and a dumb look plastered across his face, Naruto finally felt his body react. His heart skipped a beat, blood escaped his limbs in an instant to concentrate elsewhere. Exactly where, he decided not to specify even to himself.

Whatever boundaries he still might've imagined he'd had disappeared into thin air. Not much thought was involved in the decision to bury his fingers in red hair, bring his body forward and smash his lips against the redhead's smirking ones. Though perhaps mildly surprised by the unexpected eagerness, Gaara never stopped to think twice about accepting the tongue begging its way into his mouth. The fingers running through his messy hair paused to gently tug on it, before moving down his neck, nails softly crawling on his skin. Whatever rush it was that feeling gave him, might as well have been chemically caused. His body suddenly seemed to fail him. Every last inch of him stopped believing in reason and instead did as however it pleased. This included an uncomfortably tight feeling inside the jeans he'd considered too restricting to begin with.

Naruto felt cold. Or maybe that was only an excuse he used to justify pulling the redhead down and on top of him. Gaara on the other hand didn't seem to be in the need of any excuse to happily do so. As if he'd waited for a chance to get closer, he pressed himself hard against the blonde, one hand finding its way behind the man's neck, and the other on his waist. It didn't take long for Naruto to notice how strongly Gaara gripped his side, as if struggling not to move the hold lower. After realizing it could've, Naruto quickly grew frustrated of it not happening. He took the hesitant hand into his, guided it to the problem the man was to blame for, and shamelessly pressed the touch hard against it. The redhead released an unplanned groan of both surprise and appreciation.

The blonde didn't even notice himself move against the other's hand. Though it would've been hard not to. The touch wasn't as much of a request as it was a command. Certain, demanding. Vastly different from a woman's. Different from his wife's. Not cautious, not uncertain.

Wait. Wife? Wife. _Wife_.

And that was when reality arrived to slap him across the face with an open hand. His eyes shot wide open, hands pushed the redhead off him and on his back. If only to make sure he'd stay that way, Naruto climbed to straddle him. Suddenly finding himself pinned against the car hood and being stared at in horror, Gaara could only scowl and wait for an explanation.

"I'm married. I fucking forgot that I'm married."

Gaara had never been returned back to reality as fast and harshly. Not because the blonde's marriage was any news to him, but because only then did he realize what'd truly happened. A heavy silence fell, looks of horrified realization settling itself on the faces of both men. It only took a split second for the two to detach themselves from one another, and for Naruto to start pulling his hair in a state of disbelief.

"Oh shit. Oh _shit_. Oh fuckin' shit", he repeated, over and over again.

Crippled with dread and unimaginable regret, his vocabulary reduced into a very short list of profanities. He doubted words rude enough even existed to describe the mistake he'd made. A suffocating sense of panic hazing his ability to function, all he could think about was escaping. He couldn't bring himself to face the redhead. Though well aware of the stare on him, he refused to return it. Even his speech came out shaky and insecure.

"I'm going for a walk."

Before Gaara could even consider replying, he'd already turned his back to the man. Naruto could feel the redhead's burning stare follow him, but it wasn't enough to make him look back. Desperate to get as far away from him as possible, the blonde picked up his pace until he found himself running. Whether it was a hopeless thing to wish for or not, he silently begged he would be able to outrun his own thoughts. That never happened, of course, and upon reaching a lit road at the border of the nearest village a few minutes later, he was finally forced to give up on such a pathetic attempt to undo his mistake.

Naruto stopped running. He came to a halt on the side of the deserted road, and went to lean against the nearest street light to even out his heavy breath. His pants turning visible in the cold air, he shut his eyes tightly and did his very best to pretend that the awkward situation still going on beneath the waist wasn't really happening. But there was only so long a man could ignore an unwanted hard-on. Silently cringing to himself, the blonde forced himself to glance down. And sure enough, there it was. The most unnecessary, most uncomfortable reminder of an absolutely idiotic mistake. Though useless, he stopped to stare down at it angrily.

He wasn't sure if he was angry at all of himself, or only at this very specific part. He couldn't figure out how this could be an issue in the first place. He'd never thought of another man in a way that the lower part of him would've found even remotely exciting. To be fair, he'd never tried. But as far as he was concerned, boners were not a matter of trying and failing. They just happened. Which again probably explained much of why he was angrily staring at one. The realization of how dumb he must've looked was enough of a turnoff for the problem to mostly disappear. But the urge to cringe remained.

Naruto sighed. The thoughts of what he'd done continued to haunt him, but he managed to convince himself it could be explained rationally. Something must've driven him to do such stupidities. A passing mental breakdown, perhaps. Or maybe a concussion. Gaara did hit him pretty hard, after all.

It didn't really matter. It just couldn't happen again.

The unexpected sound of a car horn startled Naruto away from his tormenting thoughts. Expecting to see the familiar Maybach, he turned to look over his shoulder with a disgruntled scowl on his face, but was surprised to find something entirely else. A black Honda pulled over and stopped next to him, one he'd never seen before. The driver side window rolled down, revealing a man in his thirties sitting behind the wheel, an almost off-puttingly wide smile spread across his face.

"Hey, it's pretty damn late. You want a ride somewhere?" the man asked politely. Naruto shook his head.

"Nah. I live six hours away from here. Thanks anyway", he said, ready to walk away from the stranger.

"Well, how 'bout a ride to the train station? It's just a few miles away", the man offered instead.

Naruto found it interesting enough to stop and think about it. He needed to get home. He wouldn't get in the same car as Gaara, but neither did he feel like walking for miles in the middle of the night. And by the looks of it, no better offer would come along in the near future. It would've been stupid of him not to agree.

"Hn. Okay", he eventually shrugged.

The man nodded, flashing that wide smile of his anew. Awkwardly returning it, Naruto made his way to the other side of the car. He was about to open the door, but became distracted by the sound of another engine speeding towards them. He turned to look, only to see the Maybach he'd expected earlier halt wheels screeching next to him. Slightly startled, but mostly annoyed, Naruto watched Gaara rush out of the car and lay a demanding look his way.

"Don't get in", the redhead grunted.

"What?" the blonde asked, visibly confused.

Instead of explaining, Gaara grabbed his hand tightly and began pulling him away from the stranger's car. Understandably annoyed, Naruto displayed reluctance.

"The fuck are you doing?" he questioned. The redhead barely even glanced at him.

"I said, don't get in the fuckin' car", he repeated, the tone of his voice unusually tense.

"What the hell are you losin' your shit for?" Naruto hissed, and yanked himself free from the tight grip.

Gaara turned to glance at him with eyes that demanded to be obeyed, but was quick to look past him instead. The Honda-driver had exited his car, a curious look on his face.

"Is there a problem?" the man asked, taking a step closer.

Before Naruto could voice any opinions, Gaara had stepped to stand in front of him in a manner that could be considered possessive.

"He ain't coming with you."

Not being the biggest fan of getting ignored, Naruto could feel his blood reach boiling point in a matter of seconds.

"I don't think you got a fucking say in the matter", he hissed through gritted teeth, and forcefully pushed the redhead away from blocking his view.

For the split second of silence that followed, he met the pale man's gaze. In that blink of an eye, Naruto's annoyed glare turned dead. The look in Gaara's usually hollow stare caused him to skip a breath. And hadn't the tenth of a second been such an awfully short while, he might've realized in time that this look was silently screaming at him to run as fast as he could. But time ran so much faster than he ever could've.

"I'm afraid you're right", the stranger spoke, bringing the pause to an end.

Naruto turned to look at him. No longer than a second could have passed, yet somehow the man had reached into his pocket and drawn out a handgun. As he reached out his hand to aim, the sleeve of his jacket rode up, revealing the yakuza tattoos inked into his skin. It was those dark lines and vibrantly colored pictures that became the last thing the blonde saw, before letting his eyes flutter shut. Not in fear, but in defeat. Though prepared for the pain, he still flinched when the gun fired. And once the echo of the shot faded out, he flinched anew. His eyes shot wide open.

The pain. He couldn't feel it.

It started off slow. Began from a numb void, grew into a slow burn, and eventually, a rush of adrenaline. Gaara stood still and silent, eyes staring blankly ahead. But though perfectly motionless, he could feel his pulse grow faster. He physically heard his blood race through his veins, escaping his limbs in seconds. He already knew where it was heading, yet still slowly pressed a shaky hand against his side. An instant flow of warm, wet liquid soaked his fingers in red. His dazed gaze dropped down to glance at the bloodstained hand. The sight finally triggered the pain he'd waited for.

"Fuck."

The raspy whisper was all he could mutter before his legs began to fail him. His attempt to take a step forward ended in a weak stumble backwards. The warm flow of blood running down him remained the only sensation in his numbing body apart from the slowly growing pain. His head felt light, a high-pitched noise shooting through it. And he hated it before it even happened. The feeling of all strength escaping him, forcing him on his knees, and inevitably, to the ground. He _hated_ it.

It wasn't enough. No matter how fast Naruto tried to be, he failed to catch the redhead before he hit the cold ground. Filled with a sudden sense of paralyzing shock, he could barely move. Though it couldn't have taken more than a second or two, the time he spent staring at the wounded redhead felt like forever. Time suddenly seemed to stand still. But as quickly as the world had stopped, it began moving again. Before he even realized what he was about to do, Naruto had reached for his gun, taken off the safety and aimed it towards the stranger. The man seemed surprised, as if he hadn't expected for the blonde to be armed. And it was that exact miscalculation that bought Naruto just enough time to pull the trigger faster than the other one. He must've only imagined it, but the gun seemed to kick back twice as hard when fired at a human being.

A perfectly round hole appeared in the center of the man's forehead. The weapon in his grip fell to the ground noisily as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. While most of the back of his skull had shattered into pieces, only a thin trail of blood ran down the bridge of his nose. Naruto was surprised by how long it took for the man's legs to buckle under him. With a loud thud, his dead frame finally fell to the ground. Left alone in an eerie silence, the blonde expected a sense of guilt to overcome him. It never happened. If anything, he only felt more resentful.

"Bitch", he grunted, and put his gun away.

Tearing his spiteful gaze away from the sack of dead meat, Naruto hurried to kneel beside the wounded redhead. Pessimistically certain that he'd bled out already, he became positively surprised upon finding him still breathing. Apart from the shallow breath, he looked like the closest thing to roadkill. He lay in a vast pool of blood, his eyes staring blankly ahead. His skin was cold to the touch, more so than before. The mouthful of blood he suddenly threw up couldn't be a good sign either. Naruto cautiously reached out and lightly shook him by the shoulder.

"Oi, say something."

He didn't. Gaara remained silent and still, the side of his face pressing even harder against the cold ground. Afraid that the man would end up suffocating on his own blood, Naruto carefully turned him around and onto his side. Though finding it difficult to support most of the man's weight against him, he managed to take a quick glance at the wound. It was bad. Worse than he'd though, really. There was no exit wound. The bullet had lodged itself inside him. Naruto began to grow restless.

"Hey. Fuckin' _say something_", he demanded yet again, and slapped the redhead across the face.

Just harshly enough to put some life into him. It seemed to work.

"Fuck you", Gaara managed to mutter.

"You hope those ain't your last words", Naruto grunted, taking off his hoodie.

He folded the piece of clothing and pressed it against the open wound, adding pressure. He had to make the bleeding stop. Otherwise the man would bleed out it minutes.

"Shut up, I'm fine. I've been shot before", Gaara mumbled, while spitting out blood. The blonde couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Yeah, so have I. It don't make you immune to bullets, moron", he commented, adding more pressure.

The bleeding wouldn't stop. If anything, it only grew stronger, literally pouring out of him. Naruto was gradually beginning to panic. His own shaky hands were covered in thick, red blood. Nothing he was doing seemed to be working. He had to come up with something. With only one thing coming to mind, he grabbed the redhead's limp hand and pressed it against the wound.

"Keep pressing. I'll be right back", Naruto commanded and stood up.

He hurried to the corpse lying a short distance away. Scowling at the sight, he crouched down and hauled the body over his shoulder. The man was much heavier than his build seemed to indicate, but with a small struggle, Naruto managed to move him next to the Maybach. He opened up the trunk, dumped the body inside and then slammed it back shut. Painfully aware of time running out, he abandoned the car and ran back to Gaara.

"You alive?" he asked, kneeling beside him again. The only answer he received another mouthful of blood.

"Good. I need you to get up now", Naruto told him, and carefully lifted the man's upper body off the ground.

He helped the redhead's arm around his neck and taking in a deep breath, slowly lifted him up. The man's legs barely supported him, most of his weight crashing onto the blonde. Doing his best to hide the struggle to keep him standing, Naruto met the redhead's obviously pained gaze.

"C'mon. Walk", he demanded. Firmly, but not harshly.

Gaara took a step. He hissed in pain. Every step he took, a horrifying squirt of blood escaped the wound in his side. Decidedly avoiding looking at it, Naruto did his very best to keep the man upright and on the move. In the end, the blonde was forced to mostly drag him to the shotgun side of the car. Though every move felt like hell, Gaara eventually found himself seated down. Naruto rushed to take his seat behind the wheel. While not too ecstatic about having to hotwire to get the engine going, he felt unusually thankful for the teenage years he'd spent stealing cars. Knowing it wouldn't be the safest of rides, he made sure to fasten the redhead's seat belt, before finally taking off.

"How you feeling?" Naruto asked, gaze desperate to find a highway intersection.

"Like shit", Gaara admitted.

Pushing the limits of his ability to multitask, Naruto continued his search for the highway, while also driving 75 miles an hour and struggling to get the redhead's seat lowered. Amazingly, he managed to do it all without crashing.

"Keep your eyes open, okay?" Naruto told the man who looked worryingly tired.

A weak nod was the only reply he received. Gaara really didn't look too good. His wound carried on bleeding like an open faucet. His pale skin had turned a sickly blue shade, his eyes looked glassy and dazed. The 90 miles an hour they were going didn't seem fast enough. Even less, when Naruto noticed the redhead's breathing turn shallow and eyes flutter shut.

"Hey", he said, lightly shoving the redhead.

No reaction. None at all. The man's eyes stayed shut. Naruto clenched his jaw, a wave of dread washing over him. He shoved the man again, harder. When he realized no shove would be harsh enough to wake the man up, his dread turned into panic.

"No. No, no, no. Don't you dare fall asleep."

Fighting against the reluctance of doing so, he reached out to press his fingers against the redhead's pale neck. A hasty breath of relief escaped his tightly pursed lips. He could feel the man's pulse against the tips of his fingers. But though still there, it was getting weak. Gaara had gone unconscious. Naruto drew his hand back, and laid it on the steering wheel instead. His grip on it turned tight. There was only one place where he could take Gaara. And absolutely no guarantee they'd make it there in time.

"Don't you fuckin' die."

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**There we have it, chapter 12. Actually, since I currently have zero interest in keeping up my social life, I've been writing a lot lately and now have rough drafts all the way up 'till chapter 19. Yes, 19. I am really lazy when it comes to being a productive individual of society, especially in the winter, so I've just written the shit out of this story. Anybody who lives in Finland, like me, will understand the battle against the freezing bloody weather and agree it's best not to go the fuck outside.**

**I just now edited a few of the previous chapters. I didn't change any of the content, just the layout. I'll go through the rest of them later on.**

**Hope you liked the chapter, loves.**


	13. Blood Soaked Miracles

**Hello, darlings. I've got a new chapter for ya. I'm updating a bit faster than usually, since I had this ready and waiting. I try to update once a week. Sometimes it takes more time, sometimes less. This time, it took less. Hope you enjoy.**

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Naruto had been driving close to an hour. Every mile had felt like five and every second like a small eternity. His mind and body had stuck to panic mode, creating the dangerous scenario of a nervous wreck managing a vehicle moving vastly over the allowed speed limit. Determined to get help before it was too late, he'd spent most of the ride stubbornly denying they might've ran out of time already. But though decidedly optimistic, he could no longer bring himself to check for a pulse. He wasn't ready to fail at finding one.

Naruto wasn't entirely sure why he felt such determination to reach help in time. He felt caught between two fires. On one side burned the blinding, spiteful hatred he'd felt for Gaara since the very first time they'd met. The chaotic, irrationally deep-rooted hostility that should've allowed Naruto to feel a sense of peace upon seeing the redhead get shot. A day or two ago, that might've still been the case. But something had changed. As he'd watched Gaara collapse to the ground and bleed all over the icy road, something had changed. He'd seen life beginning to exit the man's body, the promise of a slow and painful death reflected in his empty gaze. It was that look of defeat that'd ignited another wall of fiery hatred. One that wasn't directed at Gaara, but instead at the stranger who'd torn open the redhead's seemingly invincible shell in the split of a second.

Maybe that explained much of Naruto's sudden need to see the man survive. The process of dying made him seem less monstrous and more human. Or perhaps Naruto just felt a societal obligation to help. Either way, he wouldn't dig another grave that day.

"Fuck", the blonde muttered out loud, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.

They were only a few minutes away from their destination anymore. But taking into consideration the state Gaara was in, there was no guarantee he'd last that long. Naruto turned to glance at the redhead. The man hadn't moved for a worryingly long time. He'd slipped in and out of consciousness a few times, but for the past twenty minutes or so, he hadn't shown signs of life anymore. Tearing his gaze away from the wounded man, Naruto gritted his teeth together in frustration. Only a few miles to go anymore. He had to make it.

The last few minutes of the ride seemed endless. Despite the irresponsibly fast speed he was driving, time seemed to stand still. When he finally pulled into a vaguely familiar driveway, the clock started running again, much faster than necessary. Realizing that every last second counted, Naruto hurriedly parked the car in front of an old and humble house. It'd been years since his last visit there, but a faint flood of memories gave him reassurance of it being the correct place. He could only hope that the owner of the house hadn't moved.

Taking in a deep breath, Naruto turned in his seat to face Gaara. The man remained unconscious. His skin bore close to no color, his chest didn't seem to rise with breath any longer. Naruto felt his throat tighten with anxiety. He built up his courage and cautiously reached out to touch the man's deathly pale pale neck. A weak, irregular pulse bounced against the tips of his fingers. A breath of relief left the blonde's parted lips. It seemed that not all hope was lost. Hastily he freed himself from his seat belt and exited the car. With steps both rushed and shaky, he made his way to the front door of the house. The windows were covered, no light flooding through the curtains. Naruto brought his hand forward to knock on the old, wooden door. A full minute went by, before he knocked again. Still nothing.

"Shit."

Frustrated, he kicked the door. Feeling helpless and restless, he was about to walk away already, when suddenly the porch light turned on. The faint sound footsteps from behind the door rekindled his hope of it opening after all. The lock clicked open, hinges creaked tiredly, and Naruto found himself staring at a pair of disgruntled chestnut brown eyes. A few seconds of silent staring went by, but upon recognizing Naruto, the brown eyes widened in shock.

"Brat."

A mature, yet strikingly beautiful woman stood in the doorway. She was of average height, and had long blonde hair flowing down her front, resting on a full-figured bust. It was as if she hadn't aged a day.

"Old hag", Naruto chuckled softly, and flashed a weak smile. The woman continued to stare at him in wonderment, until finally her gaze turned mildly annoyed.

"Why are you banging at my door at three in the goddamn morning?"

The awe of their reunion passed as Naruto remembered why he was there in the first place.

"I need your help", he told, his voice growing anxious again. The woman laid a suspicious look on him.

"With what?"

Naruto nodded towards the car. "I got a patient for ya."

The woman's eyes narrowed. The blonde's anxious gaze turned pleading, silently begging for her to help. Her features reflected hesitation for a second or two, but eventually the look grew into defeat instead. With a sigh, she stepped past the blonde and began walking towards the car parked in front of her house.

"A Maybach? Really?" she muttered, eyeing the vehicle in doubt.

"Long story", Naruto grunted, rushing to the car as well.

He went to open the passenger side door, revealing the bloody, lifeless form of the redhead. The woman standing beside him widened her eyes in horror.

"My god", she whispered hoarsely, rushing to kneel beside the open door. She placed two fingers on the pale man's neck in hopes of finding a pulse.

"It's weak", she stated upon feeling it. Naruto nodded.

"I know", he muttered quietly.

The woman frowned and moved her hand to gently brush against the redhead's jaw instead. The drying blood smudging his face dyed her thumb red.

"Has he been throwing up blood?" she asked. Naruto nodded anew. "Yeah."

The woman drew her hand back and sighed. She turned to face the blonde, an apologetic look in her eyes. Her voice came out hesitant.

"That's bad", she admitted. "He might not make it."

Something tightened inside Naruto's chest. As if his heart had been wrapped in a rubber band.

"I know", he repeated, his voice empty.

Naruto watched Gaara lay there, still and placid. Nothing about him seemed live anymore. A strange feeling overcame the blonde, forcing his gaze towards the ground. Instead of the relief he supposed he should've felt for seeing Gaara in such a weak state, he felt...uneasy. Guilty.

"C'mon, brat. Lift him up", a demanding female voice ordered.

Naruto flinched, snapped out of his thoughts. He turned to see the woman place one of Gaara's arms around her neck. The blonde rushed to aid her and do the same with the other one. They worked together to carefully lift the man out of the car. Naruto did his best to support the redhead by wrapping one arm around his waist, but carrying the 6"1 frame of mostly muscle was anything but easy. They had nearly made it up the stairs and inside, when Naruto unexpectedly felt something wet run down the arm he'd placed around Gaara. A quick glance down resulted in a scowl on the blonde's already tense features.

"Fuck. He's bleeding again", he informed. The woman grunted, picking up her pace the little she could.

"That's bad. Hurry up, he should be lying down", she rushed.

They struggled their way inside, and finally laid the bleeding disaster down on an old, narrow guestroom bed. The white sheets were quick to turn red. While the woman hurried around the room looking for needed supplies, Naruto found himself seated next to the redhead's lifeless form, hand pressed against the profusely bleeding wound. The uselessness of it didn't seem to cross his mind. It might've been a pathetic attempt, but at the very least it made him feel like he was trying. Distracted by the trickles of blood leaking from between his fingers, he became startled by the voice suddenly speaking behind him.

"Strip him."

Naruto frowned, slowly turning to face the woman.

"Huh?" he questioned, looking exactly as dumb as he sounded. He received a demanding glare.

"You heard me. Strip him", the woman repeated. Naruto glanced at Gaara from the corner of his eye, before turning to see the other one again.

"Like...all of it?" he asked awkwardly. The woman sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Idiot. Just take off his shirt", she instructed, turning the other way. "I'm gonna go wash my hands. He better be half-naked when I get back."

The woman disappeared from the room, leaving Naruto to deal with feelings of embarrassment. Thought perhaps immature, cringeworthy flashbacks of unplanned boners and other sinful surprises turned the situation a tad bit awkward. Perhaps that explained the slight tremble of his hand, when he finally reached out to do as he'd been told. He slipped his hand under the helm of the redhead's shirt, only to feel clotting blood gather between his fingers and under his nails. Pushing aside the brief need to gag, Naruto slid up the man's shirt to reveal his stomach. The sight was nothing short of gruesome.

His white skin had turned into a bloody mess. The wound in his side was much larger than the blonde had anticipated. What he'd thought to be a .22 caliber gun must've been a .45 instead. With a single glance at the state the man was in, Naruto could tell he'd lost a critical amount of blood already. And judging by the velocity at which it continued seeping out, the line between critical and positively lethal was wearing thin, fast. Promptly, yet carefully he inched the redhead's upper body off the bed and with a small struggle, took off his shirt. He was about to lower the man back down when something unexpected caught his eye, causing him to skip a breath.

Gaara's entire back, starting from his shoulders and disappearing beneath the waistline of his jeans, was covered in tattoos. Yakuza tattoos.

"Holy shit", Naruto whispered out loud, failing to notice the footsteps entering the room.

"What is it?" a curious voice asked.

Naruto suppressed a flinch, shook off the look of surprise and laid the redhead back down.

"Nothing", he muttered.

The woman laid a mildly questioning look his way, but said nothing. Naruto gave the look no attention. He kept his stare fixed on the slowly dying man next to him, a thoughtful frown forming between his brows. He wasn't sure if he was shocked, angry or a bit of both. By the looks of it, Gaara had secrets much deeper and darker than he'd even imagined. He was one of them, one of the enemies. At the very least had been. Taking into count the determination at which yakuza seemed to want him dead, they'd most likely lost their fondness of him. But that didn't much downplay the sudden shift in the way Naruto viewed Gaara. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it, and wondered how he'd never known to even suspect it. A back full of yakuza ink couldn't have gone unnoticed in prison. So why did it seem like it had?

Upon feeling the weight of someone else beside him, Naruto forced himself to shrug off the questions begging for his attention. Advising him to keep pressure on the wound, the blonde woman seated herself next to him, one glove cladded hand reaching out to press a stethoscope against the redhead's bare chest. After a short while of listening, she left the device hanging around her neck and went on to search her pockets for a small flashlight. Gently opening the redhead's eyes one by one, she shone the bright light at them. With a soft click, the light went out.

"His irises are still reacting", she muttered thoughtfully. "And the pulse is there. Weak and abnormal, but still there."

Naruto barely heard her. His mind wasn't quite there, for several reasons. Unappreciative of the blonde's unresponsive behavior, the woman turned to properly face him. She might've had a harsh remark in store, but upon catching the look on his face, her gaze softened. A sigh escaped her pursed lips.

"Not gonna lie, kid", she told honestly. "I can't promise you anything."

Naruto found himself swallowing nervously. "A number. Give me a number."

The woman said nothing away. She took her time covering her hair and putting on a surgical mask. The rest of gear she let wait until she'd finally replied.

"Thirty. Thirty-five percent chance at best." A short pause followed. "You wanna say goodbye?"

Naruto fell silent, gaze turning towards the redhead. He was quick to make up his mind.

"No", he stated firmly. The woman nodded.

"Okay. Now get out", she demanded. "I ain't got all night."

Naruto nodded and pulled himself off the bed. He made his way to the door leading out of the room, but paused just before stepping over the threshold. Glancing over his shoulder, he flashed a weak smile.

"Tsunade. Thank you."

The woman nodded. Naruto turned and left. Closing the door behind him, he dragged his tired body to the area shared by a small kitchen and a humble sitting-room. Placed next to a small-scale fireplace, beneath the window facing south, was an old, worn out couch. Though seemingly frail and creaky, it supported his weight just fine. Making the best of the uncomfortable seat, he closed his eyes and sighed. Apart from the faint background music flowing from the antique radio placed on kitchen counter, only silence remained. For a second or two, he felt perfectly calm. Calm and composed. It was nice for the while it lasted. But like everything, it came to an end horribly abruptly.

In an instant, the entire range of emotions he'd been introduced to that night came crashing down on him all at once. His already poor posture slumped even lower, his trembling hands moved to cover his bloodstained face. His body wanted to squirm free from the bloodied clothes sticking to him. Every last inch of him felt uncomfortable. And every last inch of him wished to escape the skin it was wrapped inside. He found it difficult to focus on any single thought. His mind was all over the place. He doubted anybody would've blamed him for it, considering the kind of night he'd been through. But there was only so much solace that thought had to offer.

"Fuck. _Fuck_", he hissed against the palms of his hands.

He felt confused. He felt angry. He felt...scared. He was scared Gaara wouldn't make it. Not least because he'd stand no chance against the mafia without him. But also because there were so many things he still needed to tell that man. So many questions he had to ask. He knew he'd never find peace of mind if Gaara did not survive. All of Naruto's hopes lay in the hands of Tsunade. Though an intimidating thought, he had faith in her abilities. She was an excellent doctor, after all. Weren't for her crippling alcoholism and gambling issues, she might've been the best of them all.

Naruto barely remember the first time meeting her anymore. His mostly unconscious state might've played a part in that forgetfulness. He'd messed up a job with the gang, got shot and suffered for hours with bullet lodged in his shoulder. Young and dumb as shit, he'd imagined it was something he could've simply walked off. After a few hours and eventual loss of consciousness due to the blinding pain, he'd begun to reconsider that assumption. Deprived of such luxuries as hospital care, his friends had finally dragged his comatose ass to Tsunade. She'd gouged the bullet out and patched him up nicely. No anesthesia obviously had taken part in that fun, but he'd hardly been in the position to complain.

She'd done a good job. The wound had healed fine, barely even left a scar. He owed her his health, perhaps even his life. And he wasn't the only one.

Tsunade was a good doctor, well trained and professional. Unfortunately, her once promising career never took off. She'd buried herself under a mountain of personal problems, making it impossible for her to function in a conventional work environment. But that hadn't stopped her from fulfilling her calling. Instead of working for private hospitals and clinics, she'd made it her mission to exclusively treat kids raised by the streets. All minors, criminals or not, could seek treatment without the fear of being rejected. For most, she was their last hope. It wasn't easy for a kid stabbed or shot in a gang fight to go to the hospital. The law was always quick to get involved. The police, social services, the entire rotten system. Many had chosen death over another involuntary custody or extended juvie time. And she'd broken that cycle, single-handedly.

Naruto had come to her many times over the years. At times injured, other times only to visit her. He'd grown quite fond of her, and liked to think the feeling had been mutual. He supposed he'd had some quiet, deep-rooted longing for a mother figure after all. But things had changed. After Naruto left the gang, she no longer remained a part of his life. It'd saddened him for a few years, but eventually he grew out of it. At least that was what he'd kept telling himself. Over the years, he'd quite convincingly assured himself of how much better life was now. But sitting there in that same old room, on that same old couch and listening to that same old radio, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Naruto sighed, tiredly. Lately he'd started to realize how much he'd truly walked away from, how much he'd left behind. And how much he would've missed it, had he just allowed himself that.

Who was he kidding? He did miss it. All of it. The gang, the illusion of a family, the thrill and freedom of living an aimless life. Thinking back, he didn't understand how he'd thought he could've walked away from it all and never wished to return. It'd been his entire life, his entire being. Apart from Sasuke, everything else he'd left behind. It was painful to think about. That's why he never did. He felt guilty, somehow. It'd been much easier to block out all those years and memories, and simply pretend they'd never happened in the first place. But life had taken an unexpected turn. He'd now reached a point at which the similarities to that way of life were too obvious to dismiss. He was stuck with someone who defined everything he'd walked away from.

The thought of Gaara caused Naruto to scoff. That man truly was everything he hated and loved at the same time. He was dangerous, yet thrilling. Brilliant, but evil. Evil definitely was the most accurately descriptive word for him. Naruto didn't think of it as a necessarily bad thing. He'd always had held a fascination towards evil. He'd grown up knowing nothing but that. It was comforting in a way, it felt familiar. But at the same time, it was frightening and infuriating. That explained much of why he reacted to Gaara the way he did.

Addicted to the cause of rage, hooked on rage itself. In his case, correlation really did imply causation.

Perhaps Gaara had been right. Maybe Naruto did have a masochistic side to him. But in that case, so did Gaara. And most likely he was aware of it. Whether or not he'd accepted it was somewhat of a mystery. It was intriguing to watch the man battle his own demons. Demons he probably hadn't known existed. Demons that Naruto had awoken. That'd made the blonde wonder, was he cradling evil inside himself as well? He'd learned very early on that evil only responded to its own kind, and uttermost purity. No matter how much he would've tried bullshitting his way in, he knew he'd never fit into the latter category. But neither did he have to.

Naruto scowled. To check how much time he'd wasted on useless introspection, he glanced at the clock on the wall. About thirty minutes had gone by. It'd take much longer to get the bullet out. Unless, of course, Gaara died in the process. Naruto had stubbornly decided to ignore that possibility altogether. The chances of Gaara surviving were slim, yet nonetheless real. Though perhaps a little late to the party, the blonde had made the decision to remain positive and believe in that slim chance till the very end. Gaara would have to survive. Naruto refused to accept any other outcome. He'd killed a man, for fuck's sake. Killed a man, just to avenge him.

The thought made him frown. He'd never killed anyone before. Somehow he'd imagined it would've taken a harsher toll on his conscience. But thinking back at that moment, at the exact moment he'd fired the gun, it hadn't felt like much. It made Naruto question just how low his morals had sunk. He'd pulled the trigger and taken a human life as if it were nothing. And didn't feel the least bit bad about it. A part of him wanted to believe that the joy of having seen the bullet blow out a part of the man's head was simple celebration of eliminating the threat. Maybe it was best not to overthink it. No amount of wonderment would undo what he'd done, nor get rid of the corpse shoved in the trunk. That he'd have to deal with all on his own.

Naruto fought back a yawn. Despite waking up only a few hours before, his restless sleep had left him tired regardless. Though a short nap sounded tempting, he already knew that the sharp stench of blood all over him wouldn't allow him to sleep. The clotting blood had begun to smell like something between roadkill and a morgue. As it'd slowly dried on his clothes, the smell of iron had turned into a sickly sweet odor. It compelled him to gag. With a sigh, he pulled himself off the couch and stripped his upper body bare. His jeans were as bloody as the rest of him, but as he wished to remain covered by something else than mere underwear, the jeans stayed on. He moved over to the kitchen sink, and spent the following minutes intently washing the parts of his stained skin he could. As he slowly grew more frustrated scraping off the dried substance off his hands and face, he could only hope Gaara wasn't HIV positive.

Just as Naruto had given up on achieving any actual state of cleanliness, his phone started ringing. Throwing away the towel he'd snatched from the counter, he frowned. There was only one person who'd call him at four in the morning.

"Hey, Sasuke", Naruto answered the call. He was barely given a chance to finish his greeting.

"I knew something was fucking wrong", Sasuke grunted. "You never answer without an insult."

The blonde smiled weakly. "Hn. You know me scary well, dude."

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, unusually uninhibited and worried. Naruto sighed tiredly.

"I'm covered in blood, so go figure", he mumbled, before rushing to elaborate. "It ain't mine, so don't go losin' your shit."

Sasuke let out a hasty grunt. "The fuck happened?"

Naruto fell silent, hesitating to tell. "I don't wanna talk about it over the phone."

Sasuke mimicked his silence, obviously not at ease. Despite being the stoic wall of stone he usually showcased himself as, Naruto possessed the amazing ability to turn him into a human wreck of worry. It might've not shown itself too elaborately, but the blonde knew him well enough to pinpoint the exact moment the man's cold heart started throwing a silent tantrum.

"Where are you?" Sasuke finally asked, the tension audible in his usually flat voice. And yet again, Naruto wished he could've avoided answering.

"Tsunade's", he eventually sighed in defeat. He could clearly hear Sasuke's breath hitch.

"Tsunade's?" he questioned. "You sure you ain't hurt?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine."

A silence of the calmer kind followed. The blonde found himself staring into a mirror placed above the couch he'd abandoned only minutes ago. What stared back was a pathetic sight. A tired mess of dark circles and bloody cheeks. A dry, ironic chuckle flooded from his lips.

"You remember what I said about running away from the past?" he asked his friend, shaking his head at his own reflection.

"Yeah", Sasuke grunted in return. Naruto noticed the mild confusion behind the flat tone.

"It caught up. Big time", he sighed.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to reply, and thus said nothing at all. Naruto finally tore his gaze away from the mirror and curled his lips into a crooked smile, despite knowing the other one couldn't see it.

"Watch out, love. Ya never know when it gets you", he spoke with a bitter tone.

Sasuke sighed. "Yeah. I know. But it's you I worry about."

Naruto's bitter smile softened. Sasuke was a good friend. Every now and then he would say something unexpectedly comforting, taking the blonde by surprise. And every single time, Naruto would thank his past self for not having turned his back on that man.

"What would I do without you?" Naruto asked, oddly softly.

"Die, probably", Sasuke said with an audible smirk.

Naruto groaned lazily. "Well, that's gonna happen anyway."

"Yeah. Just not yet. I promise."

Naruto smirked. Ignoring what a massive load of shit the other's words most likely were, he let himself feel comforted by them regardless.

"Call me when you get home, eh?" Sasuke requested. The blonde nodded. "Okay."

"Stay alive. Bye."

"Bye."

Naruto hung up. A sudden wave of sadness washed over his already worn out being. The knowledge of how his death would destroy Sasuke was a painful form of awareness. Had Sasuke died, he would've been left in ruins. They were brothers, they were family. In a world were every man lived for himself, they had only each other to lean on. Nothing in the world was as much of value to him as Sasuke. That man was his greatest motivation to fight for his life. It gave him strength to stay alive, to go against yakuza. Such foolhardiness could easily be classified as a suicide mission, but he'd do it anyway. Even it being the core point of absolute self-destruction didn't scare him. He wouldn't mind dying, as long as he'd fought till the very end. He supposed there'd been some truth to Sai's statement. He truly was a stubborn bastard, idiotically denying the concept of giving up.

Naruto put his phone away and lazily dragged himself back to the couch. Tiredly crashing down on it, he closed his eyes in the hopes of sleeping the shitty feeling away. Upon finding a comfortable enough position, he happily let the exhaustion take over and lead him towards a calmer state of mind.

An hour, maybe two later, the blonde woke up to the sound of a door opening. Slowly pulled out of his shallow sleep, he cracked open his eyes and moved to sit up. His weary gaze noticed Tsunade standing in the doorway. Her face bore a worried expression. She was stained in blood up to her elbows. An instant stab in his heart forced Naruto wide awake.

"Is he dead?" he asked straight away. The woman paused, but then shook her head.

"No. He's alive", she told.

Naruto let his tense shoulders fall in the rhythm of a relieved sigh. But that relief of his only lasted so long. He could tell by the concerned look weighing down Tsunade's features that the news weren't all good. He tried, but failed to ask. Thus he waited for her to tell on her own terms.

"The bullet's out", she continued. "And no vital organs were hit."

Naruto scowled. "But?"

Tsunade frowned. The discreet lines on her face deepened with hesitation. She took her time wondering how to lay down the facts, but in the end, could only go with the uttermost truth.

"He needs blood."

Naruto flinched, the scowl on his face lifting. He spent a short time watching the woman with a taken aback gaze, before letting it fall to the ground. He shouldn't have been so surprised. He'd been there to see the amount of blood Gaara had lost. He should've seen it coming. But at the very least he knew what would follow next. Tsunade had no blood bank of her own and no access to one. There were only so many ways this discussion could continue.

"What's you blood type?" Tsunade cautiously asked, moving closer.

Naruto gave her a brief sideways glance. "I'm B."

The woman nodded weakly. "He's AB. You're a match."

The blonde's face grew stoic, but he did his best not to display it to Tsunade. She didn't know what she was asking for. Naruto couldn't stand Gaara. He'd spent countless hours hoping to see him drop dead, imagined himself clawing his heart out a million different times. While daydreaming, he'd brutally murdered him over and over again, and not once felt bad about it. But now, equipped with every chance imaginable to actually let him wither away and die, Naruto no longer felt the same way. The though of him dying had become less desirable. Once again feeling caught between the two fires trapping him, he was at a loss of what to do.

"I wanna see him", he finally said.

Tsunade nodded and lead Naruto to the other room. Though he should have known what to expect, he found the sight shocking nonetheless. The bed he'd laid Gaara down on was soaked in blood, through the sheets and down to the mattress. The man himself was just as stained, barely distinguishable as one from the surrounding mess. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he had drop left in him anymore. With quiet and calm steps, the blonde moved next to the bed and took a seat next to the unconscious man. He stopped to watch him silently, a strange feeling twisting in his stomach. Naruto had often wondered if Gaara's harsh features were capable of carrying a peaceful look. They did now. And Naruto understood just how close the man was to drawing his last, shallow breath.

"How did you figure out his blood type?" he muttered quietly.

Tsunade nodded towards the redhead. "Take a look at his necklace."

Naruto spotted a ball chain around the man's neck. It had a tag attached to it. A sleek and simple iron plate. The blonde reached to take a hold of it and took his time studying it in silence. It closely resembled an army dog tag, but had no name on it. Only a series of numbers and two uppercase letters. 'AB'.

"It's no everyday army tag", Tsunade noted.

Naruto nodded, but said nothing. He laid the tag back down against the redhead's bare chest.

"You think it's his?" he wondered. Tsunade could only shrug.

"I assume it is", she told. "It's not an official army tag, but those usually include the carrier's blood type. My best guess is he's AB."

Naruto nodded stiffly. "Hn. I guess so."

His empty gaze paused to watch the still man. He looked dead. Horribly, terrifyingly dead. His breath was weak, his pulse must've been nearly nonexistent. By the looks of it, he couldn't have more than an hour to live, two at tops. He looked dead, but so very peaceful. Naruto had never imagined a man of his kind could've come across so calm and so...graceful. In the sickest, most twisted way possible. The clotted, dry blood covering him was gruesome, but somehow seemed so appropriate on him. It didn't make him look any less helpless.

Naruto released a shaky breath and turned to face Tsunade.

"I'll do it."

The woman smiled weakly. "Okay."

She wasted no time to open up the tall cabinet behind her and pick out supplies of necessity. Naruto watched her grab a bundle of sterile needles, rubbing alcohol and a handful of plastic blood bags. While sanitizing her hands and putting on needed medical gear once more, she did her very best to make the blonde feel as relaxed as he could.

"Make yourself comfortable, brat", she advised. "Lean back if you can, take in deep breaths. All that."

Naruto did as told. He fitted himself in the only free corner of the bed, next to the headboard. Careful not to shove the redhead, he let himself lean against the wall and take in a deep breath or two. It calmed him down sufficiently enough. But once he saw Tsunade approach with the most monstrous needle he had ever seen, that weak attempt at relaxation flew out the window in an instant.

"Holy fucking shit that's huge", he winced.

The woman merely chuckled, seated herself down a chair she'd placed next to the bed, and straight away began choosing which arm to draw blood from.

"Funny, coming from a man as tattooed as you", she chuckled.

Having made up her mind about her choice of arm, she cleaned the skin with rubbing alcohol. The smell made Naruto want to gag.

"They don't use needles that fuckin' massive", he said in his defense.

He watched the woman gently place the needle against his arm. Though she paused to find the most desirable vein to pierce, Naruto was already forced to look the other way. And before finally sticking the huge thing under his skin, she paused again. Her voice came out mildly hesitant.

"I have to ask. Do you have any blood-borne or sexually transmitted diseases?"

Naruto shook his head. "No."

Tsunade nodded. Pleased enough with the answer, she finally pushed the needle into his arm. It didn't hurt, but the blonde cringed regardless. The mere thought of that thing sliding into his flesh made his skin crawl. Laying a mildly bitter look on the unconscious redhead, he wondered just why he'd agreed to this at all. He must've been an idiot to donate any part of him to save the man he'd bled for countless times already. A grunt escaped his pursed lips.

"Even if I did, he'd have them already", Naruto found himself mumbling.

Tsunade paused just long enough to lay a meaningful look on him. Realizing what his statement must've implied to her, Naruto hurried to correct himself.

"That's...not what I meant."

The woman said nothing, but Naruto easily spotted the amused smirk behind her surgical mask. Deciding that it was best to just shut the hell up, Naruto said nothing further, and instead watched Tsunade open the small vent attached to the needle in his arm. A steady stream of dark red liquid was quick to travel the entire length of the plastic tube between the needle and the blood bag. Naruto was somewhat amazed by how fast the bag began to fill up. Tsunade seemed less impressed.

"This is so not hygienic", she mumbled through her mask, glancing around the room.

"Could be worse", Naruto assured. The woman shrugged.

"I guess", she admitted. "I hope you've eaten. Otherwise you're gonna get dizzy as hell."

The blonde huffed. "I haven't."

Tsunade couldn't claim she felt surprised. She lowered her gaze to find the first bag half-full. She could already tell by the speed of blood flow that the blonde would get nauseous. To prolong that inevitable fact, she did her best to distract the young man.

"Who is he?" she asked, subtly nodding towards the redhead.

Naruto cringed, involuntarily. He'd somewhat hoped she wouldn't ask.

"He's...a client of mine", he finally admitted. The woman raised a curious brow.

"The hell do you do for a living to have clients like him?" she asked, directly and unashamed.

The blonde sighed. "I'm a defense attorney."

Tsunade fell silent for a short while, as if contemplating whether or not to ask more questions. But being the unapologetic woman that she was, the outcome was a given.

"Not your average nice guy then?" she grunted. Naruto scowled and glanced at the redhead.

"Hn. That's one way to put it."

It seemed Tsunade hadn't taken notice of Gaara's tattoos. At the very least she didn't mention them. Perhaps that was a good thing. Had she asked questions, Naruto wouldn't have had any answers to give. Not yet.

"How's things otherwise?" Tsunade pried. "I haven't seen you in years."

Sincerely relieved for the change of subject, Naruto managed a smile.

"I'm okay. The job pays well. Keeps the wife happy", he chuckled. Tsunade smiled kindly.

"That's nice. Newlyweds?"

"Nah. Four years now."

"You got fooled young then", the woman snorted. Naruto fought the urge to sigh. "Hm. Yeah."

The first bag looked full enough to be replaced. Tsunade made the change quick and swift. Naruto barely noticed it at all. A good minute or two of silence went by, the second bag nearing its limit as well. A quick glance at the blonde was enough for Tsunade to know he was beginning to feel the effects of rapid blood loss.

"How are you feeling?" she asked to make sure.

Naruto frowned. "A little dizzy."

The woman nodded, detaching the now full bag. "Just one more. Can you take it?"

The blonde took a deep breath to stay focused. "Yeah. Fire away."

Not wasting time, Tsunade replaced the full bag with an empty one, and once more turned the vent open to let the blood flow freely.

"Take deep breaths, kid", she instructed, though could already see it wouldn't be of much help.

Naruto's eyes failed to focus, his head felt heavy. A pounding headache was on its way. And no matter how hard he tried to sit up straight, his posture ended up slumped and lazy. By the time he felt cold sweat begin to coat his skin and mouth turn dry, he was forced to express his discomfort somehow.

"Shit."

Tsunade pressed her thumb against the blonde's arm, just an inch above the spot the needle had pierced. It aided the blood out quicker, but was no miracle solution. Naruto did his very best to keep his eyes open and hands from trembling, but it seemed that his body had already decided to miserably fail him.

"Just a bit more. Hang in there", Tsunade encouraged.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

That big, fat fucking lie was the last thing he could remember saying, before Tsunade's voice became too distant and distorted for him to hear anymore. Before he realized it, he'd passed out. Lacking all concept of time, he had no way of telling how long he remained unconscious, but by the time he opened his eyes again, the sun was climbing its way over the horizon. Finding himself laid down on the living room couch, blinded by the sunrise, he struggled to keep his eyes open.

"You're heavy as hell."

Naruto flinched. He hadn't realized somebody was in the room with him. Forcing his eyes open, he turned to his other side to see the one speaking. Tsunade sat by her kitchen table, drinking coffee. Naruto concluded that the woman must've carried him from one room to the other. For an old lady, that was an impressive achievement. He was no small thing to drag around.

"How long was I out?" the blonde asked, slowly sitting up.

"A few hours. It's eight in the morning."

Naruto twisted his face into a pained expression. The headache of his lifetime was sledgehammering the walls of his skull. Noticing the blonde's agony, Tsunade smiled sympathetically.

"Sorry, brat. I should've warned you."

Naruto lifted his hand to hold his aching head. "It's fine."

"I made you coffee", Tsunade said, perhaps as an apologetic gesture.

The blonde sighed vaguely happy. Finding the offer to be like music to his ears, he lazily pulled himself up from the couch and stepped towards the table, only to stop abruptly. A sudden look of dread washed over his features, head turning towards the closed door on his left.

"What 'bout Gaara?" he rushed to ask, a tad more worried than he'd planned.

He never saw it, but Tsunade's eyes briefly narrowed upon hearing him speak. Once Naruto had turned to face her, the slight shift in her gaze was gone.

"He's alive. Not fine, but alive and down to the last bag of blood."

Naruto let his unintentionally tense shoulders fall in relief. He turned to glance at the closed door once more, a faint frown appearing between his brows.

"Can I see him?" he asked.

Tsunade nodded. "Go ahead."

The woman barely even finished her short sentence, before the blonde was already at the door. Taking in a deep breath, he cracked it open. He found Gaara exactly where he'd left him. Still on the bed. Still bloody. Still unconscious.

Naruto stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. With slow and heavy steps, he walked to the bed. Briefly pausing to watch the redhead with no distinctive reason behind it, he sighed. It was strange. Strange how vulnerable he looked. He remained shirtless, but the layer of blood covering him had given him a whole new outfit. One arm reaching towards the man, Naruto gently laid his hand against Gaara's chest. His skin felt cold. The blonde's gaze spotted a folded blanket at the foot of the bed. He went to grab it, unfolded it and laid it over the other one. As if it'd really mattered. He couldn't have felt the cold in the state he was in. But since he'd kept Naruto warm with his jacket, it was only fair to return the favor.

Naruto took a seat on the edge of the bed, his front facing the redhead. It dawned on him just how unusually defenseless the man was. Had the blonde wanted to get rid of him, now would've been his chance. He could've grabbed a pillow, maybe folded up the bedspread, pressed it against his face and suffocated him to death. It would've been effortless, over in the blink of an eye.

A breathy chuckle escaped the blonde's lips. Even if he'd wanted to do that, he couldn't. He simply couldn't. And he hated himself for that.

Instead of planning the redhead's murder any further, he reached out to run his fingers through the man's hair. It was soft to the touch, regardless of the dried blood tangled in it. Naruto found it just a little too easy to stroke his hair anew, and far too easy to get lost in doing so. A minute, maybe even two went by, before he realized how unhealthy it was to touch him in such a gentle way. Scowling at his own recklessness, Naruto drew his hand back and moved to leave, but halted upon hearing Gaara release a weak sound. Flinching, he turned to look at him once more. The man hadn't moved, made no other sound, yet the blonde failed to simply walk away.

"Gaara?"

His voice came out quieter than he'd planned. The man never answered, but his eyes cracked open for just a second, before closing again. Naruto stayed, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. He cautiously reached out to gently touch the side of his face. No reaction followed. Had the man been even slightly on the conscious side, he would've showed signs of annoyance in the split of a second. That never happened, thus Naruto concluded he remained unconscious. Grunting in slight disappointment, the blonde finally stood up and left the room. Upon returning to the kitchen, he found Tsunade still seated by the table, waiting. Naruto took a seat across hers, grabbed the cup of coffee poured for him and took a sip. It'd gone cold.

"Want a new cup?"

"Nah."

Naruto took another sip. He could live with cold coffee. He lived with things much worse.

"Is he gonna make it?" he asked directly.

Tsunade shrugged. "I don't know."

Naruto nodded. He wondered exactly what stage of disgusting the corpse in the trunk of the car had reached.

"He might survive. It depends on how his body feels about your blood", Tsunade continued.

The blonde nodded yet again. He came up with a guess or two about how well any part of Gaara reacted to any part of him, but left that unvoiced.

"I'm gonna need your help to get him patched up properly", the woman told.

For the third time, Naruto nodded. "Sure."

A calm silence fell, allowing Naruto to drink the rest of his lukewarm coffee in peace. He had nothing special on his mind. Just simple appreciation of the peace and quiet. Even the age old radio that the woman usually let scream on the kitchen counter day and night had been turned off. He couldn't say he minded it in the least. Swallowing the last sip of his coffee, he placed the empty cup down and searched his pockets for a cigarette.

"You mind?" he asked upon finding one. Tsunade shook her head.

"Go ahead."

The blonde lit up and took a long drag. While letting the smoke slip from between his lips, he glanced at the woman seated across him. A vague look of hesitation visited on his face, before he asked a question.

"Can I talk to you 'bout somethin' confidential?"

Tsunade looked confused, but nodded. "Sure."

Naruto took another drag. "Yakuza wants me dead."

There was this peculiar moment of quietness that followed. Not really shocked, but not casual either. Perhaps disgruntled was the best adjective to describe it.

"What the hell have you gotten self into?" Tsunade finally asked, sighing tiredly. Naruto scoffed, turning to glance towards the door.

"Him. I got involved with him", he mumbled, perhaps a tad bitterly.

Tsunade replied nothing right away. She took her time hesitating and wondering, before finally laying a knowing look on the younger one.

"I recognize him, you know", she revealed. Naruto was quick to spin back towards her, looking somewhat surprised.

"You do?"

"Yeah. You slipped his name", she grunted. "I've been involved with his kind long enough to know the worst of them."

She sounded disapproving, which hardly surprised Naruto. Tsunade was a woman of strong compassion and sympathy, but that had never meant a lack of common sense. Some people simply were better to stay away from.

"You shouldn't be around him", she finally commented. Naruto couldn't help but snort.

"You think I don't know that?" he huffed. "I've known it since the day I took the job he offered me. I know, but I can't escape it anymore. It's too fuckin' late."

Tsunade sighed. "I'm not telling you what to do. Just saying, this can't end well."

"True", Naruto admitted. "But at least it's gon' end soon. It shouldn't take long for those fuckers to slaughter me. Him. Both of us."

He took one last drag from his burnt cigarette, before putting it out. He missed the angry look falling on Tsunade's features. She didn't like the sound of the blonde's attitude one bit.

"When did you turn into such a coward?" she asked, clearly disappointed. Naruto scowled.

"I'm not", he argued. "I'm being realistic."

Tsunade's disappointed look turned dramatically unimpressed. Rolling her hazel brown eyes, she sighed.

"Realists don't get in the kinda trouble you do", she assured.

The blonde snorted. "Speakin' of trouble, you still drinking and gambling?"

The woman shrugged. "Not as much. I don't drink anymore."

"Why haven't you gone back to workin' in hospitals?" Naruto wondered. Tsunade shook her head.

"I can't turn my back on all those kids. They need someone like me, you know", she said, flashing a fond smile.

Naruto paused to think back to his own childhood and teenage years. She had a fair point. Hadn't it been for her, he would've likely been long dead. The world needed people like her. Helpers, who asked no questions. The kind of people he himself fell short of.

"Hn. You're right", he agreed, returning her smile. Tsunade tilted her head in a curious manner.

"I see you still wear the necklace I gave you."

Naruto dropped his gaze down, glancing at the piece of jewelry hanging around his neck. Simple, nothing but a blue stone attached to a black leather string, yet fairly valuable. At least so the woman had claimed. The monetary value of it didn't really matter to him. More than anything, it was of value in sentimentality.

"Always", he replied, flashing a crooked smile.

Naruto took a moment to stretch his stiff joints awake and then moved to get up. Glancing out of the window, he frowned.

"I'll be right back. There's something I need to check", he told, heading towards the front door. Tsunade scowled at his turned back.

"Put a jacket on, brat."

"Nah, I'm fine."

In reality, he regretted not listening the instant he stepped outside. It was freezing cold. But too stubborn to admit defeat and return, he shrugged it off and walked over to the car. Stopping behind it, he quickly checked that there were no curious eyes watching through the window, and then popped open the trunk. The stench of death instantly hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Fuckin' hell."

Judging by the smell, the guy was as dead as he'd hoped. Perhaps the airtight trunk of a car wasn't an ideal place for a corpse. It seemed to speed up the decomposition, despite the cold season. Turning up his nose at the sight and stench, Naruto reluctantly turned the downward facing man around and began going through his pockets. There wasn't much there to be found, apart from the gun he'd used to shoot Gaara. On a whim, Naruto decided to keep it. He was already about to abandon the car along with the corpse, when a wild and unlikely suspicion crossed his mind.

Though perhaps a little far-fetched, and definitely disgusting, he pulled aside the dead man's jacket to get access under his shirt. He pulled down the collar, revealing something Naruto could deem interesting. Around the neck of the corpse there was a ball chain, decorated with an army dog tag. Identical to Gaara's. Narrowing his eyes at the piece of metal, Naruto ripped it off the dead man and brought it closer to his face. He rubbed the tag clean from blood to read the carving on it. As expected, it contained a series of numbers and an uppercase letter. Only one this time. But it did prove Tsunade's lucky guess correct. While Gaara's blood type was AB, this guy had been a much desired O negative.

Naruto frowned. It became obvious to him that yakuza used these tags for something or other. What it was, he didn't know. Yet.

Dropping the tag into the safety of his pocket, the blonde shut the trunk of the car and made his way back to the entrance of the house. But before he even could open the door, sounds of something violent reached his ears. A spark of dread igniting in the back of his mind, Naruto rushed inside and into the kitchen. What he was greeted by, was nothing he'd expected and everything he probably should've known to anticipate.

"Naruto, do something."

Tsunade's strangled voice should've put some life into him, but instead of moving at all, the blonde remained frozen in shock. He could very clearly see the woman pinned against the kitchen wall by a familiar redhead, yet it didn't make sense to him. Only ten minutes ago, Gaara had been sprawled across the bed on the verge of death. How, how on bloody earth was he on his feet and choking a human being?

Gaara turned to look over his shoulder. The instant Naruto met his gaze, he regained his sense. In the blink of an eye, he'd moved across the room and had the man's head in a tight hold from behind. Though he perhaps defied all reason by being awake and on his feet, Gaara hardly had the strength to fight back. The blonde was able to drag him away from Tsunade with ease, and just as effortlessly keep him restrained. The man's groan of pain received no sympathy.

"The fuck do you think you're doin?" Naruto hissed at the man, forcing him on his knees.

While he must've felt incredible pain and at the very least blinding rage, Gaara had no other choice but to admit defeat. He let his entire weight crash against the blonde, who in return loosened the hold around his throat. The man stayed put, but was quick to ask questions.

"Where are we and who the fuck is she?" he asked, glaring at the woman struggling to catch her breath.

Instead of replying, Naruto lowered himself on the redhead's level and forcibly turned his head enough to make eye contact.

"How the fuck are you awake?" he asked in return. Gaara merely growled at him.

"Fuckin' answer me. Where are we?" he asked again. Naruto wasn't appreciative of his aggressive tone.

"Sit your ass the fuck down, and I'll consider."

The redhead's eyes narrowed into narrow streaks. He took his time hesitating, but finally yanked himself free and did as told. Dragging himself into a corner, he remained seated and leaning against the wall. Confident enough that the man had finally calmed down, Naruto sighed.

"You got shot", he stated. Gaara clenched his jaw in annoyance.

"My side looks like somebody _fucked_ it. Of course I've been fuckin' shot", he growled venomously. "For the last time, _where_ the _fuck_ are we?"

"In her house", Naruto answered calmly, nodding towards Tsunade.

The poor woman continued to cough and wheeze. The blonde could hardly blame her. He'd experienced the redhead's wrath himself, and knew it was no picnic to recover from. To ease her struggle even the slightest, he aided her to sit down. Gaara, void of all sympathy as per usual, merely glared at her.

"And who the hell is she?" he asked, spitting the words out as if something vile. His tolerance of unnecessary bullshit nearing its limit, Naruto shot him a dirty glare.

"The one who dug out the fuckin' bullet and saved your sorry ass", he growled in return.

The redhead fell silent. He showed no signs of remorse, but at the very least shut up. Naruto gazed at him angrily for a while longer, but upon realizing that the man had ripped off the bandages covering his wound and caused it to trickle blood again, he could only sigh tiredly. He walked over to the other man, crouched down before him and attempting to take a better look, reached a hand towards him. An attempt was all it ever became.

"Don't touch me", Gaara hissed, and shoved the hand away.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man, prepared to argue. He was quick to decide he didn't care enough.

"Fine. Bleed to death", he grunted instead, and backed away.

He should've suffocated the ungrateful cunt while he'd had the chance.

"I'll fix it", Tsunade's voice spoke, fully recovered by then. Gaara's reluctance was instant.

"No you fuckin' ain't."

Tsunade's so far mellow mood took a sharp turn. Her firm, yet gentle gaze turned absolutely freezing cold. Her lips pursed into a thin line and arms folded under her heavy bust. Though nearly unnoticeable, Gaara briefly seemed surprised by the sudden change.

"Listen here, fucktwit", she grunted. "While I firmly believe that your mother should've swallowed you, it will _not _stop me from treating that fistable hole in your side. Now, _move_."

Heavy, long silence fell. While Gaara looked like the human equivalent of a lousy Monday, Naruto fought not to snort. Over the years he'd learned that when Tsunade finally resorted to profanity, the argument was over. Whether or not the redhead liked it, he had very little leverage. The reality of excruciating pain, bleeding and a mean lady staring straight through his pitch black soul finally forced him to comply. Releasing a low, pained groan, he struggled himself off the floor and onto his feet. But though up and standing, the very first step forward was the one to fail him. Having anticipated it, Naruto rushed to catch him. Before Gaara could even consider voicing complaints about the undesired human touch, the blonde made it very clear he wasn't going to hear it.

"Not a word, or I'll shoot you myself."

Jaw clenched and teeth gritted in resentment, the redhead forced himself to stay silent. He reluctantly let Naruto help him to the guestroom and seated on the bed again. The blonde noticed Gaara eyeing the bloodstained sheets, but neither one ever said anything of it. Tsunade soon followed them, carrying bandages and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Upon noticing the loathsome liquid, the redhead's already sour face turned even gloomier.

"Sit up straight", Tsunade ordered, ignoring the man's spiteful look.

Amazingly, he did as told and sat up as straight as the pain allowed. Naruto did his best to stifle a mocking smile.

"Take a deep breath, tough guy", the woman instructed. "This is gonna hurt like hell."

Gaara watched her open up the bottle, let her gently press a clean piece of cloth beneath the wound, and clenched his jaws tightly together as she finally poured the alcohol over the open wound. Despite the effort, a muffled groan of pain escaped him nonetheless. One that caused Naruto to lose his battle against a sadistic smirk. In too much pain to even breathe, Gaara failed to call him out on it.

"Good boy", Tsunade said, closing the bottle. "Now keep your arms further away from your body."

Though annoyed by the woman's choice of words, he did as told once more. Tsunade partially wrapped open a roll of bandage, before placing it against the redhead's stomach.

"Naruto, hold this in place", she told the blonde.

His smirk quickly disappearing, he sighed and took a seat beside Gaara. But before he had a chance to follow through the instruction given to him, Tsunade ordered him otherwise.

"No. On the floor, between his legs."

The blonde's face fell in disbelief. Gaara's pained expression turned into a sneering one. As Naruto seemed to make no move to comply, Tsunade shot him a sharp glare. Grinding his teeth in utter annoyance, he finally dragged himself to the floor. Tsunade seated herself partly behind the redhead and started wrapping the bandage around him. Avoiding eye contact at all costs, Naruto helped her by placing it on the front side. Everything happened in tense silence, highlighting the awkward nature of the situation. And no matter how hard Naruto tried to ignore the stare on him, he finally got tired of it and turned to face the redhead. The twisted smirk on the man's face made him regret it in an instant. He couldn't believe the things he agreed to. There he was, kneeling between that dickhead's legs, shirtless and forced to live with the knowledge of how the man sadistically enjoyed every last bit of it.

"This ain't so bad after all."

Naruto wanted to punch him. Beat that shameless cunt into a coma.

"Wanna get your brains blown out?"

"I got somethin' else you can blow."

Neither of them spotted Tsunade subtly shaking her head and smiling in a knowing manner. Naruto was busy wasting all of his willpower not to inflict more pain upon the redhead, and Gaara occupied by his inexplicable need to cause unnecessary trouble. Naruto knew the other man was only trying to get under his skin, and hated himself for letting it happen. Though he attempted to be the bigger person by ending the discussion and looking the other way, his hands shook with anger. Gaara must've noticed, but amazingly enough, stayed silent. The roll of bandage ran out not a second too late.

"Okay. All done, boys", Tsunade chirped, securing the bandage in place.

Neither of the men really heard a word she said. Naruto glared at the redhead with raging hellfire in his eyes, and Gaara carried on smiling his sneering smirk. It took only a few seconds for the blonde's patience to finally reach its limit, leaving him with only two options. Though only barely, he chose the less violent one. Stifling the fury he wished he could have released, Naruto tore his gaze away and rose from the floor.

"I'm goin' out."

His declaration was but a grunt, barely comprehensible. In the blink of an eye, he'd left the room and slammed the door loudly shut. Tsunade paused to stare after him, Gaara on the other hand couldn't have cared less. Instead he glanced down and gently placed a hand against his wounded side. It was sore to the touch.

"You're a lucky guy."

Gaara could hear a hint of spite in the woman's voice. He gave her an askance look, but said nothing.

"It's a miracle you're alive", she continued.

The redhead carried on watching her in silence. He'd planned on not saying anything, but had a sudden change of mind.

"Why did you help me?" he questioned curiously, yet suspicious. Tsunade shrugged.

"The brat asked me to", she told honestly. Gaara released a mocking chuckle.

"Brat. Sounds 'bout right."

Tsunade was quick to grow annoyed by the redhead's attitude, the warm look of her hazel eyes turning cold again.

"Listen, fuckface. If it weren't for him, I would've let you die", she told bluntly. "You owe him your life."

The redhead scowled. "I don't owe shit to anyone."

Tsunade's already tense shoulders grew even stiffer. She grew visibly enraged, an obvious spike in blood pressure pushing the vein on her temple closer to the surface. But instead of resorting to violence or even further insulting, she marched over to the bed and pointed at the mattress stained beyond belief.

"You see this? Do you see all this blood?" she hissed, pointing at the dirty sheets.

Gaara glanced at the hand shaking with anger, but couldn't bother looking at the bed. He already knew what it was like.

"It's all yours", Tsunade told. "You bled out half of what's in you. You were a dead man."

Despite her laying down the cold facts, Gaara seemed perfectly unfazed. Narrowing her eyes at the man, Tsunade reached down to the floor and grabbed a half-empty bag of blood. She brought it barely an inch away from the redhead's face, forcing him to look at it. With a tone as ice cold as her gaze, she spat out words of pure hatred.

"Guess whose this is."

Not about to stay and wait for a reply, Tsunade let the plastic bag fall back to the floor, turned on her heels and marched out of the room. Gaara was left to watch her go, a confused frown conquering the scowl on his face. It took worryingly long for him to understand the meaning behind her words. But as it finally dawned on him, his breath hitched. The frown on his face fell remarkably fast, his lips parting in utter shock. Slowly he turned his gaze down, one hesitant hand reaching to grab the blood bag abandoned on the floor. He took his time staring at it, unsure of what to think or how to feel. Anger was the first emotion to finally arrive. In a rush of sudden rage, he threw the bag away.

He'd once claimed that the blonde would become his miracle. This was not what he'd meant.


	14. An Invite to the Devil

**Hello, sweeties. I present to you; chapter 14. Please enjoy.**

* * *

It was useless. The pacing around, the kicking of damn expensive tires, the pulling of his hair to the point of ripping it out. Naruto found no form of raging sufficient enough to calm his still rising blood pressure down. Pissed beyond belief and just about ready to claw his own eyes out, he grabbed his gun, aimed at a tree in the distance and fired. The gun went off, the bullet lodging itself in the trunk of the sturdy tree. Not enough. He fired the gun again. And again. After the third instance of wasting perfectly good ammunition, he could hear the front door of Tsunade's house open, but that did not stop him from continuing the abuse of firearm. The sound of a familiar voice growl angry words at his turned back only fed his need to act irrationally.

"What the _fuck_ did you do?!"

Gaara's angry voice reached him just fine, but he found no reason to face him. Instead, he pulled the trigger anew. The redhead and his approaching steps were like thin air to him, until the man actually reached him.

"Answer me, _the fuck did you do_?"

Naruto felt a hand grab him by the shoulder, attempting to catch his attention in an aggressive manner. There mere feel of that man's touch caused him to lose the last of his sense. In the blink of an eye, he'd spun around, grabbed Gaara by the throat and pressed the barrel of his gun hard against the man's head. The redhead didn't as much as flinch, only stared with a gaze filled with inexplicable rage. Naruto matched his glare with ease, a voice of utter resentment falling from his tongue.

"A mistake."

He had no intention of continuing the discussion and would've turned the other way again, hadn't Gaara stopped him. Defying the excruciating pain, the redhead brought his turn to a forceful halt, nails digging into his shoulder. Naruto stopped and glanced at the man from the corner of his eye, but refused to properly face him. Dealing with severe physical limitations, Gaara was forced to be content with that. His poisonous voice made up for the lack in strength.

"You gave me your blood."

Naruto scoffed, disbelieving of it himself.

"Hn. Yeah."

The painful grip on his shoulder grew even harsher. The redhead took one painful and shaky step closer, a look of sincere will to murder beginning to settle into his eyes. His voice came out as a malicious hiss, every last syllable spat out with hatred.

"Who said I want anything of yours running through my veins, fucker?"

Naruto's instant reply was a dry, sneering laughter. One directed mostly at himself, at his own stupidity. Beginning to find himself somewhere on the verge of true madness, his ironic amusement was quickly gone and replaced by an itch to act recklessly. In a split second, the gun in his hand had found its way against the redhead's head again, beneath his jaw for a change. The blonde brought his face provokingly close to Gaara's, a look of disgust prominent in his blue eyes.

"I should've left you to die."

Gaara couldn't bother thinking of the gun as a real threat.

"Yeah. You should've."

It was a sight worth seeing. The blinding rage causing the blonde's fist to ball up tightly and eye twitch with the honest will to blast his brain out. As much as Naruto wished he could've felt nothing but perfect indifference towards the redhead, he was convinced he'd made a huge mistake saving him. The longer he watched the man, the angrier he grew to be. Feeling as if his vocabulary would've cheapened the burning hatred raging inside him, he made the conscious decision to descend to the most primitive level of human communication, and harshly rammed his forehead into the redhead's face without any warning whatsoever. The cracking sound that followed couldn't have felt more rewarding to him.

Gaara stifled the hiss of pain threatening to escape. Though he felt his eyes instinctively close on impact and nose begin to bleed like an open faucet, he refused Naruto the joy of a pained reaction. Teeth gritted tightly together and eyes opening to silently scream bloody murder, he cursed himself for being too badly injured to return the bloody nose. The best he could do was utilize the blood filling up his mouth and spit it at the one in fault for it. Though a faceful of spit and blood could hardly be considered anything but a mild inconvenience at best, he enjoyed every last bit of the disgust on the blonde's face.

"I hope they burn you the fuck alive", the redhead hissed.

Naruto merely laughed and wiped his face clean.

"Pretty sure they're savin' that for you. Throwing you inside a church is a lot cheaper than matches and gasoline."

Gaara wished he could have gutted him. Wished he could have gouged his eyes out and stabbed the empty sockets with a rusty fork. Wished he could've done _something_ but just stood there in pain, screaming insults. But no matter how weak and pathetic he might've momentarily become, he knew the blonde still needed him, and knew exactly how much the man hated it. Close to amused, he moved his face uncomfortably close to the blonde's and twisted a spiteful smirk on his lips.

"We both know why you didn't leave me to die", he sneered, tauntingly. "You can't afford to lose me."

Naruto said nothing, but forced himself to return the redhead's arrogant stare with a disgusted one. It merely amused Gaara further.

"I'm the most valuable thing you got now", he claimed. "You don't wanna die. You don't want your ugly whore to die. You need me."

Rage flashed in the blonde's blue eyes. The unnecessary mention of his wife was quick to send him into a state of uncontrollable annoyance, the weapon in his hand finding a target to aim at again.

"Talk of her again, and I promise I'll pull the fuckin' trigger."

The redhead chuckled. One hand reaching out, he grabbed a fistful of blonde hair.

"Fuckin' be a man and do it", he snarled. "I'll gladly bleed out your filthy blood."

Naruto refused to let the painful tug on his hair degrade him, and instead returned the favor.

"That blood is the most human thing about an unholy fuck like you."

They were a ridiculous sight to look at. Two poorly clothed grown men standing in freezing cold, pulling on each other's hair and spitting out immature insults. The gun between them was about as credible of a threat as a handicapped kitten. Nobody was going to get shot. Both of them knew exactly how stuck they were with one another, yet even that did not stop them from wasting breath and energy on useless arguing. But the loud bang of a shotgun slicing through the air, that did.

"Get the fuck off each other!"

Both men flinched and turned to glance at the woman standing in the doorway holding a sawed-off shotgun aimed towards the sky. Too dumb to know their own good, neither one made a move to comply. Brown eyes narrowing into thin streaks, Tsunade brought her aim down from the sky and towards the two dense morons instead. If only to plant fear into them, she cocked the gun back.

"Trust me. I'll shoot."

Two sets of teeth gritting in immature annoyance, they reluctantly let each other go. Pleased enough, Tsunade lowered her aim.

"That kinda behavior ain't allowed on my property", she grunted. "Get your sorry asses inside."

Under the woman's ominous glare, the two men swallowed their pride and gave the walk of shame a whole new meaning. Once back inside, the two were ordered to sit down by the table and remain as silent as the dead, until told otherwise. If only to avoid getting shot at, they refrained from complaining. Several minutes went by, the two of them silently glaring at one another, and Tsunade fussing about in the kitchen. Finally she turned her attention back to them and brought the immature sulking to an end. Both men were surprised to find food placed in front of them. The instructions were simple and clear.

"Eat."

Naruto scowled and childishly ignored the plate offered to him.

"Not hungry", he declared. Tsunade was quick to make him reconsider.

"My shotgun is."

Though a mere hint, it seemed to do its job. Reluctantly, yet out of options, Naruto picked up the chopsticks laid across the bowl. Gaara was yet to say or do anything. Staring suspiciously at his plate of food, he questioned the safety of its contents.

"Is this poisoned?" he thought out loud. The woman released a low grunt.

"Eat it, or getting poisoned will be the least of your worries."

The redhead gave her an askance look to display his reluctance, but after a while of hesitance, did as told. Pleased enough, Tsunade seated herself down by the table as well, her watchful gaze keeping an eye on the two. Hadn't the men truly needed it, she wouldn't have bothered feeding them. But she knew that giving blood must've taken a toll on Naruto, and Gaara's need for nourishment went without saying. She was yet to truly comprehend how the redhead could be as okay as he was. Only a few hours ago, he'd balanced on the verge of death. It was a miracle he was alive, let alone awake and on his feet. It wasn't normal. _He_ wasn't normal.

"I'm done."

Naruto's brief statement alerted Tsunade from her thoughts. She glanced at the blonde's plate. He'd emptied half of it and moved around the rest. Gaara left a similar sight for her to take away. It caused her to sigh tiredly, but wasn't big enough of a disappointment to be an issue.

"Wasn't that hard, now was it?" she grunted instead, and took the dishes away.

Neither of the men answered the question, but did mumble mostly incoherent words of gratitude. As silence fell yet again, Naruto glanced at his phone to check the time. His already sour expression turned into a grim scowl. The corpse in the trunk forced him on a schedule. He had things to do and places to be, most preferably as far away from a certain someone as humanly possible.

"I gotta get goin'. I got shit to do", the blonde muttered. Tsunade nodded.

"Remember to take it easy. You might still feel dizzy", she reminded.

Though compelled to make a face at the mention of the blood he'd unfortunately enough agreed to donate, he merely nodded. More than ready to leave, he moved to get up, but was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist. Fighting the need to grind his teeth in annoyance, he glanced over his shoulder to see the redhead holding him in place.

"I'm coming with you", the man informed. Naruto released a sneering chuckle and yanked his hand free.

"No you fuckin' ain't."

Ignoring the redhead's displeased glare, he moved to gather his things. Gaara didn't appreciate the blonde's indifferent attitude.

"I wasn't asking", he stated, as he struggled to get on his feet. Naruto merely scoffed.

"Like I said, I got shit to take care of. And you ain't invited", he told, looking for the shirt he'd taken off.

Tsunade easily noticed the argument about to ignite, and rushed to interfere. Not least because she didn't want either of them to stay there. There was a reason why she lived in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

"He's been shot, Naruto", she reasoned. "You shouldn't leave him alone."

The blonde turned to her, only to laugh. "Too bad I don't give a fuck."

Gaara clenched his fists in annoyance. The urge to put up another useless fight was on the rise, but realizing just how screwed he'd be on his own, he was forced to remain reasonable. Swallowing his anger along with his pride, he turned to face the blonde.

"I'm in fucking agony and can't walk for shit", he stated patiently. "I just need to get back to the city."

Naruto sighed loudly and tiredly, his eyes rolling with disinterest. Stopping to glare at the man, he tried his best to stay determined and refuse helping him. But the longer he stared at that pathetic sight, the less his determination seemed to work. Eventually, he felt it crumble altogether, a sigh of defeat leaving his lips.

"Fuckin' fine", he grunted.

He took a step closer towards the redhead and shot a stern look his way. Having just about reached the limit of his will to even live, he made a decision he might come to regret, but didn't care enough to mind in advance.

"But after that, I never wanna see you again", his hateful voice growled.

Short silence followed. Gaara's gaze remained as empty as always, showing no intent of disagreeing. Eventually, he nodded. Pleased enough, Naruto tore his stare away and finally picked up the shirt he'd abandoned on the floor. Not too keen on walking around looking like a butcher, he was quick to declare it unusable.

"For fuck's sake", he mumbled under his breath.

While the blonde glared at his bloodied shirt, Gaara limped across the room to grab his jacket.

"Take this", he grunted, tossing it to the disgruntled man.

Naruto caught what he'd been thrown, and stopped to study it. It had traces of blood as well, but they blended well into the black color of the jacket. It didn't look as bad as the shirt. He put the jacket on, only to realize that the zipper had broken. Fighting not to sigh at the way life treated him, Naruto concluded it still was better than nothing and decided to live with it. He then turned to glance at the redhead, who was already on his way outside. Without a shirt. Wrapped in bandages. And absolutely soaked in blood from head to toes.

"You can't go around like that. It's fuckin' freezing", he pointed out.

"I've got a shirt in the car", Gaara muttered in return. "Let's go already."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the man's impatience, but let him struggle his way outside. He himself stayed behind just long enough to give the woman shaking her head tiredly a tight hug.

"Thanks. For everything", he said, flashing a weak smile. The woman chuckled, gently patting his back.

"Anytime, brat. Anytime."

Their brief hug came to an end, and Naruto finally dragged himself towards the door leading to the yard. Right before stepping over the threshold, he waved the woman a sloppy goodbye. In return he received a crooked smile. Closing the door behind him, he walked away. Gaara waited for him by the car.

"What shit you gotta get done?" the man asked, before Naruto even reached him.

The blonde couldn't bother replying. Instead he sighed, made his way to the trunk of the car and beckoned the redhead closer. Frowning, the man dragged himself over. Naruto popped open the trunk. Gaara found himself looking at what clearly seemed to be a dead body.

"Who's that?" he asked, quite casually.

"The dick who shot you", Naruto told, and slammed the trunk back shut.

Gaara said nothing, and Naruto wouldn't have listen even if he had. Both of them made their way inside the car. Naruto seated himself behind the wheel, Gaara took shotgun. The blonde hunched over to hotwire the engine to life, while the other one curiously watched him do so. Upon hearing the motor start, he couldn't help but raise a questioning brow.

"You know how to hotwire a car?" he asked, mildly amused. Naruto rolled his eyes and huffed.

"What kinda middle class dream you think I grew up in?"

It wasn't a question that needed to be answered. Both of them perfectly content with silence, the drive back to civilization began. It wasn't before they'd reached the highway when Gaara finally spoke again.

"You shot him?"

"Yeah."

In all its simplicity, it was an enlightening exchange of words. Gaara was forced to come face to face with the fact that he'd horribly underestimated the blonde. He'd seen his patience wear thin, seen his patience crumble altogether, even witnessed him resort to violence. But never had Gaara imagined him taking a human life with ease, and not express remorse over it. Though somewhat impressed by how unfazed the blonde seemed, Gaara also found it problematic. So far he'd largely depended on the man's humane nature. His sympathy, will to forgive and forget. But now it was beginning to look like there was a limit to that humanity of his. And whether or not he'd end up being serious about never wanting to see the redhead again depended entirely on how close to that limit Gaara had pushed him already. Not knowing made him uncomfortable.

For the next hour or so, they drove in silence. Gaara couldn't claim he was familiar enough with the area to know where exactly they were, but as Naruto finally led them off the highway, he supposed they were nearing their destination. Glimpses of the coastline could be seen from between trees and buildings. The redhead didn't think much of it for as long as they drove along the shore, but as the blonde then took a turn leading to a wooded area, and even closer to the sea, he couldn't help but silently question it. Out of the woods eventually came to view an old, lonely dock. One that clearly hadn't been in use for decades. Naruto took notice of Gaara's confused expression, but instead of offering an explanation, he parked the car and wordlessly exited it. The engine was left running.

Gaara watched through the window as Naruto walked over to an aged, rusty shipping container standing next to the dock. The container had a door and two iron-barred windows. It must've been modified into a living space of some sorts. Naruto stopped at the door and knocked on it. A man opened it. Nobody Gaara recognized. He couldn't make out the words they spoke, but did notice the blonde give the man a considerable amount of cash. The money changed owners, the door closed and the blonde walked his way back to the car. Opening the driver side door, he began emptying the car of all possessions.

"Get out", he ordered, not really even glancing the redhead's way.

Though utterly confused, and just the slightest bit suspicious, Gaara did as told. Yet again left void of any explanation, he then witnessed the other one climb behind the steering wheel and close the door. The redhead didn't even get the chance to wonder if he'd drive away, as for one reason or another, Naruto drove the car up the ramp leading to the fairly lengthy dock. That's when Gaara's suspicion grew into disbelieving dread.

A lit cigarette dangling between his lips and a roll of duct tape in hand, Naruto stepped out of the car he'd left running on neutral gear. Blocking out the distant sounds of Gaara attempting to form words, he crouched down beside the open door, and ripped off a few generous strips of duct tape. Turning Gaara's worst nightmare into a reality, he taped the gas pedal to the floor. The engine roared on full steam, but the car stayed put. Allowing the motor to freely scream bloody murder, Naruto pulled himself off the ground. He paused, just long enough to draw in a deep breath. And then he reached for the gear stick. He only barely made it out of the way in time.

Gaara was at a loss for words. He was distantly aware of his jaw hanging open, but couldn't have cared less. Not when he was watching eyes wide a car worth millions drive itself off a dock and into the sea. Naruto appeared beside him after a while, but absolutely no part of his existence reached the horrified redhead's awareness. Thoroughly appalled and aghast, he watched the Maybach sink into the cold water. He could've sworn he was feeling chest pains. Perhaps even a slight ache in his left arm. He would undoubtedly suffer a cardiac arrest. A sincerely heartbroken wince escape his parted lips.

"I'm gonna cry."

"No you ain't."

Most of the car was gone already. A few lonely bubbles emerged from the water, like a desperate call for help. While Gaara looked like he truly was about to break into hysteric tears, Naruto was the embodiment of indifference.

"I...I can't believe you did that", Gaara whispered, as if incapable of proper speech.

Naruto rolled his eyes. Though fairly certain that the redhead wasn't even equipped with tear ducts, he made a weak attempt at consoling the man.

"Think about the bright side. One less problem", he said, letting out a puff of smoke.

"That. And a few fuckin' million", Gaara mumbled.

Feeling like he deserved it more than the blonde, he reached out to steal the cigarette from between the man's lips. Naruto scowled, but let him take it. There they stood, both gazing at the sea. One admired the vast horizon, the other considered diving after the pricey vehicle. Even more so, when he realized what'd sunken along with it.

"Shit. My gun was in the glove compartment."

Naruto snorted at the utter devastation laced between the redhead's words, but then reached into his pocket and pulled out the gun he'd taken off the corpse. He offered it to Gaara.

"This one ain't."

Gaara took what he was offered, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. He seemed happy with is new toy.

"Damn. I just might marry you."

Naruto made a face. Gaara shot a duck. All was as usual again.

Roughly an hour later, they had finally made it to the nearest city. The walk from the coastline had ended up being longer than expected, causing Gaara to struggle. But though obviously tired and run-down, Naruto remained amazed by how well he could endure what must've been excruciating pain. Crippling, to anyone but him. When Gaara's legs finally gave out on him, Naruto was there to catch him. For a refreshing change, the man made no arguments against it. He willingly leaned his weight against the other one, and Naruto let him. Their walk through the city continued for as long as it took for the blonde to spot a train station. He stopped, forcing Gaara to halt as well.

"We're gon' take the train", Naruto declared. The redhead displayed reluctance.

"Can't we just steal another car?" he grunted, clearly not in the mood for public transport. The blonde gave him a disbelieving look.

"You've been shot, possess unlawful weaponry and can't run for shit. Get caught in a stolen car, and even I can't bullshit your way out."

It was a valid argument. Valid enough for Gaara to drag along, despite his hatred for closed spaces filled with people. To his luck, Naruto was familiar enough with the area to find the right the train with ease. Though it was fairly crowded, they were lucky enough to find a pair of free seats. Two more seats became vacant the second they seated themselves down, as the people across them apparently rather stood than sat in the vicinity of whatever it was they came across as. Naruto raised a brow at their poorly disguised rudeness, but could hardly blame them. He knew the two of them stuck out like a sore thumb. They were bloody, dirty and tattooed. Looked like a pair of sorry junkies. But however that made others feel was their personal hell, not his. Ignoring the stares and whispers around them, Naruto glanced at the redhead. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he was obviously in grave pain.

"It's a two hour ride. Try to sleep", he suggested. The redhead's answer was but a grunt.

"No."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Why did he even bother?

"Whatever."

In the end, it was Naruto who began to feel drowsy. He fought against it with yawns and ergonomic posture, but about halfway through the ride, was already fast asleep. Gaara, not so much. Even if he'd wanted to sleep, the excruciating pain wouldn't have allowed such luxury. The tried everything from regulating his breath to pinching his arm to ease the agony, but failed miserably. Sighing, he shut his eyes and rested his head against the seat. Having mostly given up on the pain lessening, he could only endure it. Which was a task easier said than done.

Unexpectedly, something lightly bumped against his shoulder. Twice, before the light bump turned into a heavy weight resting against him. Frowning, Gaara opened his eyes and glanced to his left. He came to find that not only had Naruto fallen asleep, but was very much using his shoulder as a pillow. Trapped in a situation he could only describe as awkward, Gaara wasn't sure what to do. Considering his condition, the list of things he could do in general was terribly short. His pitiful attempt to shrug the blonde off him ended in nothing but an embarrassing squeak of agony falling from his mouth. Hardly the manliest sound possible.

Concluding that sudden movement was off limits, he considered simply waking the blonde up. And he would've, hadn't he somehow become horribly distracted by the man's restful face. Only faintly aware of how ridiculous it was to watch him sleep, Gaara found himself looking at things he'd never noticed before. To be fair, he'd never had a chance to see him so still and quiet. But even then, he hadn't imagined it'd make such a difference. Asleep, the man looked much younger than his age. All the signs of stress and burdens momentarily gone, he no longer looked as angry and emotionally tortured. The usually stern features looked smoother when not in a scowl, lips looked softer when parted. All of him suddenly seemed so effortless and at ease, close to flawless. And it was perfect in a way Gaara had never thought anything could be.

Without really thinking about it, Gaara slowly reached to run his fingers through the blonde hair. As if of their own accord, they found their way down the side of his face, over the edge of his jawline and under his chin. The redhead slightly tilted the man's head upwards. He stopped to watch the parted lips. Too curious not to, he gently ran his thumb across the lower one. They were soft. And pale red. And everything he suddenly wanted to remember the taste of, but couldn't. Dangerously close to doing something he'd inevitably regret, the blonde startled him by releasing a soft sound. Just loud enough to alert Gaara back to reality. Taken aback by his own actions, he was quick to move his hand away along with his gaze. To pull the rest of himself together, he shook his head and inhaled a deep breath.

"What the fuck?" he whispered to himself.

He must've been losing his mind. And was well aware of the cause. It sat right there, leaning against him. Way too close to comfort. If only to regain some sense, Gaara twisted his body enough to feel a stab of pain run down his left side. Hoping it'd keep him even remotely sane, he focused solely on the agony. It worked to the extent it could. For the rest of the ride, he was free of most strange thoughts and urges. Compared to the torment of those, the pain was next to nothing. When the train finally stopped at their station, Gaara wasted no time to nudge the blonde awake.

"Wake up. We're here."

Naruto woke up with a start, lifted up his head and blinked a few times to accustom his eyes to the bright lights again. He looked confused.

"I fell asleep?" he asked, voice still drowsy.

"Yeah", Gaara grunted. "And drooled all over me."

Naruto scowled. He realized that not only was the man right, but he'd spent the entire time leaning against him. If only to avoid feeling any further awkward and uncomfortable, he said nothing of it, but instead got up to leave. It was somewhat of a stretch for Gaara to get up on his own, yet he managed. As Naruto offered his support for walking, he didn't even hesitate to accept. The pain was slowly but surely becoming unbearable. It would've been stupid of him to decline. They made it out of the train, through the station, and onto familiar streets. Naruto couldn't help but feel a sense of relief upon standing among recognizable surroundings. It felt good to be home. Keen on making it literally there as well, he was about to stop a passing cab when a sudden realization hit him.

Gaara wouldn't be coming with him. Somehow, he'd forgotten.

Reality setting in, Naruto turned to glance at the man leaning most of his weight against him. He was obviously tired and in bad shape. The idea of leaving him on his own felt wrong and unfair. But as much as the blonde wanted to feel sympathy, he denied himself it. He'd made up his mind once already.

"You gonna be okay from here on?" he asked, somewhat awkwardly. Why he cared enough to even ask, he wasn't sure.

Gaara let go of the blonde to stand on his own again. His footing seemed weak and unreliable, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

"Yeah."

For just a second or two, Naruto stayed and wondered what to say. Nothing came to mind. Thus he said nothing at all. And so he turned and walked away. Refusing to look back, he made his way through the rush hour jam, focused only on finding a free cab. Upon finally finding one, he claimed the ride his own and gave the driver his home address. As soon as the cab took off, Naruto let himself sigh in relief. He was on his way home. Alone. Most likely to meet the wrath of his wife, but nonetheless alone.

The thought of Sakura was quick to turn his brief relief into annoyance. He could already tell she'd bombard him with questions the second he'd walk in the door. Questions he neither could nor would answer. In all honesty, he had no idea how he'd dodge the woman's invasive curiosity. There were so many things she'd demand an explanation for, and so few Naruto could give. He couldn't tell her the truth. Couldn't tell her about Gaara, couldn't tell about yakuza. There was very little he _could_ tell. And even most of that would be a bundle of lies. Most worryingly, Naruto wasn't sure he'd be capable of constructing lies of such a grand scale.

Whatever relief the blonde might've momentarily felt, was now long gone. If he felt so worried over such a relatively small thing as lying to his wife, he truly would have no chance surviving the actual issue at hand. He was a dead man walking, and knew it. He wouldn't be able to fight whomever the mafia would send after him. Outrun a few, at the very best. But a coward's path wasn't really a reliable plan in the long run. Abandoning the redhead suddenly started to feel like the worst decision he'd ever made. Neither of them would survive on their own. Without Gaara, he'd be dead in a matter of weeks, if in luck. With Gaara, he'd go crazy in days. Either way, he'd end up either dead or insane. Naruto wasn't sure which of the two evils were the lesser.

The cab came to a stop at a red light. The blonde shut his eyes and sighed.

"Shit."

Though perhaps unfair, he didn't bother explaining. Leaving behind nothing but an empty backseat and the little change on him, Naruto exited the car and immediately sprinted into a run. Dodging traffic and fellow pedestrians, he rushed his way back to where he'd left the redhead. It took him several minutes to travel the distance, and upon arrival, he could tell right away the man wasn't there anymore. Lungs already beaten and breathless, he paused just long enough to gaze his surroundings. Even in the sea of people, the tall man should've been easy to spot. Yet he was nowhere to be seen. Certain that he couldn't have made it very far, Naruto forced himself to choose between two roads, and hoping he hadn't chosen wrong, began to run again.

For a very fortunate change, luck finally seemed to be on his side. Across the road, slumped down on a bench with a cigarette between his lips and a hand pressed against the wounded side, was Gaara. Too tired to find a crosswalk, Naruto struggled his way through the sea of cars, not much caring for his or anybody else's safety. He almost got hit by a car, twice, and nearly tripped over the pavement, but made it across eventually. Gaara didn't seem to notice him before he stood right beside the bench. Even as the blonde slumped down next to him, the man barely even glanced his way. Hadn't it been for the loud panting and huffing, he might've not bothered even that.

"Hey", Naruto uttered between generous gasps of air.

Gaara turned to look, but said nothing. It wasn't exactly joy he displayed for the blonde's sudden reappearance, but Naruto decided to ignore that. Instead he gathered the breath and stupidity needed to speak the one sentence he'd sworn he wouldn't.

"I'm takin' you home."

The redhead scowled.

"I don't have one."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"My home, moron."

Gaara merely scoffed.

"Why the fuck would I wanna go there?"

Panting his left lung out and fighting the need to pass out, Naruto couldn't help but let his head fall against the other's shoulder with a loud thud. In the midst of gathering the breath speaking required, he wondered just how he'd imagined he'd fight trained killers, if a five minute run left him in the need of life support.

"Cause you got nowhere else to go", Naruto wheezed. Ignoring the disaster the blonde was, Gaara grunted dismissively.

"How the fuck would you know?" he questioned. Naruto had achieved enough control over his breath to sigh condescendingly.

"I was the first person you came to see after _seven years in prison_."

Gaara scowled. He hated it when the blonde was right. It became obvious to both of them that the redhead had no other option but to go along. Stubbornly refusing to admit it out loud, he wordlessly made a move to struggle his way up, only to be stopped by the other's head pressing harder against his shoulder.

"Two more minutes, dude", Naruto croaked. "I think I might throw up."

After those two minutes, obviously foreseen arguing over Gaara walking on his own, and half an hour of hellish traffic, the two of them finally arrived at their destination. While the redhead dragged himself out of the cab, Naruto paid for the ride, and forcibly silenced the voice at the back of his head reminding that he still had a chance to change his mind. As the cab finally drove away, leaving the two of them to stand before the familiar three story house, Naruto could confidently claim that standing in his own driveway had never made him as happy and terrified at the same time. Or separately, either. A shaky breath escaped his lips.

"Okay. Because I have no way of explaining this to the dragon waitin' inside, I'm goin' first", he informed to the redhead. "You wait here."

Leaving Gaara to wait, Naruto made his way to the front door, took out his keys and went to unlock it. He cracked the door ajar. Darkness was there to greet him. For a second, he feared something might've happened. But reminding himself to act rational, he stepped inside and searched the house. He found nothing. Supposing that Sakura had gone to take care of errands, he made his way back outside.

"She ain't home", he told the other one.

Gaara nodded and slowly walked to the door. He briefly glanced at the blonde, before walking past him and into the house. Naruto shut the door behind him and flicked on the lights. Gaara stood there in the hallway, stiff and still, unsure of how to stand or what to do. It felt weird to him, to be in the blonde's home. Invited.

"You're free to move, y'know", Naruto assured him.

Gaara took his time to reply. Curious gaze scanning the surroundings, he studied the details of the house. It certainly was spacey. Must've been pricey, as well. The interior was pleasing to the eye, most definitely designed with careful thought. Just not Naruto's. That he could tell by the light color scale, spotless surfaces and over all feminine details.

"I really, really need a shower", Gaara finally stated.

"Go have one."

The redhead sighed. There was a slight issue, one he rather would've left unvoiced.

"I...can't get these bandages off myself."

His voice came out as a barely coherent mumble, but unfortunately for both, Naruto heard him just fine. Mimicking the redhead's scowl, the blonde groaned tiredly.

"Marvelous", he muttered.

Gaara looked no happier. Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll help you."

What followed was awkward avoidance of eye contact and uncomfortable stripping of clothing. Never before had Naruto thought it'd take two men to get off a single shirt, and in all honesty, would've lived just fine without ever learning such a thing. But though mildly disgruntled, he could tell the effort wasn't a complete waste. The man really did need a shower. Underneath the shirt hid a mess of dried blood and stickiness. It must've felt uncomfortable.

"Turn around."

Gaara did as told and turned his back to the blonde. For a brief moment, Naruto was thrown off by the tattooed skin again. Refusing to let it distract him, he ignored the ink altogether and instead began unwrapping the bandages. He had to get uncomfortably close to the redhead in order to reach around him. It was all sorts of awkward and troublesome, and lasted much longer than really necessary in his opinion. And after what seemed like forever, Naruto had managed to remove most of the bandage, only to find that the rest wasn't as willing to. It had stuck to the wound.

"Turn."

Gaara turned. Naruto gave him an askance look.

"This is gon' hurt."

Perfectly unfazed by the warning, Gaara let the other one slowly pull off the stuck parts. The wound had bled through several layers. It wasn't too bad at first, but as Naruto reached the last two layers, it became difficult for the redhead to stifle the hisses of pain anymore. Ripping the thing off too quickly would've caused the wound to open up again, thus he was forced to suck it up and endure the pain. When he finally was free of the bandage, Gaara dropped his gaze to see the wound. It compelled him to cringe.

"Damn. That shit's gonna hurt for a long time", he muttered. Naruto could only agree.

"Yeah. And guess what?"

"What?"

The blonde threw away the bloody bandages and flashed a grin far too pleased. Gaara eyed him suspiciously.

"We're gon' disinfect it again."

The look of utter discomfort wasn't one usually seen on the redhead's face, but it fit the occasion.

"No we ain't. It's fine", he attempted to argue.

Naruto opened up the medicine cabinet to find clean bandages and, of course, the dreaded bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"Stop bein' a whiny bitch", he grunted in return. "Go take that shower. Downstairs and to the right."

Tearing his bitter stare away from what he could only describe as bottled evil and loathing, Gaara limped his way out of the kitchen. Naruto watched him struggle his way down the stairs, and had to admit it was the funniest thing he'd seen in a good while. Naturally he did not laugh. Despite the man's restricting condition, Naruto was fairly sure Gaara still could've strangled him to death with ease. If only to avoid such, he merely smirked in silence and turned the other way. Left to wait for the redhead to return, he decided to kill time by changing into clean clothes himself.

He made his way upstairs and into the master bedroom. Opening his closet, he grabbed the first articles of clothing that caught his eye and changed out of the dirty ones. Dressed in a clean set of clothes and instantly feeling a whole lot more relaxed, he let himself enjoy the feel of a real bed. His own bed. The past couple of nights in utter discomfort made him appreciate its familiar smell just that much more. He would sleep like a baby tonight. Maybe.

Turning to face the ceiling, Naruto scowled. Realizing just whom he'd invited to stay at his house, it was likely he wouldn't sleep at all.

"What the hell was I thinking?" he muttered to himself.

It was a question he truly could not answer. He'd welcomed the most dangerous man he'd ever met into his home. He might as well have invited the devil himself to join the party. Though it was far too late to question the decision anymore, he couldn't help but wonder why he'd done such a thing. Not to mention exactly how he'd explain the unexpected visitor to his wife. He couldn't tell her the truth, obviously. But taking into count his lousy ability to lie, he was left with very few options. He'd more or less backed himself into a corner.

Sighing at his own stupidity and impulsive nature, Naruto reached to grab his phone. In the need of a distraction, he picked out Sasuke's number and hit dial. The man was fairly quick to pick up.

"Moron."

"Hey, dumbass. I'm home."

He could almost swear he heard a breath of relief travel from the other end of the line.

"You okay?" Sasuke questioned.

"Yeah", Naruto replied, though not entirely sure of its sincerity. His friend seemed to buy it just fine regardless.

"Good", Sasuke grunted. "So what's up?"

"A lot", the blonde sighed. "We'll talk 'bout it next time we see."

"I got some news for you as well", Sasuke revealed. Naruto frowned.

"What is it?" he pried. The other one chuckled, somewhat teasingly.

"I'll tell you when we meet up."

A brief smile visited on the blonde's lips, but was quick to fade. Reminded of all the stress he was under, a tired groan was close to escaping his pursed lips.

"Not sure when that'll happen. I've got...business to take care of", he muttered vaguely.

He could already tell Sasuke wasn't pleased with such a nonspecific reasoning, but the man never said anything of it. Merely grunted in a mildly disgruntled manner.

"Hn. Call me when you got time", he said instead.

"Sure, love."

Sasuke smirked. "Bye, douche."

"Bye, dickhead."

Naruto hung up. He fought not to sigh yet again. He had absolutely no idea how to enlighten Sasuke about the recent events in his life. No idea how to tell he'd taken Gaara home with him. Or that he was involved with the man in the first place. For the time being, he could avoid telling, but also knew such cowardliness wouldn't take him very far. If lucky, he might be able to take it a step further and come up with an excuse, once all hope of avoiding the issue was lost. Not that he was sure an excuse good enough existed. And in the end, what good would it do? It was likely that Naruto himself craved for excuses, as none of his decisions of late seemed explicable otherwise. Not through logic, and especially not reason.

Whatever emotional roller coaster Gaara had trapped him inside of was something he'd never experienced before. One minute he wanted to rip the man into pieces small enough to push through a strainer, the next he was prepared to kill for him. Naruto had never been emotionally skilled in general, and even less did he know how to handle insecurity. And that was all his existence seemed to consist of anymore. Inexplicable moods and feelings of uncertainty. He hated it. Hated every last bit of it. He wanted to be in control of his own being, wanted to know what was happening and why. But at the moment, control was not a part of his reality. He felt utterly confused and helpless, like a wounded animal. A victim of his own instincts, void of thought and intellect.

"Fuck."

Though as of late he'd found himself mumbling profanities at thin air more than usual, he knew he wasn't the only one feeling frustrated and confused. Gaara seemed equally as puzzled by his own actions. It had led Naruto to believe that he wasn't the only one going crazy. Which was a fascinating phenomena to see happen in itself. Whatever conception he'd had of Gaara at first no longer held any truth to it. He was nothing like he'd imagined the man to be. Nothing like he'd been told. He was dangerous, yes, and obviously bad news, but not the least bit clinically calm and composed like he'd been led to believe.

Maybe Kakashi had been right. Maybe it was Naruto who turned him into this volatile disaster of unpredictable reactions. He somewhat hoped that to be true. It would've given him some leverage against the mental hell the man caused him. For nobody had ever made him as confused and mentally unstable as Gaara. It was strange, infuriating and far beyond his understanding. At least for now.

Noises from downstairs distracted Naruto from his thoughts. Lazily he dragged himself off the bed, out of the room and down the stairs. As he reached the last step, he lifted his downcast gaze to find Gaara standing in front of him. Naruto came to an abrupt halt. His stare fell into standby mode.

Gaara stood there with nothing but a towel around his waist. Water had washed away the blood and dirt, revealing snow white skin and abs so outrageously toned, it was ridiculous. The man's wet hair dripped water down his pale chest, as if inviting to be stared at. He looked photoshopped. The gaping hole in his side could barely be even considered a flaw among all that inhumane perfection. Entirely disregarding the concept of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, Naruto decided he had never seen anything as annoyingly flawless. He wasn't sure what to say or do. He knew he was staring, but couldn't say why. He knew he looked like an idiot, but couldn't stop.

Words. Sentences. How did those work again?

"I...You...Do you need clothes?"

His attempt at speech could hardly even be called one. Painfully aware of still staring at the sight before him, Naruto wished he could've looked away. Gaara couldn't say he minded the stare. He found it amusing, more than anything. A chuckle left his smirking lips.

"You sure you want me to?"

Naruto could confidently claim that he'd never felt as embarrassed and intrigued at the same time. He could easily explain the embarrassment, but struggled to say why he felt intrigued. He'd seen fit men before, and not once had he found himself staring. He'd seen half-naked men before, but never had he wondered what the rest would've looked like. So why on earth did he feel his face heat up and mind wander off to territory he'd never wished to visit?

"Trust me. You definitely need clothes", the blonde finally mumbled, still gazing at the other man.

Gaara tilted his head curiously, the smirk still there. Which, for reasons unknown, this time wasn't as much annoying as it was perfect.

Finally regaining some form of sense, Naruto hastily turned the other way and clumsily ran up the stairs. He barged his way back into the bedroom, back to his closet, and overcome by some strange variation of panic, began digging out clothes. Determined to find the oldest pair of sweatpants he owned and the baggiest t-shirt in existence, he threw out everything that wasn't one of the two. The image of a certain wet, half-naked, sculpted-from-fucking-marble redhead refused to leave his mind. Halfway through his quest to find clothes, he forgot what he was even doing. He stopped roaming through his clothes to let out a growl of utter frustration. The shirt in his hand got thrown across the room and his face buried in the palms of his hands.

"What the actual fuck?" he hissed under his breath.

What the hell was wrong with him? He didn't want to admit that there had been a short, nearly insignificant moment at which he'd wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch that pretty son of a bitch. Not a single inch of that insane, homicidal prick should've been desirable in any way.

"Fuck. Shit. _Fuck_."

Naruto slapped himself. Slammed his open hand against his own face, twice. It calmed him down the little it could. Taking in a deep breath, he pulled himself together again, and decided to continue his search for clothing. He would find what he was looking for, go back downstairs and pretend none of it ever happened. If Gaara said even half a word about it, he'd definitely discover a bullet between his eyes. Naruto did as planned. He grabbed the clean set of clothes, walked back downstairs, and avoiding eye contact at all costs, shoved the bundle of clothes against the redhead's bare chest. He tried not to be too obvious about it, but most likely failed miserably. The obnoxious look on the man's face was too profound to go unnoticed.

"Shut up", Naruto grunted.

"I didn't say a thing", Gaara said in his defense, still smirking. "You still gotta patch me up, y'know."

The blonde cringed. He'd forgotten all about it. The thought of skin contact with the redhead made him want to dig a deep hole to crawl inside. But he supposed it was too late to complain. He could only wish he'd thought twice before bringing that coverboy home. Or thought about anything in general.

"Fuckin' fine", Naruto grunted. "At least put pants on, for fuck's sake."

Refusing to stay and listen to any potentially questionable remarks, the blonde made his way into the kitchen. He took a seat by the table and let out a deep sigh. While waiting for Gaara to achieve even a vague stage of correctness, he made sure he had everything needed to treat the wound. Though he'd wished for a slightly longer break from the redhead, it barely took a minute for him to appear in the doorway, somewhat clothed. As Naruto lifted his gaze to acknowledge the man, he learned something new. It did not matter if Gaara wore the oldest pair of sweatpants imaginable, he still looked fine as hell. Couch potato chic, but fine as hell. Sighing for the millionth time, Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Go wait in the living room", he grunted tiredly.

Gaara did as told. Left to sit alone, Naruto silently cursed himself to the lowest pits of hell. Keen on murdering every last one of the uninvited butterflies fluttering inside him, he took a moment to think about dead puppies and world hunger. It killed roughly half of the parasitic butterfly population. The rest he would have to deal with. Releasing a frustrated grunt, Naruto grabbed the things he needed and made his way into the other room. He found Gaara lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Kneeling down beside the man, the blonde stopped to stare at the gash in his side.

"Does it hurt?" he asked. The redhead gave him a sideways glance.

"What do you think?" he grunted in return.

Naruto decided to take that as a yes. He popped open the bottle of alcohol and soaked a clean cloth in the clear liquid, before pressing it against the redhead's side. The man flinched, unprepared. Not letting it bother him, the blonde moved on to pour the stingy fluid onto his stomach and directly into the wound. Gaara released an unplanned groan of pain. Naruto pretended he did not slightly enjoy the sound of it.

"I'll give you painkillers once we're done", he promised, closing the bottle and setting it aside. "Okay, sit up."

The redhead struggled himself up to sit. It wasn't before he finally managed it, when Naruto realized the awkward position he'd be forced to take again. Finding himself kneeled down between the redhead's legs, he determinedly decided not to overthink it. Solely focused on placing a new bandage around the other man, his mind did a fairly good job of not sidetracking. And he might've made it through without a single questionable thought, hadn't it been for the unexpected touch running through his hair. Momentarily pausing, he lifted his gaze to find the redhead looking down at him, fingers buried in blonde hair. The man's fist clenched, gently locking the fair strands inside.

"I like you a lot more kneeled between my legs, y'know", he said, smirking.

Naruto let the bemusement leave his face, replacing it with a scowl.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer", he grunted, carrying on with what he'd briefly paused doing.

The hold on his hair loosened. But wouldn't let go. Gaara chuckled.

"You wanna find out how long I last?"

The blonde paused yet again. But only to sigh, before continuing.

"You should know better than to say shit like that."

The redhead let out a bored grunt and finally drew his hand away.

"Don't be so touchy."

"I'm not."

The annoyance in Naruto's voice was beginning to seep through. As much as he hated it, the redhead knew exactly how to get under his skin. And Gaara was just as aware of it. Hence the mocking chuckle.

"You're way too easy", the man sneered.

Killing the urge to spit out insults, Naruto bit the inside of his cheek. He was exactly one bind away from being done. He wasn't about to lose this ridiculous game of power.

"Easy? Bullshit", he huffed, finally securing the bandage in place.

It was as good it'd ever be. And even if it hadn't, he wouldn't have cared enough to fix it. Desperately in the need of a cigarette, and perhaps a lobotomy, he made a move to get up and leave. If only the redhead would've kept his mouth shut, he might've made it further than just the intention.

"Not even a challenge."

The blonde's attempt to lift himself off the floor came to a halt. For a brief moment, he stayed perfectly still, gaze glued to the floor and teeth gritting in annoyance. He used that moment to evaluate whether or not he was vain enough to feel provoked. Even before he really could decide, he'd laid an askance look on the redhead and twisted his lips into a malicious smirk. He finally did lift himself up, but stayed. He stepped closer and placed his hands against the backrest, trapping the one seated in place. Bringing his face uncomfortably close, he thoroughly savored the look of instant discomfort on the man's features.

"Do I bore you?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "I wasn't aware I only exist to entertain you."

The redhead's expression turned confused, perhaps even surprised. Not sure how to respond, he said nothing at all. The man's bemusement compelled Naruto to display amusement in return. One hand moving to tug on red hair, he chuckled.

"All this time I could've lived to please you", he sighed with overflowing sarcasm. "What a fuckin' shame it is you never told me what to do."

For the sake of hopefully seeing the redhead squirm in discomfort, Naruto fought not to laugh at the look on his face. It was a mix of horror and confusion, as if he could not decide how to react. And the blonde was determined to stretch that confusion of his to its uttermost limit.

"But you like a challenge, don't you?" he sneered, his hold on the man's hair tightening.

Unlike usual, Gaara showed no signs of anger, barely even annoyance. Instead he was frozen still, lips parted in mild daze and baffled stare fixed on the spiteful blonde. Keen on exploiting every last ounce of that bafflement, Naruto forced a suggestive tone to join his otherwise mocking voice.

"Imagine if I'd made it easy. Begged you to fuck me against a cell wall and call me your bitch."

It went without saying, he did imagine it. It was exhilarating in every way possible, to watch the utter disarray on the man's face. He seemed indecisive of whether to look into the blonde's eyes, or stare at the lips too close to his not to be interpreted as an invite. Naruto finally let his grip on the redhead's hair go, instead taking a hold of the chain around his neck. With a light tug, he made the situation just that much more confusing to the other one.

"Hm, how boring would that have been."

Too hypothetical to be a question, it ended up as more of a statement. One that Gaara could respond to only with a strangled stutter, a silent pause and eventually, a lousy argument.

"I...I was just jokin', dude."

The blonde instantly narrowed his eyes, the smirk on his lips turning into a scowl.

"Yeah. So am I."

Silence fell, but neither of them moved. Naruto's harsh stare stayed fixed on the redhead, one clenched fist still trapping inside the chain around his neck. Gaara didn't really notice it anymore. But the brief, barely a second long glance down at his lips, that he did notice. And it made him wonder, just how big of an idiot did the blonde take him for?

"Are you?"

Naruto flinched only internally, but Gaara noticed it nonetheless. The look of surprise on his face was too obvious to go unnoticed. And the slightest of stammer in his voice gave away much more than he'd intended.

"I...Of course I am."

The redhead's so far confused expression turned less that and more obnoxious. It was his turn to smirk maliciously, as if he'd won something more than just a chance to embarrass the blonde. Stubbornly ignoring the pain in his side, Gaara reached out and grabbed the front of Naruto's shirt. With a light tug, he pulled the man down and forward, forcing him to kneel on the couch. The faint sound of surprise threatening to escape him was quickly stifled by the feel of smirking lips brushing against his.

"Liar."

Spitefully delighted by how speechless the blonde seemed, Gaara placed his hands on the man's hips and let his touch slide under the other's shirt. Finally, Naruto let out a strained sound of bafflement. He knew he could and should have moved away, but somehow forgot to. As if paralyzed, he stayed put and only focused on how incredibly important the two inch gap between their faces was. Suddenly incapable of forming sentences longer than two words, he uttered out a reason why that said gap should continue to exist.

"I'm married."

The redhead chuckled, nails digging into the blonde's sides.

"I don't care."

The incredibly important gap disappeared, softly, briefly, barely for a second. Naruto hadn't planned on closing his eyes upon feeling it happen, yet found himself doing so anyway.

"I work for you", he muttered, barely coherently.

The nails pressed against his skin slid down his sides, undoubtedly leaving faint marks. It caused him to shiver, and he hated that.

"I know, I hired you", the other one reminded.

Feeling the redhead gently nibble his neck just below the jawline, Naruto reminded himself of how none of this was included in his contract of service. Yet, somehow he found himself burying his fingers into red hair, and truly struggled with finding an excuse good enough to stop doing so.

"I'm straight."

Considering how irrelevant his supposed sexual orientation had proven to be, it was perhaps the lousiest excuse he could've come up with, and realized it the second he voiced it. Having let it slip, he was forced to face the redhead's amusement. And lacking all consideration as per usual, Gaara wasn't the least bit shy to tell him exactly what made it as lousy of an excuse as it was.

"Then why are you hard?"

Naruto was officially out of excuses. Like an utter moron, he stubbornly opened his mouth to blurt out more stupidities, but upon realizing he had none left, shut his jaws tightly together. He knew he shouldn't have let the lack of excuses become a reason to admit defeat, but allowed it to happen. And that look of defeat in his eyes was all the redhead needed to know he'd won, and close the distance between them once more. This time, he found no reason to break away.

At first, it felt strange. Naruto felt his body tense up and couldn't figure out what to do with his hands. He could barely respond to the lips moving against his, and wasn't sure if he wanted to. But that changed, once the feel of them finally left, leaving him to follow after. Not all the way, but enough for the attempt to become obvious to both of them. Realizing just how useless it was for him to pretend he didn't want to, the blonde flipped off all the rules he'd set for himself, smashed his mouth against the other's and quite gracelessly stumbled forward to straddle him. Though his eagerness might've been a tad pathetic, Gaara didn't seem to mind it in the least. And neither did Naruto, upon feeling the other's eagerness press against the back of his thigh.

The voice of reason demanding him to stop never really disappeared, but drowned beneath the low hum of something more than just temptation. Desire, perhaps. Whatever it was, it wasn't something he could've said no to. Even if he'd wanted to. He couldn't say for sure where the line between want and need exactly lay, but knew he'd crossed it. And the less he worried about it, the more he wondered why he should've. Until he no longer wondered about much at all.

Gaara still felt the pain. He felt it, hated it and let it turn him desperate. For every wave of pain, he found relief in holding the blonde just a little tighter, in pushing his nails just a little harsher into his skin. Every heavy breath he could draw out of him eased the pain, every little sign of pleasure made the agony worth it. And when only feeling him no longer was enough, he subtly moved his hands higher, lifting the helm of the other's shirt. Though a mere hint, it hit home like a demand. Suddenly eager to please, the blonde did the work for him and hastily rid himself of the shirt. Quick to abandon it on the floor, he wouldn't have wasted time to find the taste of the redhead's lips anew, hadn't the hand pressing against his bare chest forced him to.

The redhead stopped, only to stare. To silently gaze at the inked chest rising with a heavy breath beneath his touch. His watchful eyes traced the black lines permanently trapped beneath the tan skin, noticed every last enviably sculpted edge of him. As if he'd never seen it before. For a brief moment, he wondered why it seemed that way. And then remembered the many times he'd purposely looked the other way, afraid of noticing all the things he now did and wondering how it would feel to the touch. Realizing that he'd suddenly been granted permission to do both, the idea of it quickly traveled below his waist. As if things weren't uncomfortable enough there already.

"Fuck."

His voice came out as more of a hoarse whisper than anything else. A sound of utter defeat and sexual frustration. Naruto didn't much care what type of desperation it was. Growing tired of not receiving enough of the right kind of attention, he roughly tilted the other's head back, and claimed all attention as his own again. If only to make sure he'd drive the redhead insane, he shifted his hips against the other's. Not having expected it, Gaara released an unplanned groan of pleasure. He broke away from the blonde's lips, letting his forehead fall against the man's shoulder. His hold on the other's hips tightened and momentarily paused, before harshly forcing them to press against him again. The moan threatening to escape he stifled against Naruto's chest. As he did the next one.

It was sickly intoxicating, hearing him desperately try to drown the involuntary sounds. Realizing the control he could attain over the redhead by a simple shift of his hips, Naruto found no reason to stop. With every little move he made and gentle nip his teeth lay on the man's neck, he came closer to a form of control he'd never imagined he could achieve. Control that forced Gaara submissive and needy. One hand guiding the blonde's movement and the other scraping marks down his back, the redhead barely even realized the figurative leash he'd willingly latched himself on. He was too used to being in control of his own being to notice himself lose it. And even if he had, it most likely would've been too late for him to care.

"If you leave me like this, I swear I'll fuckin' hurt ya."

Despite the breathless voice, it sounded like a solid promise. The frustration laced between his words mostly made up for the lack of credibility, yet Naruto still found it amusing to an extent. Letting out a low chuckle between his heavy breaths, he smirked against man's shoulder. The hand finding its way to grab a fistful of his blonde hair compelled him to part his lips, run his tongue over the white skin, and finally, bite down. It earned him a poorly stifled wince, followed by an equally as badly masked moan. And the harder he bit, the less Gaara bothered fighting whatever sounds his lips were determined to let slip. Naruto couldn't help but smirk at the one trembling against him.

"Hn. Masochist."

Gaara didn't give much thought to what he replied. Had he, he would've thought twice.

"For you, I am."

The words caused Naruto to pause. Reading the other's suddenly tense body language, so did Gaara. Both of them pulled further away to meet the other's gaze. Silence fell. Naruto wondered if he'd heard right. Gaara wasn't sure why he'd said what he had. But both knew that it made things a whole lot more complicated. After a long while of quietly staring at one another, the blonde finally opened his mouth to say something, anything. Only to get interrupted by the sound of something far more terrifying than awkward silence. The front door opened and closed. Naruto's breath hitched, eyes widening in horror.

"_Shit_. It's her", he whispered.

It took less than a second for the two of them to be as far from one another as humanly possible. Instantly overcome by panic, Naruto rushed to find his shirt, while Gaara struggled to get on his feet. Lacking all consideration, the blonde began shoving him out of the room the second he managed to get up.

"Upstairs. Now", Naruto ordered, keeping his voice down.

Though not appreciative of the tone, Gaara did as told and left. Watching the man go, Naruto could only hope he wouldn't run into Sakura on the way up. Hurrying to get himself properly dressed again, the blonde pulled his shirt back on, while already heading to welcome his wife home. He found her seated by the kitchen table, going through the mail. As Naruto stepped into the room, she lifted her gaze up. A look of surprise fell upon her petite features. For just a second, Naruto feared he had 'I nearly fucked a dude just now' written all over his face. For another second, he feared he still had a boner, despite being fairly certain it'd dropped the second she'd walked in.

"You're home", the woman said, sounding shocked. Raising a questioning brow, Naruto let his fear of her noticing anything fade.

"Uh, yeah?" he replied, not quite sure what to think of her reaction.

The woman shook her head and smiled. Slightly forced, yet did anyway.

"Good. I was worried", she said kindly. Naruto couldn't help but narrow his eyes at her.

"Why are you being weird?" he asked. Sakura shrugged and got up from her seat.

"I'm not", she assured, then laying a questioning look on her husband. "Why are you wearing your shirt the wrong way round?"

Naruto flinched, gaze dropping down to witness the cause of her frown. Admitting that he'd been in too much of a hurry to hide the scratches covering his body to care which way his shirt went on perhaps wasn't a wise move.

"I-...Uhm, I don't know", he ended up stuttering.

The woman looked slightly suspicious. But to his luck, she ended up simply shrugging yet again.

"Whatever. I'm gonna take a shower. You could use one too, you know", she commented, wrinkling her nose.

Naruto didn't have to smell himself to know he reeked like roadkill. Two nights in a car and a swim in blood did that to a man.

"Yeah, I know", he grunted. Sakura stopped by the doorway to address him before leaving.

"Almost forgot", she sighed. "Once I'm done, we're gonna have a talk. I think you know what it'll be about."

Naruto simply nodded, impatiently waiting to see her leave. When she finally did go and disappeared down the stairs, he waited exactly two seconds, before sprinting into a run. Stumbling up the stairs, he barged into the bedroom across the hallway. There he found Gaara, leaning against the opposite wall and looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Naruto hardly was as calm and composed as the other one. With rushed and anxious steps, he made his way over and stopped to stand barely an inch away from the redhead. If only to avoid speaking in a voice any other than a whisper.

"Dude. The _fuck_ am I gonna tell her?" he hissed, audibly desperate.

Gaara shrugged. "How am I supposed to know?"

"Unless you wanna get beaten to death by that dragon, you fuckin' figure it out" the blonde hissed, as close to the man's face as humanly possible.

It was right about then Naruto became aware of the something pressing against his thigh. Glancing down, he learned that Gaara was still hard. Not in all his glory, but more than the loose clothing was willing to forgive. Closing his eyes in utter frustration, the blonde sighed. He concluded that the sweatpants were an even worse idea he'd initially imagined.

"Put that thing _down_", he growled through gritted teeth. Gaara gave him an unimpressed glare.

"That ain't how dicks work", he grunted in return. Incredibly close to clawing his own eyes out, Naruto struggled to keep his voice down.

"Just...do something 'bout it", he hissed, making up for the lack of volume with elaborate hand gestures. The redhead scowled.

"How 'bout you stop moving against it for starters", he huffed.

Forced to admit that the man had a point, the blonde stifled further remarks he felt like spitting out and stepped away. Settling on glaring at the redhead and his stubborn hard-on from afar, Naruto felt a wave of regret smack him like a ton of bricks. Just as he was about to verbally express that regret of his, an unfortunately familiar female voice chimed in.

"Naruto."

The blonde froze, his parted lips remaining open and eyes widening in pure horror. Very slowly, and extremely reluctantly, he turned to see his wife in the doorway, staring at the two of them. Despite trying, Naruto couldn't speak. Sakura did that for him.

"Why is there a half-naked, patched up stranger in our bedroom?"

Naruto's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He wanted to shoot himself, right then and there.

"Well?" Sakura asked.

"I...Uh, he's-"

Before he could embarrass himself any further, Gaara had already stepped forward. The man plastered the fakest, yet most charming smile imaginable across his face and made his way over to the pink-haired woman. To Naruto's horror, he gently took her delicate hand into his and placed a kiss on the back of it. Surprised, the woman blushed.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Gaara", the redhead told, with a tone so deep and inviting, it must've made her ovaries explode.

Naruto's jaw dropped. What on earth was he doing? Who the hell was this womanizer?

"I...I'm Sakura", the woman finally stuttered.

Naruto saw it just fine. The split second she glanced down, as well as the breath she skipped. The look on her face told exactly how generously nature had blessed the redhead, and the blonde couldn't believe how shamelessly she appreciated it. The fact that Gaara still held onto her hand did not help the matter.

"Yeah, you can let go already", he grunted. Gaara let go, but smirked.

"It's only polite to greet a beautiful woman properly", he purred, most definitely causing Sakura to melt from the inside out.

Naruto rolled his eyes. She was completely taken by whatever spell he'd cast upon her. No man truly could buy charisma like that. But though absolutely smitten, a faintly thoughtful look took over her features.

"Have I met you before?" she asked, curiously.

Naruto raised a brow. Though he'd feared it in advance, she didn't seem to remember the man, despite having opened the door for him only a couple of days ago. A shirtless Gaara certainly worked wonders. Causing memory loss, busting ovaries, the whole shebang.

"I doubt it. I don't actually know your husband", Gaara assured, still smiling kindly. "You see, I was in a car accident. He kindly took me to the hospital and invited me to your home. I don't live around here."

The way every word sounded like the truth made Naruto shudder with something unpleasant. The only claim actually true was that he didn't live around. He lived nowhere. Yet Sakura bought every last syllable of his sugarcoated bullshit.

"I see. In that case, you are very welcome to stay", she promised, remaining absolutely mesmerized by the redhead's intense stare.

Gaara smirked alluringly. "Not just gorgeous, but kind too."

While Naruto fought not to puke, Sakura could've continued staring at him for the rest of the night. It wasn't until the blonde cleared his throat meaningfully that the woman finally stopped daydreaming.

"Ah, I nearly forgot. I just came by to get a change of clothes", she chuckled nervously. "Don't let me disturb."

Hastily pulling out a bundle of clothes, she pranced her way back to the door, slowing down just enough to whisper a few words to her husband.

"Naruto, make eye candy some tea."

With that, she left, passing the redhead just a tad too closely to be entirely casual. Making a face at her turned back, Naruto couldn't help but spit out a few chosen words.

"I'm still your _husband_, y'know!"

The woman merely giggled, disappearing from his view. An utterly unimpressed look plastered across his face, the blonde turned to glare at Gaara. The disgustingly fake smile had vanished, but that hardly was a reason to celebrate.

"Seriously, Romeo?" Naruto hissed. Gaara grunted.

"Relax. One less problem to worry 'bout", he comforted. "Two, actually. Killed my boner in half a second."

Naruto was forced to admit that was true. Not that it was much of a help. Grabbing the first shirt that caught his eye, he shoved it against the man's bare chest.

"Put it on before my wife rapes you", he demanded. The redhead grunted, but did as told.

"Happy?"

No, not really. Naruto couldn't claim the shirt made him any less eye candy, but supposed it was better than the alternative. Whether it was better for him or his wife, he wasn't entirely sure. Sighing in defeat, Naruto shook his head and turned to leave the room.

"Can't you just be ugly?" he mumbled under his breath. Gaara followed a few steps behind, not quite catching it.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Roughly five minutes later, they both sat by the kitchen table. If only to humor his demanding spouse, Naruto had made the tea she'd insisted for. Gaara had called it being under the whip, Naruto called it avoidance of unnecessary bullshit. Either way, he had made tea happen and now cracked open a window to enjoy a cigarette on the side. The redhead followed his example.

"Don't your wife mind you smokin' inside?" he asked curiously. Naruto huffed bitterly.

"Not if Mr. Perfect sits with me doin' the same", he mumbled. The redhead snorted.

"Can't let it go, can ya?"

Naruto refused to reply to the remark. Instead, he made sure Sakura was well outside hearing range and brought up a subject more delicate.

"We gotta do something 'bout yakuza", he stated. "We ain't gonna stay alive by just sitting on our asses and waitin' to get shot."

Gaara sighed. "True. But there ain't much we can do."

Naruto let a serious frown knit his brows together. There was something he hated to bring up, but knew he had to.

"You gotta start talkin'. I need to know why this is happening to me", he stated. It immediately caused the other one to avoid eye contact.

"I can't", Gaara argued. Naruto fought not to feel annoyed by such a lousy excuse.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know what to do then?" he grunted, perhaps slightly irritated.

"You don't. I told you, I'll keep you safe", the redhead assured yet again.

If the blonde hadn't felt annoyed so far, he certainly did now. He could not understand how the man had the shame to promise such impossibilities. Though it did perhaps comfort him to an extent, he knew not to lean on it too much. Comforting promises were not a pledge of success.

"You can't promise that", Naruto sighed.

Gaara was determined to argue. "I never lie."

"You just lied my wife soakin' wet."

The redhead closed his eyes as a sign of frustration. He could not believe the things Naruto made him say.

"Not to you. I can't lie to you."

The blonde raised a mildly surprised brow. He found the reply unexpected. Which in itself made him question its sincerity. Curious gaze stopping to study the man across him, Naruto couldn't help but wonder just how much, or little, of everything Gaara did and said held any truth to it at all. He didn't know much about him, really. Didn't know if he'd killed and dismembered seven human beings. Not knowing bothered him. But no longer caring bothered him even more. It did not really matter if the man was a murderer or not. It wouldn't make Naruto need him less, depend on him less. His entire life lay in that man's hands. And as much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't sure if he minded it as much anymore.

"You're nothing like I imagined", Naruto found himself saying.

The redhead smirked crookedly. "You're much more than I imagined."

Silence fell, the two of them stopping to stare at one another. An odd moment took place between them. It was as if both of them simultaneously realized just how much two short weeks could change a man. How the smallest, most irrelevant details could morph into a whole new entirety, leaving old ones in ruins and future ones uncertain. Only two weeks, yet nothing would ever be the same again. They were stuck with one another, left with no other choice but to get along, but never more than that. Balancing on that thin, unstable line of tolerance was not easy, not pleasant, but definitely a must.

The sound of someone stepping into the kitchen distracted the two from their silent thoughts.

"Hey, boys", Sakura chirped, appearing beside the table. "Naruto, I nearly forgot to ask. You got anything planned of the weekend?"

The blonde shook his head. "No. Why?"

"Well, I didn't know how long you'd be gone for, so I promised to spend the weekend with the girls at a spa", she told, while pouring herself a cup of tea as well.

Naruto felt mildly surprised by the news. Sakura rarely went anywhere. After she'd quit her job, she'd mostly stayed home. But he supposed it would do her good to get out every once in a while.

"That's nice, I guess. Who you goin' with?" Naruto pried.

"Ino. And a few old co-workers", she told. The blonde frowned.

"Ino? I thought you weren't talkin' to each other", he recalled. The woman waved her hand dismissively.

"We made up", she assured, taking a sip from her tea. "Anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow and I'll be back on Sunday."

Naruto could only nod, which Sakura missed altogether. Busy staring at the redhead with stars in her eyes, she let her lips curl into a flirtatious smile.

"How long is our guest staying?" she asked her husband, yet didn't even glance his way.

Swallowing his annoyance, Naruto grunted. "Hn. I don't know."

"No rush, sweetie. Stay as long as you like", Sakura purred to the redhead.

Gaara flashed her his all too convincing, all too perfect smile of utter fakery. The sight made Naruto want to gag.

"Thank you. I won't be a bother", the pale man promised.

Naruto could've sworn his wife's legs nearly buckled under her. He could confidently claim that very few things had made him as nauseous as hearing the redhead's usually dangerous and threatening voice turn into something between silky smooth honey and the lowest note of a bass guitar. Not to mention just what a load of shit every last word he'd uttered truly was. Head high in the clouds, Sakura left the room, leaving the two of them alone again. Though the disgustingly sweet smile on Gaara's face dropped the second she turned, it didn't stop Naruto from shooting a glare his way.

"You stay the fuck away from her", he grunted. The redhead snorted condescendingly, before smirking mischievously.

"Jealous much?" he joked.

"Not funny."

"Hn. You really are boring."

Short silence followed. Naruto sighed. He wished he somehow could've avoided bringing up the elephant in the room, but knew he'd have to.

"About earlier", he muttered, barely coherently.

Gaara glanced at him from the corner of his eye, but said nothing. Only waited. The blonde forced himself to face the redhead, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

"It can't happen again", he stated firmly. "I'm married, I'm straight and I'm your lawyer."

Gaara smirked, but nodded. "I know. It won't."

Naruto decided to believe him. Awkwardly clearing his throat, he quickly changed the subject.

"You want those painkillers I promised?"

"Sure."

The blonde left his seat to visit by the medicine cabinet. Taking out a small container of strong painkillers, he returned to the table and placed them in front of the redhead. The man grabbed what he'd been offered, opened the container and swallowed a couple of pills. Naruto felt a sense of relief upon witnessing it. Well aware that the pills would've knocked out an elephant, he could be fairly certain Gaara would sleep like a baby. And so might he, knowing that the redhead would be caught up in a mini-coma.

"Give it an hour and it'll floor ya", Naruto assured, and put the medicine back where it belonged.

"If you gave me sedatives, I'll kill you once I come around", Gaara grunted. The blonde snorted.

"I didn't. Can't have you all useless, remember?" he pointed out.

"Don't forget that."

Wondering how he possibly could've, Naruto sighed. Whatever relationship the two of them had, if it could even be called one, was eccentric in the extreme. They loathed, yet needed each other. It was difficult to balance the two. Perhaps impossible. But under the current circumstances, it was essential to make the best of it. Thus the blonde refrained from responding to the other's remark, and instead checked the time. It was nearing 10 p.m. He wasn't tired, but knew he would have to get some sleep in order to have the energy to be productive the following day.

"I'm going to bed. You should too. It won't take too long for the meds to get to ya."

The redhead said nothing, only nodded. Already on his way out of the room, Naruto stopped by the doorway to briefly glance over his shoulder.

"The guestroom's down the hallway and to the left", he directed. Gaara nodded yet again.

"Keep your gun loaded, blondie."

"Yeah."

Silence, but only brief.

"G'night."

Naruto hesitated to reply.

"Yeah, good night."

* * *

**There ya go. Hope you liked it. **

**As some of you might've noticed, I've slipped some canon references into this story and more are to come. I like to keep even the most dramatically AU stories linked to the original story line, in order to show my respect to the true creator of the characters. And of course, it also sets a challenge to make those subtle hints work with the plot. But I have a feeling that I've built this story's plot quite well into a functioning entirety. I have to say that I'm pretty fond of this particular story and feel like I never want to stop writing it. My imagination runs just way too wildly for it to be healthy anymore.**

**That's enough babbling for now. Love ya.**


	15. Hell Ain't That Bad

**New chapter for ya. Thank you for all the reviews, keep 'em coming. I love every single one of them.**

* * *

Naruto woke up the next morning to the sound of his phone ringing. He drowsily opened his eyes and took his time to pick up the noisy device, if only to avoid lashing out on whoever was trying to reach him. Finally checking the caller, he felt slight surprise.

"Hey, Kakashi", Naruto answered with a hoarse voice.

"Hey. Did I wake you up?" the man asked, a crooked smile audible in his voice.

"Kinda, yeah. What time is it?" the blonde asked, still sleepy.

"It's 7 a.m."

"Oh. What's up?"

"I dreamed about you last night", Kakashi blurted. Naruto snorted.

"I'm flattered", he chuckled, admittedly amused.

"Yeah. Downfall of civilization, zombies. The whole shebang", the man elaborated. "But that's not why I called. It made me wonder...How are you doing?"

Naruto frowned, taken aback by the man's concerned tone. Were it for his still weary state of mind, or just plain laziness, he couldn't bother lying. But still somewhat stumbled when it came to phrasing the truth.

"Uh…I'm fine. Mostly. Well, not. But I'll survive. Maybe."

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked, clearly catching the vagueness.

Naruto hesitated to reply. "I can't really talk about it."

Kakashi fell silent for a short while. As if to ponder whether or not to bring up the subject they both purposely circled around. In the end, he did.

"I heard Sabaku got out of prison."

The blonde huffed. "Yeah."

"Have you seen him?" the man asked.

Naruto stared at the ceiling quietly for a while. Awake enough to construct lies again, he decided to utilize that ability.

"No, I haven't."

Kakashi had no reason to doubt him, really. "That's good, I guess."

Naruto merely grunted in return. A part of him wished he could've told the truth. But he knew there was no good excuse for taking Gaara home with him. Not only did it go against protocol, but common sense as well. Wishing to maintain some form of credibility, he decided he needed time to come up with answers to the man's questions. At the moment, he didn't have a single one to offer.

"You know, I just woke up. I need coffee before I'm capable of having a sane conversation. I'll call you back later", Naruto muttered, stifling a yawn.

"Okay", the man complied, sounding perfectly content.

"Great. I'll call ya. Bye."

"Yeah, bye."

With that, Naruto hung up. He drew in a deep breath before tiredly leaving the comfort of his bed. He threw on the first pair of jeans that caught his eye, but couldn't bother to find a shirt. He then made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. Stopping at the doorway, he found Gaara and Sakura sitting by the table, chatting away. The woman clearly was the more engaged party of the conversation, but didn't seem to mind the lack of enthusiasm on the redhead's side. Taking into consideration the man's poor health, Naruto hadn't expected Gaara to be awake that early. But he supposed it was a good sign.

Watching the redhead interact with his wife, Naruto fought not to scoff. He found it strange how blindly Sakura bought the man's clearly artificial kindness, the unnaturally benign voice and that sickening fake smile. To him, it was disgusting and ridiculous. Yet undeniably skilled. He supposed that in itself explained much of why she didn't find it suspicious. With nothing to compare to, it must've been easy to fall victim to that man's charm. It possibly also explained why she failed to recognize him. That faked smile ruined his face beyond recognition, turning him into someone else. Someone Naruto unbelievably enough did not prefer over the real, raw monster hidden beneath it all.

Naruto leaned against the doorframe, waiting to get noticed. It didn't take long for Gaara to look his way, the plastic smile falling from his lips. For just a second, he was only himself again, the signature smirk visiting on his face. The one nearly unnoticeable, only there if already aware of it. Naruto forgot he wasn't supposed to find the man's exclusive attention flattering, and mistakenly let his heart skip half a beat. Sakura never noticed any of it. Not the brief fall of the redhead's act, not the smallest of shivers running down the blonde's spine.

"Oh, hey sweetie", the woman chirped.

She was in an unusually good mood and Naruto knew exactly why. He shot a glare at the cause that sat across his wife. Busy staring at the blonde's bare chest, Gaara didn't seem to notice.

"How long have you been up?" Naruto asked Sakura, moving to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"About an hour. I couldn't really sleep", the woman told.

The blonde nodded, took his cup of coffee and seated himself down at the table. Gaara's eyes followed him intently. He didn't let it bother.

"I've been getting to know our guest. Did you know he's a doctor?" Sakura asked.

In the middle of swallowing, Naruto snorted a mouthful of coffee up his nose. Only barely could he stifle the couching fit.

"I had no idea", he said, somewhat succeeding in maintaining his poker face.

Sakura was beaming. It was disturbing.

"Yeah. And does charity for the homeless, as well", she continued admiring.

It was too much. No matter how hard he tried, Naruto couldn't stop the burst of laughter from happening. It obviously earned him a disapproving glare, one he'd learned not to mind as the years had gone by.

"What's funny about that?" Sakura grunted. The blonde shook his head vigorously, swallowing the snort threatening to slip.

"Absolutely nothing. How very generous of him", Naruto assured, masking his amusement.

"Yes, it is", Sakura agreed, clearly disappointed in her husband's behavior.

Naruto ignored her disgruntled face and turned to look at Gaara instead. Acknowledging the blonde's struggle not to crack up, he flashed an amused smirk. Not to reveal their silent gloating to Sakura, they broke off their eye contact and moved on. The redhead took out a cigarette, placed it between his lips and gave Sakura yet another enchanting smile.

"Do you mind, love?" he purred to the pink haired woman, who immediately blushed deep red.

"Oh, not at all", she stuttered.

Gaara flashed the blonde an obnoxious smile. Naruto silently imagined himself pushing the man under a train. If only to redeem even a fraction of his credibility as a man, he too lit a cigarette and ignored the displeased look on his wife's features. Not bothering to start an argument over it, Sakura merely sighed.

"I have to get going now", she said and stood up. Naruto glanced at her.

"Already?" he wondered.

"Uh, yeah. It's a couple hour ride away", she explained, walking over to the suitcase she had ready and waiting.

The blonde merely nodded, while watching his wife put on a jacket and shoes. For another minute or two, she gathered her belongings and wasted time in front of the mirror, before kissing her husband goodbye. A sight which Gaara decided not to witness.

"You guys have a nice weekend", she said, flashing a kind smile.

Naruto fought not to roll his eyes. He had a feeling his weekend wouldn't be as nice as hers.

"Yeah, thanks", he said anyway. Sakura opened the front door to leave, but paused just long enough to blow a kiss over her shoulder.

"Bye sweetie. You too, pretty boy."

The woman left, closing the door. Naruto grunted. Gaara chuckled.

"Calm your tits", the man advised. It earned him an unimpressed glare.

"Says the guy slayin' my wife's ovaries", the blonde muttered. Gaara snorted.

"You know it don't mean shit."

Naruto gazed into his coffee cup silently. He didn't really care, if entirely honest. He knew Gaara had no real interest in his wife. But the way he could so easily turn lies into a reality for someone, that bothered him. It made him doubt how honest the redhead was towards anyone, even him. He didn't trust the man, nor was he supposed to, yet somehow the thought of him lying caused the blonde's stomach to turn with nausea.

"So what now?" Gaara asked, snapping Naruto awake from his thoughts.

The blonde shrugged. "Dunno. What can we do?"

"We gotta do something", the other one told. "As soon as they realize the last guy they sent is dead, and we're not, they'll be back."

"Stayin' here can't be wise", Naruto supposed. "It can't take long for them to figure out where I live."

The other one scoffed. "Trust me, they already know."

"Hn. Figures", the blonde sighed, audibly bitter. "I guess there's no reason to run away. They'll find us anyway."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the other man, not the least bit impressed by the depressed tone of voice. He found it not only useless, but in fact pathetic.

"Don't start with that shit, blondie. It ain't gonna help", he reminded, and rightfully so.

Well aware that the redhead was right, yet too proud to admit it, Naruto said nothing in return. For a while, they sat in silence, both deep in thought. Though there wasn't much they could do to help the situation, it didn't mean there was nothing.

"We need more guns", the blonde concluded. Gaara shrugged.

"Yeah. Probably."

Gulping down the rest of his coffee, Naruto grabbed the hoodie he'd left hanging off the chair and stood up in a small hurry.

"Get up", he ordered. "There's somewhere we need to go."

Slightly confused, Gaara frowned, but did as told. By the time he'd struggled himself on his feet, Naruto was already waiting at the door, dressed for the cold outside. The redhead threw on his jacket, followed the blonde out the door and finally let his curiosity run free.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

It took a good twenty minutes before he did. Wherever it was they were heading, must've been on the other side of town. At least that's what the redhead concluded after fifteen minutes in a cab driven by an older man far too cheerful and chatty. Gaara remained silent for most of the ride, save for the little complaining he couldn't help but do as his tolerance for useless small talk finally reached its limit.

"I miss the Maybach", he mumbled to the blonde seated beside him. Naruto smirked at the obviously bored look on the redhead's face.

"Who wouldn't?" he chuckled.

"I can't believe you drove it into the fuckin' sea", Gaara grunted, shaking his head.

Naruto shrugged. "I had to."

The other one glanced at him curiously.

"Did you pay the guy just to dump the car ?" he then asked. The blonde nodded.

"Yeah. It ain't the first car I've dumped there", he admitted. It earned him a frown of the disbelieving sort.

"You sank a Maybach. How was the guy not bothered by that?" Gaara wondered. Naruto shrugged.

"My friend once dumped a Lamborghini down there", he told. The redhead rolled his eyes.

"Fuckin' dumb."

Naruto briefly paused to wonder if the driver perhaps was listening to their conversation. Judging by the terrible yodeling along the song on the radio, he wasn't. Unfortunately, it went on even after they fell silent again. When they finally arrived at their destination, neither one wasted any time to get out and let the disturbingly free-spirited man drive away. As the cab abandoned them in much awaited silence, Gaara studied the place they'd been dropped off at. In front of them stood an old building. Ugly, resembled a warehouse more than an actual house. The sight compelled him to groan tiredly.

"Seriously?" he asked annoyed. Naruto grunted.

"I don't wanna be here any more than you", he assured, and began walking towards the entrance.

Gaara followed behind and watched the blonde draw out his gun. Naruto took notice of his questioning gaze.

"Trust me, it's necessary around here."

The redhead stifled a sigh. What had he agreed to this time?

Supposing he might as well follow the other's example, he too took out his gun and let the blonde lead them to the door. Naruto knocked on the metallic surface, the hollow sound of it staying to echo. It didn't take long for the door to crack open. They were greeted by a short, yet scary looking woman. Her hair had been tied into two buns, only her bangs left loose. A suspicious pair of eyes stared from behind the dark-brown strands. Compared to the two men, she wouldn't have been considered threatening, weren't it for the proportionally massive automatic rifle in her seemingly petite hands.

"Say it", the woman snarled.

Gaara was confused. Naruto was annoyed.

"Like hell I will", he declared, and took a step to walk past the woman.

She was quick to fix her aim on the blonde, forcing him to stop. Her words dragged out slow and dry.

"Say it, or die."

Rolling his eyes, absolutely unimpressed, Naruto caved in.

"Till the day we die", he mumbled in a bored tone.

Gaara was even more confused. Naruto was even more annoyed. The woman narrowed her brown eyes, but slowly lowered the weapon.

"Get in", she grunted, turning around.

Naruto stepped inside, Gaara trailing after him. The door slammed back shut, leaving them to follow the woman down a long, dark corridor. Their footsteps echoed between the empty walls and corners, creating an aversive atmosphere. One Naruto couldn't believe had once felt like home.

"Who are you looking for?" the woman asked, leading them further into the spacey building.

"Kiba."

The woman laughed out loud, her steps coming to a halt. She turned to face the other two, a sneering look falling on her features.

"Oh, honey. I don't think you've got the authority to see him", she chuckled.

Naruto took a short moment to chuckle with her, a surprisingly convincing smile spreading across his lips. It came to an end more abruptly than she ever could've imagined. Suddenly finding herself disarmed, pinned against the wall and fighting against a strong grip on her throat, it stopped being funny to her as well. Naruto brought his face closer to hers, forcing her to face his taunting stare. He couldn't help but scoff at her.

"Listen, love", he grunted. "The only reason your head ain't detached from your shoulders is cause you're obviously the new bitch 'round here."

Pressing the barrel of his gun against the woman's soft cheek, he watched the anger in her eyes turn into dread.

"Who the fuck are you?" she hissed, attempting to break free. Smirking at the honest fear she felt for her life, Naruto chuckled.

"If you can't answer that yourself, _you_ don't have the authority to even breathe the same air as me."

Gaara was distantly aware of how intently he stared at the blonde, yet not enough to mind it. Somehow he felt as if it wasn't really Naruto he was watching. The man suddenly seemed like an entirely different person. Every aspect of him signaled authority and danger in a way the redhead had never imagined he could've. His movements weren't the least bit hesitant, his voice flowed out low and effortless, and his eyes reflected a promise of something painful. Something about it, about him, was very hard to resist watching. And Gaara wasn't sure if he even had a reason to try.

"Let me go. I can't breathe", the woman wheezed pathetically. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"That's the point", he grunted. "Ask nicely."

No matter how close she was to losing her consciousness, the woman refused and only glared at him with angry eyes. Shaking his head at her in a disappointed manner, the blonde tightened his grip. The woman's eyes were quick to reflect the pain it caused. It was clear she had no other choice but to cave in to his demand.

"Please", she reluctantly begged. "Please, let go."

He did. He let go, let her fall to the floor and begin to cough uncontrollably. Trembling hands curling gently around her sore throat, she gave the blonde an askance glare, but no longer dared to speak. Naruto tilted his head to the side and sighed.

"Well?"

The woman dropped her gaze to the floor and raised her hand to point towards a door at the end of the hallway. The blonde turned to glance its way, before turning back to her and twisting his lips into a spiteful smile.

"Wasn't that hard, eh?"

She didn't seem delighted by his chuckle. That sour face of hers caused Naruto to cave in just enough to offer her a helping hand to get up, but the kind gesture didn't seem to delight her any more than other so far. Rejected, the blonde could only shrug and walk away. They left her there, seated on the floor defeated and annoyed. During the short walk down the corridor and to the door, Gaara continued staring at the blonde, too fascinated not to. Naruto did nothing to acknowledge the look on him, perhaps didn't even notice it. Not before stopping in front of the door they'd been directed to and turning to face the redhead. Frowning at the other's stare, the blonde narrowed his eyes.

"What?" he asked, innocently enough.

Gaara said nothing right away. He could've admitted that the primal side of him was impressed enough by the blonde's authority to find it unimaginably attractive, but instead only smirked and lightly shook his head.

"Nothing."

Naruto's expression remained slightly suspicious, but he said nothing of it. Instead he turned to face the door and without bothering to knock, welcomed himself inside. He stepped into the fairly spacious room, Gaara following behind. Someone sat on the couch placed on the other side of the room, face glued to their phone and music blasting loud enough to flow outside their headphones. A man with brown hair, peculiarly tattooed face and a fairly uncommon set of dark eyes.

"Oi, dude", the blonde hollered, loud enough to get the man's attention.

Kiba lifted his gaze, surprised by the sudden appearance of visitors. A grin forming on his lips, he took off his headphones and left the couch to greet the blonde.

"Hey, blondie. What's up?" the man chuckled, and grabbed the other's hand to pull him into half a hug.

"Nothin' much", Naruto replied, returning the gesture.

Kiba opened his mouth to speak, but as his gaze traveled past the blonde and towards the doorway, he scowled silently instead. Naruto turned to glance over his shoulder, finding the woman he'd left behind standing in the doorway. She looked far from pleased. And Kiba far from interested.

"Fuck off, Tenten", he grunted dismissively.

The woman's face twisted into a bitter expression of utter annoyance, but she nodded nonetheless. Slamming the door loudly shut, she marched away with footsteps angry enough to be audible a long time after. Kiba sighed and rolled his eyes.

"God, that woman is difficult", he mumbled.

"You doin' her?" the blonde pried, somewhat amused.

"Meh, sometimes", Kiba admitted, though dismissively. "So, how's it feel to be back?"

Naruto sighed. "First of all, you gotta get rid of that dumbass password system. We were _fifteen_."

"Hn. Like hell I will", Kiba argued. "Works just fine."

"You haven't even changed it", the other one mumbled, rolling his eyes. Kiba shrugged.

"Hn. I like it", he admitted. "Reminds me of you, man."

Naruto could've fought the crooked smile, but found no reason for such a waste of time and energy. Kiba flashed a grin in return, but let it fall as soon as he finally took notice of the third man there. Dark eyes narrowing at the redhead, he let a thoughtful frown appear between his brows. Slowly the look morphed into confusion and suspicion, turning to see the blonde instead.

"Dude, is that...", Kiba subtly mumbled, but trailed off. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah."

Kiba let out a dramatic sigh, slumping back down on the couch.

"Why, _why_ would you take him here?" he questioned. "You know some of us work for yakuza."

While Naruto did notice the redhead slowly turn to glare at him with murder in his eyes, he couldn't bother acknowledging it. Attention would've only fed the tantrum about to happen.

"I know", he said instead. "But I need your help."

Kiba's stare turned hesitant, perhaps even reluctant. Naruto could hardly blame him. He knew and understood the risks Kiba was taking even considering helping him. Not only because the blonde had turned his back to the family they'd once built, but because of the relations some of them had to yakuza. Remaining unbiased was crucial for someone in Kiba's position, when balancing between the gang and the mafia. Not sure what to do, the man sighed.

"You realize how lucky you are I'm alone here today?" he asked. "To anybody else, you'd be worth a lot of cash."

Naruto grunted. "So I've heard."

"They wouldn't hesitate", Kiba assured. "You left us. Without a warning."

The blonde almost flinched upon hearing him say it. The cold, harsh truth never felt any warmer or more forgiving. It was ridiculous, really. Even after an entire decade, he still felt guilty. As Naruto fell silent, Kiba released a bittersweet chuckle.

"I forgave you, blondie", he told. "Took me years, but I did. Still, the only reason you ain't dead and gone is cause you're the father of this dirty empire."

Gaara couldn't help but take notice of the brunette's words. And undeniably, feel intrigued by them.

"You tryna make me feel guilty?" Naruto grunted. Kiba shook his head.

"Nah. I don't have to. You already do."

The blonde let out a bitter chuckle. Kiba was right. He did feel guilty. But that wasn't what he was there for.

"You gonna help me out or what?" he asked, somewhat impatient. "You know I'm in deep shit. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."

For a short while, Kiba continued to look hesitant. But as Naruto had expected, the man finally released a sigh of defeat.

"Hn. What is it, blondie?"

"Guns."

The one seated frowned. "That's it?"

"Yeah", the blonde confirmed. In return he received a carefree huff.

"That's just business", Kiba snorted, pulling himself up. "I expected a hit."

The man made his way to the other side of the room and stopped beside a large cabinet. Tightly shut with a chain and padlock, he took his time to unfasten it. But as he finally removed the chain and pulled the doors wide open, an arsenal of firearm was unveiled. All either neatly stacked on shelves or attached to the wall and doors. Impressive by any standards.

"Go wild, baby", Kiba permitted, flashing a grin.

Just the smallest tingle of excitement nibbling at the tips of his fingers, Naruto walked up to the open closet and eyed the contents of it.

"Sweet."

He went through the options, carefully pondering the pros and cons. He needed something small and easily portable, as well as something heavier to keep at the house. He supposed an AK-47 or two wouldn't hurt, and thus chose to put a pair aside. Wondering what Gaara might've preferred, he addressed the man without bothering to face him.

"Glock 22, Beretta 92. Choose."

Gaara scoffed. "Keep the plastic shit to yourself."

"Old school much?" the blonde snorted, tossing the Beretta to the redhead.

He caught it with ease, fairly pleased with the choice. Naruto went through the selection once more and grabbed another pair of handguns, before closing the doors and searching his pockets for the cash he had on him. Somewhat certain it was sufficient enough, he turned to offer the wad of money to Kiba, who was more than happy to accept it.

"Thanks", he said, and put the money away.

"Not gonna count?" Naruto asked, smirking.

Kiba waved his hand dismissively. The blonde chuckled. It seemed that their trust in one another hadn't suffered damage despite the distance and years between them.

"But don't go wandering around in broad daylight with my merchandise. You know how things are these days", Kiba said, picking up the corniest thing imaginable.

A guitar case.

"You're a walkin' cliché", Naruto muttered, but took what he was offered.

It was enough of a struggle to break a small sweat, but somehow he managed to fit the weapons inside. Pleased enough, he sighed and decided he was ready to leave.

"Thanks. I owe you one", he told his friend, and grabbed the man into a tight hug. Kiba returned the hold, landing a pat or two on the blonde's back.

"Anytime. Stay alive, okay?" he muttered. Naruto smiled as he pulled away from the other one.

"I'll try."

With one last smile and a small nod, Naruto turned to leave. As he reached the door and opened it, Kiba's voice stopped him for just a while longer.

"Y'know, blondie, I can't promise one of our own won't come for you", he told, almost apologetically. "But I'll warn ya, I promise."

Naruto nodded in gratitude. "Thanks. Hope I'll see you again."

Kiba smiled. "Me too. Take care."

The blonde stepped out the door and left. Gaara followed behind him, but before he could exit the room, a voice behind his back demanded for attention.

"Yo."

Pausing, Gaara turned to glance over his shoulder. He said nothing, but neither did he have to. Kiba's stern eyes gazed at him determinedly.

"Keep blondie safe."

The redhead nodded slowly. "That's the plan."

The stern look in Kiba's eyes relaxed. He seemed convinced enough. With nothing more to say, Gaara turned and walked away. He caught up with Naruto outside.

"Now what?" the redhead asked as he reached him. Naruto thought in silence for a short while.

"Let's get drunk", he then declared. Gaara laid a disbelieving look on him.

"What?"

Naruto merely nodded vigorously, very certain of himself.

"Drunk. Yes, drunk", he repeated. The other one looked at him as if he were a complete idiot.

"We're probably gonna get killed any second, and you wanna get drunk?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno 'bout you, but I'd rather die drunk than sober."

Gaara continued staring at him for a short while longer, but in the end, found no actual flaw in the blonde's train of thought.

"Whatever. Let's get drunk."

Half an hour later, they found themselves at a quiet, yet surprisingly high-class bar. Gaara felt slightly out of place, but didn't complain. He had a seat and alcohol, what more could he have asked for? Naruto had already downed a drink and a half, and showed no signs of slowing down. Gaara couldn't help but wonder where he'd find a stray wheelbarrow for transportation, were the man to continue drinking at that pace.

"You better be damn good at holding your liquor, cause I ain't carrying your ass home", he declared. Naruto scoffed.

"You won't have to. I'm pro at this. Unfortunately", he mumbled.

He'd certainly spent his fair share of time with good old alcohol. Though he no longer drank as much as he used to, he still could've downed a gallon of beer and ended up barely tipsy. How much pride one should've taken in such a useless skill was questionable.

"Good. Cause you're heavy", Gaara grunted. Naruto childishly stuck out his tongue.

"You're one to talk", he sneered. "You have any idea how hard it was to carry you while you bled all over me?"

The redhead shrugged. "No one asked you to."

The blonde scowled. "Hn. True."

Short silence followed. Slightly of the tense kind.

"Why did you?" Gaara finally asked. Naruto watched him with a hollow gaze.

"No fuckin' idea."

The paler one merely grunted. He hadn't expected an answer much more enlightening to begin with, but still found it somewhat disappointing. As much as he did uncomfortable. The entire subject was awkward and uncomfortable. Which Naruto soon enough pointed out.

"I'm way too sober to talk 'bout this", he mumbled into his drink, before taking a generous gulp.

"Good call", Gaara agreed, and followed the other's example.

It didn't take long for them to move on to the next drink. The undeniable tension still lingering around them might've played a part in the need for something numbing. And as a stress reliever, alcohol never let a man down. Somewhere along the line, Gaara found himself eyeing the guitar case placed on the floor, beside Naruto. And the longer he watched it, the more he wondered about all the things he didn't know about the blonde. There was no denying that he'd underestimated him. He wasn't as big of an idiot as Gaara had first believed. Wasn't as easy to deceive, not as sympathetic and humane as he'd thought. Not to mention, possessed hidden authority and stamina he'd witnessed perhaps never before in anyone. Not even himself. Gaara chuckled. Naruto raised a questioning brow.

"I misjudged you", the redhead admitted. Naruto tilted his head curiously.

"You mean underestimated me?" he pried, smirking.

Gaara grunted. "Yeah."

"Tsk. You're smarter than that."

Silence fell. Gaara looked thoughtful, almost annoyed.

"I misjudged myself too", he then said. The other one shook his head.

"No. You overestimated yourself."

As much as Gaara hated it, it probably was true. And unfamiliar. He couldn't recall a time at which he would've felt he'd overestimated himself before. An irritated sigh slipped his pursed lips, causing the blonde to smirk.

"Get over it. We got bigger problems than your ego, love."

The redhead could hardly argue. Thus he didn't. As more time passed by, along with a few drinks, Gaara was forced to admit that he was beginning to feel the consequences. It'd been a long time since he'd last had a drink. More than seven years, actually. That was a long time. For a lot of things.

"What's it like to be in prison for seven years?"

The unexpected questioned nearly caused Gaara to flinch. Embedded deep into his thoughts, he nearly missed what an ironic timing the blonde's curiosity had. Not pausing to wonder if the man possessed psychic qualities, he grunted bitterly.

"Hell."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "Thought so."

"But, y'know", Gaara continued. "There ain't shit a man won't get used to. After a while, it ain't so bad anymore. The cuffs, the guards, the cunts you live next to...you get used to it. It's what goes on inside your head that fucks you up. And I wasn't too sane to begin with. But I guess you already knew that."

The blonde stifled his surprise. He hadn't expected such an open dialogue from the man. It wasn't much, yet still so much more than he was used to. He supposed it was the alcohol talking, for the most part. Tempted to abuse that, he decided to ask a dangerously personal question.

"Where's your family?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

The reply was so instant, so certain, it left no room for discussion. Naruto was smart enough to respect that.

"When do you think yakuza's gonna come back 'round?" he asked instead. Gaara shrugged.

"Who the fuck knows? Maybe tonight. Maybe in a week's time", he guessed. "Pretty sure they'll take their time. They know who they're dealin' with."

Naruto had to admit the man had a point. Gaara clearly wasn't someone to take lightly, he had firsthand experience of that. But not knowing how he'd become that way still bothered the blonde. He didn't know much of the man's past, not much of his present either. He didn't know what'd happened, but sure as hell would give his everything to one day find out. Eventually, he would.

Feeling a set of eyes gazing him, Naruto turned to face the redhead. The man looked curious, perhaps a little hesitant. Eventually, he chuckled.

"How did a guy like you end up in a gang?" he asked, almost amused. Naruto took no offense, but simply shrugged instead.

"I was alone", he told. "My parents died when I was a kid. I ended up in foster care, but that shit wasn't for me. I lived on the streets instead."

Gaara tilted his head curiously. "And?"

"And", Naruto sighed. "I met people. Bad people. They took me in, looked after me. So I joined them. After a few years, shit got ugly. The gang broke up, turned against each other. New gangs formed, I took charge of one of 'em. Fast forward another year and we ruled the town. Wasn't my intention, but just kinda happened."

For such an extraordinary story, it was well condensed. Gaara found it vague, yet fascinating. And in one way or another, impressive. Despite the tattoos covering the blonde's skin, the obvious battle scars and dialect that on a casual level broke into street-slang, he hadn't realized the man would've had such a powerful and respected position on the streets once. The suit and law degree must've been partly at fault. He'd let it distract and deceive.

"Why'd you leave?" Gaara asked, without shame.

Naruto realized that he didn't know how to answer the question. He wasn't entirely sure himself, anymore.

"I wanted something better. Something...normal", he replied. It was the closest think to truth he could think of.

The redhead snorted. "How did that work out?"

Naruto scoffed bitterly. "It didn't."

"Yeah. Thought so."

Silence of the comfortable kind followed. For a while, they enjoyed it. Until both of them realized how off-puttingly comfortable it was. The air between them, it no longer felt as awkward anymore. The healthy element of danger seemed nonexistent. Somehow, it all felt almost friendly. Friendly shouldn't have fit the picture that the two of them were. And more importantly, anything beyond friendly should've been out of the question. Yet the awareness of how they'd crossed that line more than once already created uneasiness. For both of them. Perhaps for different reasons, but still rightfully so. If only to avoid thinking too much into it, they unanimously decided to break the silence.

"I haven't gotten drunk in the middle of the day in a long time", Naruto spoke, clearing his dry throat.

"I haven't gotten drunk in a long time, period", the other one replied, chugging down the rest of his drink. The blonde smirked.

"Don't tell me I gotta carry _you_ home", he sneered. The redhead shot him a glare.

"Like hell you gotta."

They ended up staying at the bar for most of the day. By the time they finally left, it'd started to get dark outside. Having made the wise decision to slow down after a few hours of drinking, both of them still stood on their own, and even walked mostly in a straight line. Yet, both of them were wasted nonetheless. Wasted enough to foresee the pounding headache and murdering hangover still ahead.

"Cab or walkin'?" Naruto asked, as they made it outside. Gaara took a moment to ponder.

"Walking", he then decided.

The blonde had no reason to complain. It wasn't that long of a walk and might help them sober up a bit. Thus they began the walk home, side by side and prepared to alert one another of lamp-posts and bumps in the paving. Though most of Naruto's focus was wasted on remembering the way home, it didn't stop him from creating drunken small talk.

"Y'know, if I now had to shoot someone, I'd probably miss", he admitted, slightly slurring on his words.

Gaara chuckled. "Hope we won't have to find out."

"I need a shower", Naruto stated. "I smell like a corpse."

"You do", Gaara agreed.

"That's rude", the blonde snorted.

"I am rude."

"That's true."

"That's rude, too."

"I guess I'm rude as well, then."

"That's true."

Naruto laughed out loud. Gaara smirked at his childish amusement. It quickly became clear just how uncoordinated the blonde was, as he seemed too drunk to laugh and walk simultaneously, causing him to nearly trip over the paving. Gaara was quick to catch him, stopping the man from slamming face first into the ground. Lifting up the still chuckling blonde, he helped him over to the nearest wall to lean against it. Though rested against the wall, Gaara still found it necessary to keep the unstable man upright.

"You're a moron", he grunted, though jokingly. Naruto snorted.

"You ain't any better."

Gaara shook his head, but found no reason to argue. Naruto's lightheaded state compelled him to rest his weight against the other man, forehead falling against his shoulder. Considering the state he was in, he found nothing particularly wrong with it. All he really noticed was how warm Gaara was, and that he liked the scent typical to him. Somehow, he felt the need to tell the man that.

"Hn. You smell nice", he mumbled into the redhead's jacket collar.

There was this distant awareness Gaara had of what an unnecessary thing it was for the blonde to say, yet somehow he didn't quite understand it. Somehow, he didn't mind it. He was too intoxicated to care, probably.

"Like what?" he asked, following it with an amused snort.

Naruto lifted his head to meet the other's gaze. A small smile played on his lips, which the redhead didn't realize he'd noticed.

"Like, you."

Had it been any other time, place, and less drunken state of mind, they would've understood the situation they were putting themselves into. Gaara wouldn't have cared enough to ask what it was the blonde thought he smelled like, and Naruto wouldn't have been dumb enough to admit that nothing else could've compared to it. He wouldn't have been dumb enough to bring it up at all. Yet in that place, at that time and in that state of mind, Gaara cared and Naruto was dumb enough. And what followed, was silent watching of one another that felt too comfortable to be considered meaningless.

"How the fuck did we end up like this?" the blonde asked.

"You tripped", Gaara answered. Naruto huffed, lowering his gaze.

"Not that, idiot", he mumbled. "I mean, like this. Not murdering each other."

Gaara didn't know how to answer the question. But he did know that when the blonde turned to look at him again, his face was only inches away.

"I hate you", Naruto stated. "I should be shootin' your face off. Why ain't I?"

When he spoke, the redhead found himself watching his lips move in rhythm of the words.

"I should be beatin' your skull in. But I'm not", Gaara muttered. "I don't know how to answer your question."

He met the other's blue eyes anew. There was a weary look in them, but that didn't lessen the intensity of their stare. A warm hand placed itself against Gaara's cold cheek. His eyes closed instantly and unintentionally. A pair of parted lips brushed against the other side of his face, a hot breath traveling along his jawline and finally dropping beneath it. The shivery exhale he let slip was as unplanned as everything else about the entire situation. He came close to pressing himself against the other one, but to the relief of greater good, never did. The sound of police sirens going off somewhere in the distance alerted both of them back to reality. Gaara opened his eyes. Naruto let his head fall against the wall behind him. But the hand, it stayed to linger.

"We should get going", the blonde muttered.

Gaara stopped to watch him for just a second longer.

"Yeah."

Wordlessly, he let go of the other one, turned and continued walking along the sidewalk. He refused to admit how cold he felt, now that the touch on him was gone. Naruto stayed to lean against the wall for a while longer. With a loud sigh, he finally shifted his weight onto his own feet again and followed after the redhead. The rest of the walk ended up more or less silent. And distant, consciously so. As they finally reached the house, Naruto suddenly remembered that Gaara had in fact been shot the other day. Curious enough to ask about it, he finally broke the silence between them.

"You in pain?" he asked, struggling to fit the house key into the lock.

Gaara gently touched his side. "Hurts like hell."

The blonde finally succeeded in unlocking the door and pushed it open. The house was as dark as expected. But just to be sure, he decided to make a short round to check that it was as empty as it was dark.

"I'll be right back", he told, drawing out his gun.

He went through every room of the house, finding nothing out of the ordinary. He did have an excellent, ridiculously overpriced alarm system installed, but still felt it was better to be safe than sorry. Confident enough that no outsiders had visited, he made his way back to Gaara who still stood in the hallway waiting. Flicking on the lights, Naruto lazily took off his jacket.

"Your wound should probably be disinfected again", he mumbled, struggling to remove his shoes. The redhead grunted in discomfort.

"It's fine", he argued. Naruto shrugged, finally managing to kick the second shoe off.

"Whatever", he huffed. "But y'know, an infection's gonna be hella more painful than getting shot in the first place."

Gaara rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Thought so", Naruto said, flashing a grin. "I'm gonna take a shower. And then I'll make you suffer."

The redhead dismissed the blonde's obviously sadistic approach. Instead he nodded wordlessly and then made his way to the guestroom. Naruto on the other hand went downstairs, somewhat clumsily took off his clothes and hopped into the shower. He couldn't remember ever finding the feel of warm water washing his skin clean of dirt and sweat as fulfilling as he did then. Once he forced himself to abandon the comfort of hot water, he'd sobered up a bit and no longer smelled like something that'd crawled out of a grave. Sloppily he wrapped a towel around his waist and then headed upstairs to dress his lower half. Intending to visit by the laundry room, he grabbed the bloody clothes from before and made his way back downstairs.

On his way to drop off the dirty clothes, he passed by the guestroom. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the redhead. It hadn't been his intention, but found himself stopping at the doorway, only to watch him in silence. The redhead lay on the bed, still and wordless, facing away from the blonde. He'd taken off his shirt, revealing the tattooed back yet again. Naruto stared at the view for a short while, before releasing a quiet sigh and slowly walking up to him. He wasn't sure if Gaara was asleep or not, but at the very least he gave no acknowledgement as the blonde crouched down beside the bed. A hesitant second or two went by, before a shaky hand reached out to gently trail the inked skin. As no form of recognition or attention of the touch followed, he dared to assume the redhead really had dozed off. But in the end, it turned out he just hadn't minded it.

"I'm not asleep, y'know."

Naruto flinched, quick to draw his hand back. He said nothing. Gaara turned around to face him.

"You haven't said anything 'bout it", he observed.

Aware that the man was referring to the tattoos, the blonde could only shrug.

"I know."

What could he have said that would've mattered? Or asked, that would've been answered? Nothing.

"It's pretty self-explanatory", he stated.

Gaara grunted. "I guess."

A calm quiet followed. Watching the redhead wordlessly, Naruto thought about what silence symbolized between them. Superficially, between them seemed to be nothing but hatred and loathing. War and destruction, murder and wrath. Anything loud and obnoxious, everything hostile and aggressive. But deeper down, it wasn't about that. What really lay between them, was silence. The deepest, heaviest, most oppressive form of silence one could've imagined. And Naruto came to realize, the silence was there to stay. That silence would forever be the only definition of the two of them. He would never know know why Gaara was the kind of man he was, why he was so full of evil and ice. He would never earn his trust, never hear his story. And never, ever have a real reason to desire either of those things. What he actually needed, was learning to take distance.

For nothing he could've said, would've mattered, and nothing he could've asked, would've been answered. Nothing.

"We'll deal with that hole in your side tomorrow. I'll let you sleep", Naruto muttered, moving to get up.

He was brought to a halt by a hand grabbing him by the wrist. He paused, but said nothing. It took a while, but finally the paler one spoke.

"You know what's worst about being in prison for seven years?"

Naruto refused to face him. Yet stayed to listen.

"Bein' so _fucking_ lonely."

His voice, it sounded weaker than usual. Somewhat strained, definitely tired. Naruto knew what he was trying to say. And as much as he tried to remind himself about the importance of distance, he was quick to forget. Casting away his plans of leaving, he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. Facing away from the redhead, shoulders tense and breath shallow. He didn't hesitate to lower himself down to lie, but still wouldn't face the other man. It didn't take long for a strong arm to wrap around his waist and then pull him closer. And he let it happen. Maybe it was the hold itself, or the face pressing against the back of his neck, but he quickly stopped feeling uncomfortable.

Hadn't he felt so good close to that man, Naruto would've questioned the unusual vulnerability Gaara was openly displaying. But right then, he couldn't have cared less. He let the redhead hold him, let him bury his face in blonde hair. And whatever little doubt he might've had about allowing it all vanished the second he heard the other's hoarse and miserable voice.

"I fuckin' told you. I need you."

Naruto should've known it was the alcohol talking, yet still turned to the other way. He should've known better than to read too much into it, yet still hid the other's face under his chin and held him tightly against his chest. There were many things both of them should've known better, done better, but none of them seemed to matter. For just a little while, the blonde wanted to feel needed. For just a moment, Gaara didn't want to be alone anymore. And for just that night, neither of them wanted to be anywhere else but exactly there.

And that's how they stayed, the whole night.

_Naruto stands there again, in the place he's learned to recognize. There in the cold, in the dark, watching the fire. The screams keep him company, again. But this time, he's waiting for something._

_Someone._

_He waits for a long time, nervous. __He fails to enjoy the fire, the death, the smell of gasoline. He is too anxious. He spins around looking for it to appear. The figure. He wants to see the figure. Meet the figure. Touch it. He can't stop thinking about it, can't stop twitching with anticipation. His wait feels like years. Millions of them._

_But the wait is worth it._

_A familiar shape appears from the darkness. Crawls out of the shadows, slowly. He watches it come closer. He is on fire, but doesn't feel pain. He is dying, but doesn't care. He doesn't, for the figure is with him. This time, he wants to reach it. He doesn't want to let it go._

_The figure remains faceless. It has no features, it has no voice. But it reaches out a hand. He takes it. He touches it. And for a second, a current runs through him. Electricity, fire, life itself. Something that makes him shiver, forces out a surprised moan. He can't breathe, but neither does he need to. It lasts a heartbeat, is over in another, but the tingle stays to echo through him. As it fades, h__is pain becomes real again. His death is reality again. It hurts, but he doesn't care, for he is touching the figure. Feels the figure._

_It gets cold. He burns, yet he's so cold. Something grabs him by the leg. It holds on tighter, digs its nail into his skin. He tries to get away. He fights to get free. It doesn't work. He can't move, he can't scream. He is being pulled away. He tries so hard to keep holding onto the figure. He doesn't want to let go. Doesn't want to leave it. Doesn't want to be...alone._

_The figure disappears. Its hand leaves his. He gets pulled away, into the fire._

_Now he is the one to scream. __He is the one in agony. _

_He is alone._

Naruto woke up with a start. Though greeted by a beautiful morning, sunshine and possibly even singing birds, everything around him felt dark and cold. His breath was heavy and shallow, but not rushed or panicked. Though he wasn't nearing hyperventilation, the oppressive atmosphere all around made it easy for him to conclude he'd had the same nightmare as before. He wasn't sure if he'd started to get used to it, or if he'd simply gotten lucky, but the lack of actual panic wasn't something he complained about. Either way, it took him less time to calm down than usual.

Drawing in one last, deep breath, he sat up on the bed. It took him a while to realize the bed wasn't his own. And along with that realization, memories of last night were quick to follow. He was reminded of the way he'd fallen asleep. That was not how he'd woken up. Gaara wasn't there anymore. But though saved from that embarrassment, he still felt compelled to cringe.

"Shit."

Though not exactly regretful about the night before, it did make him queasy. Ashamed, perhaps. A part of him felt oddly good about it, but most of him was mortified. Not really even because he'd allowed himself such a dangerously personal move, but because he hadn't hated it. And while 'personal move' might've not been the most truthful term, that was the only phrasing he felt even remotely comfortable using, as the mere idea of saying he'd liked it only sent shivers of dread down his spine. Correct phrasing aside, he did acknowledge the mistake he'd made. Again. Worryingly enough, it was starting to become a reoccurring problem.

It might've been a form of denial, but Naruto shook his head to drive away the stressful thoughts and lazily dragged himself out of bed. He picked up the dirty jeans left to lie on the floor and went through the pockets so they could finally be put into laundry. His hand grabbed a piece of metal, causing him to frown. He pulled the item out. It was the tag he'd ripped off the corpse. After a while of staring at it, he made his way out of the room, threw the jeans into the laundry downstairs and stopped to gaze at the tag once more. It was still bloody, and thus he rinsed it clean with water. After a while of hesitation, he put it around his neck and hid it under the collar of his shirt. He didn't want to lose it, as it might be of use later on.

Taking in a deep breath, he stepped out of the laundry room and made his way back upstairs. The instant he'd made it up the steps, he became startled by a familiar voice spitting out profanities in the kitchen.

"Mother. Fuckin'. _Fuck_."

Curious to find out who exactly was being attacked with such foul language, Naruto rushed into the kitchen. As he entered the room, he learned that it was in fact Gaara cursing at himself. There he sat by the dining table, ripping off the bandages around him. It looked as painful as it must've been. Gaara turned to glance at the blonde, biting on his lower lip to dull the pain. Though he must've tried to hide it, he failed miserably. Naruto sighed at the sight and made his way over to the man in agony.

"C'mon. Let me", he said as he crouched down next to him.

The blonde reached to gently tug on the bandage. It was stuck. And must've hurt like a bitch. It took a lot of caution and gritting of teeth, but eventually it came off. What'd been hidden beneath wasn't pretty.

"Shit", Naruto muttered and stood up.

He visited by the medicine cabinet to fetch the rubbing alcohol, before making his way back and taking his previous position. A wide range of poorly stifled curse words followed, as he then poured it down the redhead's stomach. It might've not been the appropriate thing to do, but Naruto couldn't stop the somewhat sarcastic praise from slipping.

"Good boy."

The reply was but a muffled grunt pushed through gritted teeth.

"Fuck you."

Holding back the amused chuckle, Naruto went on to place a non-stick pad on the wound.

"It should keep it from getting stuck anymore", he told.

The redhead merely nodded. Naruto stood up and advised the other one to do the same.

"Get up."

The redhead did as told. He rose to his feet and moved his arms further away from his body, allowing the other one to wrap a new bandage around him. Standing face to face, Naruto found himself having to wrap his arms around the other man every time he got to the back. And Gaara just couldn't stop himself from smirking. The blonde merely shook his head at the other's immaturity. That man had no sense of discretion.

"Done", Naruto declared, as he'd secured the bandage in place.

Gaara said nothing for the while he took to put on the shirt he'd been given the day before. But once properly dressed again, he stopped to look at the other one.

"Thanks", he eventually muttered, though perhaps a tad reluctant.

Naruto smirked. "No problem."

Worryingly comfortable silence followed yet again, and they spent it watching each other quietly. It lasted for quite some time. Once Naruto realized he was dangerously close to saying something stupid, he turned the other way around and brought the moment to its inevitable end. He never said anything, simply ignored the gaze still definitely on him and made his way to the coffeemaker. The awkward clearing of his throat happened on its own.

"Coffee?" he asked, as casually as possible.

"Sure", Gaara replied, still staring at the blonde.

He hadn't forgotten what'd happened last night. He was well aware of all the things he'd said to him, how they'd fallen asleep and what it might've meant. He couldn't say why he'd allowed it to happen. Maybe he'd subconsciously wanted it, maybe he'd just been too drunk. Either way, it'd happened, regardless of the reason. And whether it was a mistake or not, he couldn't say he regretted it. Had he, he wouldn't have spent the first seconds of being awake that morning wishing it wasn't his duty to leave the bed before the blonde woke up. Why it'd been so, he had no idea.

"I'm hungover", Gaara admitted. Naruto chuckled.

"Poor thing. How will you survive?" he sneered. The redhead flipped him off.

"Not funny. My head's about to explode."

The blonde smirked. "Want a painkiller?"

"If you mean the fuckin' horse tranquilizers you gave me last time, then no."

"Suit yourself", Naruto said with a shrug, and poured the ready coffee into cups.

One he handed to Gaara, the other one he kept to himself. Both took a seat by the table, both lit up a cigarette. Naruto cracked open the window. A warm breeze gently hit his face.

"Hn. I guess summer's near", he supposed. The redhead scowled.

"I don't like the summer."

"I do", Naruto said, smiling crookedly.

Comfortable silence followed. They didn't hesitate to enjoy the peace and quiet, as neither knew how long it would last. It was Gaara and his sudden curiosity that eventually brought the silence to an end.

"You ever killed a man before?" he asked, quite casually. Naruto glanced at him, and then shook his head.

"No", he told honestly. An even more curious look stopped to gaze at him.

"How was it?" Gaara questioned.

The blonde turned to stare at the wall with empty eyes. "Like...nothing. Nothing at all."

The redhead tilted his head, mildly surprised. "Hn. Unexpected."

"Not really", the blonde disagreed.

It was true, he hadn't been too surprised by how vapid the incident had left him. It'd been the first time he'd been cornered to such a tight spot where the only way out was to kill a man, but it wasn't the first time he'd come close to it. He'd seen many die, seen many get killed. And though it hadn't been him carrying out the dirty deed, he'd been mentally prepared to, countless of times. In self-defense, of course. Every death was a tragedy, but after years of living among those type of situations, he'd learned to cope with the anxiety it'd once caused. Thus he couldn't claim that what he'd done would've fundamentally changed him as a person. Nor did he feel it should've.

Naruto frowned. Though entirely unrelated, he was suddenly reminded of something.

"Shit, I forgot", he mumbled, mostly to himself. "I need to make a phone call."

Gaara said nothing, only nodded. Naruto put out his cigarette, took one last sip of coffee and got up. He made his way into the other room, as this wasn't a call he really wanted the redhead to hear. Closing himself behind the guestroom door, he took out his phone and dialed a number. The answer was as brief as it was instant.

"Yo."

"Hey, Kakashi", Naruto said in return. "Sorry I didn't call you back yesterday. I...was busy."

"No worries", the other one assured. "So, you gonna tell me what's up?"

Naruto almost sighed. He'd known to anticipate the question and had intended to have some type of answer ready, but didn't. That being the case, he could only attempt to dodge it with a vague reply.

"It's complicated", he huffed. "Somewhat delicate. I can't be too specific about it."

Kakashi sighed. Naruto feared he'd take the questioning a step further, but fortunately was fairly quick to let it go.

"Kinda thought you'd say that", the man admitted. "I'll assume you called for another reason, then."

The blonde stifled a cringe. "Uh...yeah. There's something I need to ask you. It's about Sabaku."

He might've uttered out the redhead's name a tad too cautiously to be entirely casual, but Kakashi didn't seem to mind.

"Fire away."

Naruto glanced behind him, making sure the door was still closed. He wanted to make sure that Gaara was not around to hear his question. He didn't seem to be.

"When he was arrested...where was he found?" Naruto asked, keeping his voice down. Kakashi took a moment to think back.

"I think he was caught in his hometown, Suna. Why do you ask?" the man then pried.

"No particular reason", Naruto assured, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "It just wasn't included in the report."

"Ah, well, that's where they found him", Kakashi said. Naruto nodded, even though the other one wouldn't see it.

"Okay, thanks. I gotta run, but I'll give you a call if I come up with somethin' else."

"Sure. Take care."

"Yeah, you too."

Naruto hung up. He stopped to stare at the silent phone in his hand, a frown settling onto his features. He'd wondered for quite some time already, exactly how had Gaara's arrest happened? Though he'd suspected it, he could now be sure that he'd been found with ease and hadn't resisted the arrest. Hadn't even tried to run away. And none of that seemed to fit the picture. The Gaara he knew was not a fan of authorities of any kind. Yet he hadn't even tried to run away. Did that mean he had nothing to do with the crime? Not necessarily. But why hadn't he put up a fight? It could mean only two things.

Either he really was innocent, hadn't killed those people and truly had been wrongly tried for a crime he did not commit. Or, he'd let himself get caught.

Naruto wished he could've said he believed the man to be innocent, but based on instinct only, found it somewhat improbable. But then again, he knew very little about him at all, and it would've been unfair for him to be certain of anything. As much as he tried to live with the fact that he knew next to nothing about Gaara, it did bother him from time to time. He knew nothing of the man's past. Knew nothing of how his life had unfolded. All he truly knew was the small sliver of humanity he'd revealed, whether it was by accident or not. And by the looks of it, that humanity of his wasn't exactly impressive.

It was sad, really. Gaara was like a machine. He found no emotion worth feeling, no expression worth displaying, no memory worth remembering. He was hollow.

Sometimes Naruto wondered if anyone, even Gaara, could truly be that cold and empty inside. If he simply did not have anything more to offer. That was how the blonde generally thought of it. But there had been a few instances at which he'd questioned it as well. Ever so rarely, Gaara had given him a reason to do so. The brief, passing and nearly unnoticeable flashes of humanity and vulnerability the man had shown gave Naruto hope that maybe, just maybe, there was was more to him than the naked eye could see. He had detected changes in the man. Changes in his eyes, especially. At times, they weren't as empty, but instead reflected a mild form of actual emotion.

Perhaps Kakashi had been right. Perhaps Naruto had lured out something that wasn't supposed to exist in the first place. The thought both thrilled and confused him. He'd wanted to ask about it for a while, but for obvious reasons, hadn't. Maybe one day he would. He feared he was too curious not to.

Naruto sighed and shook his head to clear his mind. He left the guestroom and made his way back into the kitchen, finding Gaara exactly where he'd left him. The man didn't notice Naruto appear in the doorway, only continued to stare at the table in front of him. Taking advantage of that rare chance, Naruto stopped to watch him. The longer he stared, the more comfortable he felt doing so. It wasn't until Gaara finally turned to see him, when the blonde realized how entertained he'd been by the man, despite him not having done anything. Awkwardly clearing his throat, Naruto tried to act as if he hadn't just stood there staring at the man, spacing out embarrassingly. The smirk on Gaara's lips clearly stated how poor of an attempt it was.

"Any plans for today?" the blonde asked, making his way back to the table, but didn't take a seat.

"No", Gaara replied. Naruto hummed in acceptance.

"I should probably drop by the office", he thought out loud, sounding mildly bored by the mere idea of it.

He didn't really feel like going. He'd called a few days prior and told he'd be taking some time off, but figured it would be only professional to at the very least make an appearance. Gaara seemed to disagree.

"If you ain't takin' me with you, I ain't letting you go", he declared firmly.

Naruto raised a questioning brow. "Of course I'm not takin' you."

"Then you're not going."

The blonde snorted. "And why do you assume you got a say in this?"

Gaara said nothing right away. Instead he narrowed his gaze in a challenging manner, stood up and moved to stand beside the other one. Naruto fought back a flinch in the man's sudden proximity, but remained still.

"I told you I'd keep you safe", the redhead reminded. "I can't do that if I'm not with you."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're turnin' overprotective."

"Not possible", Gaara argued. The other one sighed.

"Why?" he asked tiredly. "Why are you doin' this?"

It was a valid question. He truly did not understand why the redhead went to such lengths for him. Apart from not wanting to look for a new lawyer, it made little to no sense.

"I promised your friend I'd keep you alive", Gaara unexpectedly revealed. Naruto frowned, mildly taken aback.

"Kiba? You promised Kiba that?" he questioned.

The redhead merely nodded.

"Why?" Naruto wondered.

"He asked me to", the other one replied, shrugging casually. The blonde didn't quite buy such a vague explanation.

"You don't come across as someone who gives two shits 'bout promises", he stated. "Or about anything, really."

Gaara smirked crookedly. That alone made Naruto feel slightly uneasy, but apparently not enough, as he still didn't foresee the man take a step closer. In return, he took a step back. He realized too late that he was now trapped between the kitchen counter and Gaara. Even more so, as the man placed his hands against the counter, on both sides of the blonde.

"You're an exception", the paler one then said.

Naruto narrowed his gaze suspiciously, but though he searched for signs of dishonesty, he failed to find any. That didn't make him much more convinced, though.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I never am."

The blonde scoffed. "I can take care of myself."

"I know", Gaara admitted. "But what harm is it to you, if I wanna make sure you don't get hurt?"

Naruto paused, not sure what to say. If entirely honest, he had no real reason for it. It just didn't make sense. Not to him, anyway.

"It...makes me confused", he eventually settled as a reply. It wasn't a lie, and in fact quite close to the truth.

Gaara frowned. "Confused?"

"Yeah. Confused", Naruto repeated. The redhead suddenly seemed as confused as him.

"Why?"

The blonde shifted uncomfortably. Not only because of being trapped as awkwardly as he was, but also for not knowing what to say. Why did the redhead have to ask such strange and difficult questions?

"Because I don't understand what you want from me", he eventually told.

His reply seemed to further confuse the other one. For a while, Gaara said nothing. Only stared silently, as if wondering for the first time what it was he wanted.

"A lawyer", he finally said. Naruto couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Bullshit", he grunted. "There's a million lawyers just as good as me. Would you do this for them too?"

"No."

"Exactly."

Now Gaara was the one most confused. Stopping to think about it, he himself had no idea what he wanted from the blonde. Seeing the bemused look on Gaara's face, Naruto wanted to sigh. He wasn't a fan of the subject at hand. It made him frustrated and, eventually, irritated. Which again caused the filter between his brain and vocal chords to disappear astonishingly fast.

"This is not about me", he scoffed. "It's about you not having anyone else but me. You're delusionally clinging onto something you don't need. Don't do that to yourself. Don't fuckin' do that to me."

It was instant, the flash of anger in the redhead's eyes. Though he hid it well, he couldn't deny the painful stab in his chest. He didn't know what it meant, and thus was startled by it.

"Shut up", he growled. "You don't know shit."

Naruto grew tense. "You're too close."

He really was, and it made the blonde uncomfortable. But perhaps he shouldn't have pointed that out, as it only compelled the man to move even closer. Close enough to press himself against the other one.

"I want to be", he argued. Naruto finally started to grow angry as well.

"Ever heard of personal space?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

He could visibly see the ice forming in the redhead's poison green eyes. And Naruto instantly knew, it couldn't be a sign of anything good. Expecting to get disemboweled, or at the very least punched, he was surprised upon hearing the other one reply with only words. And in fact, words very unexpected.

"You know what?" Gaara grunted. "If you want me to leave for good, say it."

Naruto flinched. Taken aback, he didn't reply. The redhead's angry gaze turned less that and more challenging.

"Just say it, and I'll leave. I won't come back. I promise", he continued.

The blonde remained silent. Despite trying, he couldn't get a single word out. And when he finally stuttered out an incoherent syllable or two, the sound was instantly stifled by a pair of uninvited lips against his. The surprise, it forced him still. Rationality told him to back away. But an instinct he hadn't been aware of possessing assured him it was okay to shiver at the feel of them. Long before he could regain a healthy sense of reason, the lips were gone and parted to repeat themselves.

"Answer me. Do you want me to leave?"

Naruto still wouldn't talk. Couldn't get a word out, barely even breathed. Maybe because he hadn't entirely registered what he'd been asked, maybe because he suddenly cared about very little else than the lips he shouldn't have missed the taste of. As the redhead then took advantage of that several consecutive times, he couldn't help but wonder if the futility of his resistance was as obvious as he feared. He did try. Tried not to acknowledge the first, tried not to shiver at the second, did his best not to respond to the third. Yet by the fourth, he'd stopped trying without even realizing it. In a split second, he went from rigidly giving Gaara the cold shoulder to devouring every little lead the man offered. Needy and pathetic, that was what he became.

He knew he shouldn't have let his breath grow heavy. He knew it was wrong to get lost in the hold gradually tightening on and around him. Fighting to get closer than really was physically possible, it wasn't the right thing to do. He was so painfully aware of all that, yet was even more aware of the indescribable want to do so anyway. It wasn't like his mind wasn't in the game, when it clearly was. He'd simply grown weak. Weak to that man's touch. Weak to his will, his darkness, the way he looked and the way he felt. He'd reached a point at which he could no longer stop through mere volition. As long as nothing was there to pull him away, he'd sink as far into sin as he could. So far, something always had. And that time, it was the sound of glass breaking.

A glass, abandoned on the counter behind him, dropped. Tipped over the edge as a result of his own uncoordinated self, shattering against the floor. The sound of it caused him to flinch. The flinch caused him to hesitate. And that brief hesitation finally led him to reluctantly break away and shove the redhead back.

"No. _No_. Don't do that", he forbade, instantly distressed. "And don't ask me that. _I can't answer it_."

He knew he sounded angry. And he was. Angry and anxious. Angry at himself for repeatedly making the same mistakes. Anxious because he wanted to. He felt like he was reaching an obscure point of self-discovery he'd never wished to even know of. What he wanted and what he needed no longer crossed paths at all. That was what angered him the most. And he wasn't the only one angered by it, or even the only one tortured by unwanted aspects of themselves. Frustrated and so very clearly lost, Gaara reached his limit of withstanding either feeling anymore. He had to get it out. Had to get the anger out. In a sudden burst of rage, he picked up what was left of the broken glass and threw it at the wall with as much force as he possibly could gather. Most of the glass shattered into dust, the rest ricocheting back as piercing sharp shrapnel. To avoid getting hurt, Naruto was forced to shield his face from it.

"I _hate_ you", the redhead shouted, clearly angry. "I hate what you do to me. You make me hate _myself_. I don't know who I am anymore. _And it's your fuckin' fault_."

Suddenly buried beneath a tidal wave of blame, Naruto found it surprisingly difficult to contain himself anymore. He wished he could've been better than Gaara, could've held himself together tighter than Gaara. But since his wishes weren't worth even acknowledgment anymore, he was quick to sink as low as the other one. His weight's worth of anger and hate compressed into one simple outburst, he shoved the man. It barely budged him, but seemed to surprise. Naruto met the disbelieving glare with one of pure spite.

"You think _you_ don't know yourself?" he asked, his grudge audible. "You have no idea what you've done to _me_. You've _ruined_ me."

The redhead stood still, bemused eyes staring at him lifelessly. He seemed confused, lost. Not knowing how to react, he reacted the only way he knew how. He shoved the blonde back. Naruto returned the forceful nudge. In a heartbeat, the silence turned into a stage for chaotic violence. Angry shouts and screams lost the last of their obsolete worth. Why bother trying to understand, when bringing a clenched fist forward took much less effort? Why bother wasting breath on words, when drawing out blood spoke for itself? Why bother utilizing logic, when the moment possessed none? These were questions they both asked themselves, but never stopped to answer. Had they, they might've not ended up standing face to face, bruised and bloody, aiming at one another with loaded firearm.

"Your mother should've swallowed you, fuckface."

"But she didn't, and now I'm here to fuck the hole I'll blast into your forehead."

Two clicks of released safety measures followed. There was no doubt both of them would've taken the shot, hadn't a sudden knock on the door distracted their trigger-happy fingers. Both of them flinched at the unexpected sound, both turned to glance in the door's direction, but neither one wanted to be the first to lower their gun.

"You first."

"No. You first."

Another, more demanding knock followed. Unanimously groaning in frustration they gave up and lowered the weapons. Gaara threw his on the counter with a clang, rushed out of the room and into the hallway. Too curious not to, Naruto peeked around the corner to see exactly what he was up to. Very few words could've sufficiently described his reaction to seeing the man return with a selective-fire assault rifle. Exactly what was he expecting to find behind the door? A dinosaur?

"You can't fire _that_ thing. The whole block would hear it", the blonde hissed, absolutely against this terrible idea. Reaching the door, the redhead grunted.

"I won't have to. Ain't anyone gonna decline an invite inside from a Kalashnikov."

"You really think contract killers knock on the fucking door?" Naruto asked, disbelieving of this man's logic. Gaara shot a cold glare at him.

"You really wanna find out the answer unarmed?"

He had a point. Not that Naruto would've admitted it aloud. Pleased enough with the blonde's silent defeat, Gaara finally opened the door. In an impressive half a second, he'd already aimed at whoever it was standing outside. Another half a second and a hitched breath later, Naruto realized he was watching a disaster waiting to happen.

"Fuck. Sasuke."

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**Million virtual hugs, sweeties. Love ya.**


	16. The Evil Side of All That Is Good

**Well, well...ain't I industrious when it comes to updating. Chapter 16, for you my dearies. Please enjoy, please review.**

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Naruto watched Sasuke's eyes widen in horror. Dark pools of utter shock staring at the rifle aimed at his head, the man fell dead silent. His lips parted, but no sound escaped. On the other side of the loaded rifle Gaara stared at his target intently, ready to pull the trigger at any sudden movement. Five or so seconds of perfect stillness went by before Naruto finally came to his senses and rushed to the door.

"Put it away", he hissed at the redhead. Gaara barely bothered to even glance his way.

"Why?" he asked. Struggling not to kick the other man out of pure frustration, the blonde gritted his teeth tightly together.

"Cause this absolutely ain't someone who's supposed to get shot."

His reasoning didn't seem to impress the pale man much. Narrowing his gaze at Sasuke, he grunted condescendingly.

"I don't like face. That's reason enough", he claimed, maintaining his aim.

The redhead's stubbornness began to nerve Naruto. If only to avoid the nearing disaster, he took out his own gun and without hesitation turned to aim at the other armed man.

"Put the fuckin' thing down." Apart from a bored glance, nothing happened. "Put. It. Down."

For a while longer, Gaara remained stubborn. But the combination of the blonde's deeply annoyed glare and the loaded gun aimed at him did finally force him to do as told. As soon as he'd lowered his aim, Naruto rushed to yank the rifle away from his grip and put his own weapon away as well. On his way to put the rifle away, he gave Gaara a slap on the back of his head.

"Fuckin' moron", he mumbled, tossing the gun back where it'd come from.

The redhead flipped him off. Sasuke just seemed horrified by a number of things. Everything from the unexpected abundance of loaded weapons to the worryingly casual interaction between the other two. But most of all he was horrified by the red-haired man standing there in front of him, barely a few feet away. It went without saying that he'd recognized him the instant he'd seen him. That ghastly pale face, dead eyes and red hair weren't a sight easily forgotten. Somewhere from beneath all the shock and surprise, Sasuke finally found his voice again.

"Naruto", he stated, still baffled. "That's...that's Sabaku."

Sighing, the blonde attempted to dodge the statement. "Why are you here?"

"No. Don't ignore my question. Why is _he_ here?" Sasuke hissed, suddenly brave enough to step inside.

Understandably he felt angry and confused, which perhaps explained why he found it so easy to make a sudden move to walk past the redhead. He never stopped to consider just how easily Gaara could interpret his need for confrontation as a threat. So the instant he took a step closer to Naruto, Gaara had already matched his traveled distance. Only a split second later, Sasuke felt his back painfully hit the wall behind, a strong grip tightening around his throat and an ice gold glare drilling holes into his head. Forcibly pinned to place, he had no means of avoiding neither the stare, nor the low voice growling out words of definite danger.

"Touch him, and I'll annihilate you on an atomic level."

Sasuke wasn't sure which complicated his breathing more; the choke hold undoubtedly aiming to suffocate him, or the sudden pressure of something dark and dangerous eating up the air around him. He made an attempt to get free, only to find himself forced still even harsher. Understanding of his friend's discomfort, yet unfortunately aware of Gaara's unpredictable nature, all Naruto could do was angrily hiss at the defensive redhead.

"Let him go, idiot. He ain't gonna hurt me", the blonde demanded. The few words of idiocy Sasuke decided to waste the last of his breath on certainly did not help the situation.

"Don't be so sure, fuckin' moron", his wheezing friend muttered, barely coherently. As if the raging fire that Gaara was would've needed any fuel for its flames.

"He's kidding", Naruto rushed to assure. "Just let go."

"Like hell I will. I got no idea who he is", the redhead pointed out, only tightening his hold. Sasuke let out a pathetic sound between a cough and a gasp.

"But I do. I 've known him for twenty fuckin' years. Let go", Naruto demanded anew, mildly worried of his friend's terribly colorless face.

The redhead's jaw clenched with annoyance. For a while he hesitated, but finally released a displeased grunt and let go. A desperate gasp for air followed as Sasuke nearly collapsed on the floor. Rushing to support the barely conscious man, Naruto sent the redhead an angry glare.

"Just go sit your ass the fuck down", he growled, demanding to be obeyed.

The look on Gaara's face was a protest on its own, but he refrained from voicing any. He did as told and went to take a seat, but refused to let his cold gaze wander far from Sasuke. Breath wheezing and violent coughs escaping from his throat, Sasuke struggled to stay upright. Naruto was there to aid him.

"Can you stand up?" the blonde asked, attempting to support him.

Sasuke refused to even listen to him and simply pushed his friend away. As soon as he got his voice back, shit hit the fan.

"What the fuck, Naruto?" he growled angrily. "Is that psychotic fuck your guard dog?"

Naruto glanced at the redhead nervously. He truly doubted it was wise to refer to the man as any type of animal. If only to avoid Sasuke's head being detached from his shoulders by his unpredictable client, Naruto began dragging his friend down the hallway. Sasuke wasn't exactly pleased by it, but went along anyway. It was better than staying anywhere near the red-haired lunatic. The blonde shoved Sasuke into the guestroom, went after him and slammed the door shut. Before the echo of it died down, he'd already opened his mouth to question the other's sanity.

"Are you insane?! Do you _want_ to get killed?" he hissed. Sasuke released a strained laugh.

"Oh, _I'm_ insane? Yeah, sure, let's just forget that you've let a mass murderer into your home. Cause that's just completely normal", he sneered with an overflow of sarcasm. Naruto was quick to find it angering.

"It ain't your fuckin' problem. Don't talk 'bout shit that don't concern you", he growled, long before realizing he shouldn't. Sasuke's face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief and offense.

"Are you fucking defending him?" he spat out disgusted. "He almost strangled me to death, _and you're defending him_?"

Naruto was immediate to regret his outburst. It'd been uncalled for. Sighing loudly, he buried his fingers into blonde hair.

"I'm sorry. It's been a shitty day", he mumbled tiredly. Sasuke hardly felt sympathetic.

"What the everloving fuck is wrong with you? Why is he here?" he demanded to know.

Naruto refused to answer.

"Please tell me he's holding you hostage", Sasuke pleaded, almost desperate. The blonde somewhat wished he could've told him that.

"No. He isn't", he was forced to admit.

The other man shook his head, the anger on his face now leaning more towards helplessness. He'd only come there to check on the blonde, as he'd told that things weren't quite alright. But considering what he'd walked into, he now deemed that a horrible understatement. This was way beyond 'not quite alright'.

"Would you even have told me, if I hadn't seen it myself?" he asked, not sure if he even wanted to know the answer. Dropping his gaze, Naruto grunted.

"Probably not", he told with honesty. Sasuke didn't look angry anymore. Mostly just hurt.

"Why?" he asked. "I thought you trusted me."

Naruto released an unplanned burst of laughter. If only it'd been about something as simple as trust.

"You really think this is about that?" he asked disbelievingly. "It don't matter how much I trust you. I'm so deep in shit, you have no idea. Him bein' here is the least of my problems. I've done some bad shit, okay? And I can't drag you back to hell with me."

Sasuke's hands clenched into fists, his features twisting with anger again.

"I fuckin' told you. I'm not leaving you alone. Not again", he reminded sternly. The blonde gritted his teeth together in frustration.

"Why don't you get it?" he growled. "I won't let you suffer for me. This is my personal war, not yours."

Judging by the look on Sasuke's face, the slight increase in his volume might've been somewhat of a mistake. Suddenly well beyond the edge of rage again, the paler one grabbed his friend by the front of his shirt and brought his face as close as humanly possible without touching.

"Shut up", his enraged voice rumbled. "Shut. The fuck. Up. That's bullshit. Everything you're sayin' is shit."

Surprised by the sudden change in tone, Naruto was forced silent. Utilizing the quiet, Sasuke gladly filled it with more angry words.

"I'd do anything for you. You know that", he spoke bitterly. "Your war is always my war. Your hell is my hell. And if that's where you're heading back to, I'm going with you. _Do you understand_?"

The blonde remained speechless for a while to come. Eyes wide and lips parted in mild shock, he wasn't sure how to respond.

"You...you don't understand what I've done. I can't do this to you", his suddenly weak voice tried to explain. Sasuke was having none of it.

"I'm not askin' your opinion here. You don't get to have an opinion", the man informed. "You remember that time years ago, when I was in the deepest fucking shithole ever and pushed away all your help? And you just wouldn't leave. This is me doing the same for you, idiot."

He finally let go of the blonde, who still remained amazed by his friend's relentless attitude.

"What could you possibly do to help me?" he asked, not knowing what else to say. Sasuke offered his answer in a heartbeat.

"Anything and everything."

Naruto didn't know what to do. He obviously couldn't make the man change his mind. But he also couldn't tell him about what'd happened. He was no longer just a lawyer. He was now part of the investigation. Or would be, if the word of his recent doings got out in the open.

"I've done bad things, Sasuke. I'm no longer just his lawyer. I'm involved", he admitted. The other's face darkened, but determined stare remained the same.

"I don't care."

Short silence followed.

"You know how I said I got some news for you?" Sasuke then asked.

Naruto nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"I've been reassigned as the lead investigator of his case. I can help you."

Honest shock flashed in the blonde's blue eyes. "What?"

Sasuke nodded. Naruto had a question waiting on the tip of his tongue, but wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to know the answer to it.

"Are...are you implying you'd tamper with evidence to keep me out of it?" he asked, so very cautious.

Sasuke didn't even hesitate to nod firmly. Naruto instantly wanted to punch him.

"No. No, no. Just, no. I'm not letting you do that", he declared right away, absolutely outraged that the man would've even considered doing such. But despite the protests, Sasuke's cold gaze remained as determined as before.

"Again, you don't get to have an opinion", he told. "I don't care if I get into trouble, if I go to jail, not even if I die. After everything we've been through together, I'm not leaving you alone now."

Naruto was at a loss for words. He'd expected some resistance, but the determination Sasuke was showing neared aggression. The only way Naruto was able to reason the reaction was by concluding he'd do the same for Sasuke. They'd known each other their entire lives. They weren't just best friends, they were family. Brothers. All they'd ever really had was each other. And it seemed that even the more distant years between them hadn't changed the fact they'd never let one another down. Naruto had no choice but to accept Sasuke's help. But there was a problem.

"How could that possibly work in reality?"

"I'll keep you updated about the investigation. Any link to you will be destroyed. One way or another."

Naruto shook his head, somewhat helpless. Could anything good come from this? Catching the worried look on the blonde's face, Sasuke's harsh gaze softened ever so slightly.

"I am willing to make sacrifices for you. Nobody else will ever be worth them the way you are. So don't make it into a big deal."

"But it is a big deal."

"No, it's not. It just means that the past caught up with me, too. We both knew it'd happen one day."

Naruto's gaze softened. Sasuke flashed him a weak smile. The brunette was just about to say something, when the sound of a door being opened cut him off. Both turned to see Gaara standing in the doorway. The gun in his hand was difficult to miss.

"What?" Naruto grunted, less than kind.

"I ain't gonna sit and listen you go crazy", Gaara informed, before turning to Sasuke. "You. Get out. I need to talk to blondie."

Sasuke hesitated to leave the room. He wasn't ecstatic about the redhead being there. He wasn't ecstatic about him in general. Reluctant about leaving, he turned towards Naruto, giving him a doubtful look. The blonde sighed.

"It's fine. I'll be right behind you."

Sasuke hesitated for a short while longer, but eventually turned around and left the room. But did not forget to lay a cold glare on Gaara as he passed the man. He got an equally as hostile stare in return. Gaara made sure the man disappeared from his view, before turning to face Naruto. Silently the blonde waited for the man to speak.

"I don't like him", Gaara declared. Naruto snorted.

"Not my problem", he informed.

"He reminds me of someone. Someone who really needs to get shot", Gaara said. Naruto shook his head.

"That doesn't mean you get to shoot him. Just calm the fuck down", he advised.

The redhead didn't seem any more content, but said nothing more. Pleased enough, the blonde sighed and turned to walk away.

"C'mon", he told the redhead and left the room.

They made their way back downstairs and into the kitchen. There they found Sasuke seated by the kitchen table. Gaara felt instant loathing upon seeing him again, but refrained from making any nasty comments. Instead he took a seat across the dark-haired man. Sasuke watched him do so, gaze narrowing with shameless hatred. Equally as shameless, Gaara took out his gun yet again and placed it on the table. It was no stretch for Sasuke to understand the silent message to keep the fuck away. He was happy to. Naruto joined their less than friendly company, cracked open the window and lit a cigarette. General well-being in mind, he tossed the other two one each as well. For some while to come, silence dominated the room. About halfway through his cigarette, Naruto finally turned to Gaara to explain the situation.

"Sasuke is a crime scene investigator. You've met him before", he told. "He was the lead investigator of your case seven years ago. He was there, in court the day you were sentenced."

Gaara's eyes instantly hollowed. Silence of the heaviest kind fell. Slowly turning to look at Sasuke, the redhead's jaw clenched. Naruto could already tell nothing pleasant was about to escape that mouth of his.

"You mean this cunt put me in prison?" he growled. "The fuck's he doin' here?"

Naruto rushed to explain. "He can help us."

"You", Sasuke corrected. "I'm helping you, not this fucking freak."

The redhead's cold eyes turned to face the blonde. Just by looking at the redhead's body grow tense with rage, Naruto wished Sasuke could've played down his hostility. But despite the obvious anger, Gaara spoke with a surprisingly calm tone. Murderous, yet placid.

"Seven years", he stated. Nothing more. But Naruto understood nonetheless.

"I know. But we don't exactly got many choices", he reminded.

The look of absolute wrath in the other's eyes was there to stay, but he said nothing more. Forced to swallow his pride, Gaara had to keep his anger on the inside. Surprised by the man's self-control, Naruto feared he'd ruin it with what he was about to demand.

"The picture. I need you to give it to me", he spoke, forcing determination.

Gaara flinched. "What?"

"I need the picture", Naruto repeated.

An odd look flashed in the redhead's eyes. One of reluctance and mild discomfort. But it was gone as quickly as it'd come. Naruto doubted Sasuke even noticed it. A while of hesitation went by, before Gaara finally did what'd been asked of him. He did dig out the picture, but wasn't immediate to hand it over. Whether it was deliberate or not, he stopped to gaze at it in silence. For a moment, he disappeared into another place and time. Naruto noticed it. This time, so did Sasuke. The two of them briefly exchanged glances, but neither one ever mentioned the strange change in the redhead's mood. Eventually, Gaara tore his stare away from the picture and handed the picture over.

Naruto took it, not turning his gaze away from the redhead. Though it'd barely lasted for a split second, he'd seen the pain in the man's eyes. Something in his chest tightened uncomfortably. He wasn't used to seeing Gaara look that way. And whether it was called for or not, he briefly felt bad for him. Sasuke watched the other two, but never seemed to notice the shift in the air between them. While the redhead fell and remained awfully quiet, Naruto forced himself to ignore the strangeness of it. Clearing his dry throat, he turned to Sasuke.

"I'll give this to you", he told, handing the picture over.

Sasuke took what he was offered and stopped to look at it. Just as he was about speak, a sudden sound cut him off. Wordlessly, and clearly on the verge of something violent, Gaara suddenly stood up. Before Naruto could question his unexpected snap, the man had already turned the other way and walked away, not looking back. Left to watch him go, the blonde briefly considered going after him. Very briefly, before realizing that whatever it was bothering the redhead wasn't his problem. Or in the range of his interest, even. Refusing to let it bother, he turned back to Sasuke and carried on.

"A corpse was dug up and reported to the police a couple of days ago", he told, then pointing at the picture. "The corpse of that guy."

Sasuke raised a questioning brow. "You gonna give me an explanation, or just pretend I don't need one?"

"Pretend you don't need one. Now listen, that man was at the crime scene", the blonde continued. The other's lifted brow rose even higher.

"And you know that because?"

"Don't ask, I won't tell. Just listen to what I have to say", Naruto demanded, dodging the question.

Sighing, Sasuke nodded in defeat. Pleased enough, the blonde began explaining.

"The DNA of the corpse, and the DNA from the scene need to be compared. They'll match. Also, this picture somehow needs to be slipped in as evidence, so it can be compared to the facial reconstruction of the body. Can you pull that off?"

Sasuke's jaw dropped. Was the blonde serious?

"What the hell? Have you any idea what you're asking for?" he questioned in disbelief. Exactly how did Naruto imagine forensic science worked?

"You're a smart boy. You'll figure it out", Naruto assured. Sasuke shook his head in disbelief.

"You're insane", he muttered. "First of all, why would I do this? How the hell would this help you at all?"

Naruto scowled. He'd hoped the other one would've refrained from asking any questions, but obviously such wishful thinking had been in vain. Forced to tell the truth, he sighed.

"I dug up the body."

Sasuke said nothing, only stared. He tried, but failed to feel surprised. Why bother, when none of this made any sense to begin with.

Shock factor aside, it wasn't good news. If the blonde truly had dug up the corpse, he officially was involved. The body's DNA would be run through the database anyway and match with the DNA from seven years ago. The picture Sasuke concluded would be needed to prove a point in trial. That was really all he could make sense of. He wasn't sure if doing what Naruto was asking for would be more beneficial for him, or for Gaara. Sasuke felt no need to help said sociopath. But on the other hand, if Naruto had left behind any evidence at the disturbed grave, he'd be in trouble. Making a breakthrough in the investigation with the DNA and the picture would take the focus away from any possible evidence of Naruto's involvement. It'd be easier to get rid of.

Sasuke let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine. I'll do my best."

The blonde flashed a wide smile.

"Thanks, love", he chirped, forcefully planting a kiss on his friend's cheek.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't drool all over me", mumbled Sasuke, gently pushing the blonde and his affection away.

Sighing, he left his seat and began making his way towards the door. Naruto followed behind, happy as a clam.

"I need to get goin'. I was on my way to work before getting assaulted by your wild animal", he mumbled bitterly.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that", the blonde apologized, before frowning. "Are you a hundred percent sure you wanna get involved in this?"

Already on his way out, Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yes. I am. Stop asking that."

In return, Naruto smirked and brought forward his fist. Sasuke bumped his own against it. With that, the man stepped out the door and closed it after him. Left to stare at the now empty hallway, Naruto let out a deep sigh and glanced around.

There still was broken glass all over the carpet. Scowling at it, he decided he'd make Gaara clean it up. The thought of him reminded the blonde of the man's sudden leave from a while ago. Taking the short trip down the hallway to the guestroom, Naruto stopped in front of the closed door. Slowly he reached for the handle and cautiously cracked the door open. He found Gaara sitting on the bed, gaze glued to the floor. Naruto had difficulties telling if it was safe to step inside.

"Hey", he said quietly, trying to grab the man's attention.

Nothing. Not even as much as a glance. The blonde took his chances and stepped into the room. Gaara gave him no sign of acknowledgment. Slowly Naruto walked over and stopped to stand next to him. As the redhead remained reactionless, the blonde reached out to place a hand on his shoulder. Like burned by the touch, it got smacked away.

"Don't fucking touch me."

Naruto drew his hand away, slightly taken aback by the tone of the man's voice. The usually so cold and neutral sound of it had a distinctively distressed echo to it. It perhaps would've been wiser to step away, instead of giving it another go. But Naruto wasn't wise like that.

"I want to", he insisted, attempting to gently lift the other's downcast gaze.

His attempt was a success, to an extent. The instant his touch reached the other's face, Gaara's head snapped up, as did the rest of him. Suddenly on his feet and mere inches away, he repeated his previous statement, only with much more hatred mixed in.

"Don't _fuckin'_ touch me."

For a split second, Naruto felt taken aback. But his surprise was quickly overtaken by anger. Blue eyes narrowing at the redhead's hostile attitude, he refused to be talked to in such a way. He wasn't the one with the issue. He had no obligation to feel sorry for the man.

"Fine. Fuckin' drown in that self-pity", he growled and walked away, without looking back.

Storming out of the room, he slammed the door loudly shut and marched his way to the upstairs bedroom. There he encountered another door practically begging to be slammed violently shut. Flinging himself on the bed, he took a deep breath.

Every last atom in his body was stressed to the point of slow self-destruction. Feeling as if he was slowly falling apart, he stared at the ceiling and silently cursed Gaara to the lowest pits of hell. He was sick of him and his unstable brain chemistry. And sick of himself as well. On so many different levels. Especially on the one that refused to let the redhead leave and never come back. Whatever it was stopping him from letting the man go, he was sick of it. He didn't understand it, and thus it angered him. He'd intended to let him go. He'd been so close to saying it'd be better if he left. But then, instead of doing so, he'd stupidly let Gaara melt his brain into soup. The memory of it infuriated him as much as it made him hold his breath.

Naruto wanted the control over his mind and body back. He felt naked and vulnerable without it.

A frustrated grunt escaped his pursed lips. Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he took out a pack of cigarettes. As he lit up, he couldn't help but think what a beating Sakura would've given him, had she witnessed him smoking in the bed. But since she wasn't there, he couldn't have given two shits about it. He lay there for a long time, smoking cigarettes after another. The room smelled awful, but even that didn't bother him. Too annoyed by everything else, such trivial things couldn't irritate him any further. Despite fighting it, he kept thinking about Gaara. Every instance he managed to get the man out of his mind, the thought of him would be back in a second. Infuriating, to say the least.

Naruto had no idea how long he'd lain there, but was more or less down to his last cigarette. And last straw of sanity, as well. The only thing that finally disturbed him out of his mini-coma was the sound of the door opening. He didn't have to look to know Gaara stood in the doorway, staring at him. He said nothing. Neither did Gaara. For a long time, neither one said a thing. Naruto stared at the ceiling, Gaara stared at Naruto. Finally, the redhead sat down and went to lean against the door frame. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips.

"The picture", he grunted.

Naruto said nothing, just waited.

"It was all I had left of him", the redhead eventually mumbled.

He sounded...sad, almost. No, not sad. It wasn't that. Bitter, maybe. Naruto glanced at him. He took his time, but eventually hauled himself up to sit. Even then, he remained silent.

"I guess that was me letting go of the only thing that'd ever mattered to me", Gaara continued.

His words were sad, but voice held no emotion. For a while longer, Naruto stared at him in silence, until finally sighing in defeat. He got out of bed, slowly he made his way over and crouched down in front of the seated one.

"Who was he?" Naruto asked.

"He was important", was the vague answer.

The blonde tilted his head to the side and reached out to brush Gaara's red hair out of his face. Naruto let his fingers stay buried in the soft hair, and Gaara allowed that.

"Did you love him?"

The redhead flinched upon hearing that word. Love.

"No."

For a long time after, he remained silent and thoughtful. Hesitant, even. Naruto waited patiently.

"I don't know what love is", the man finally spoke.

The blonde frowned, confused. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Gaara seemed to struggle to find a reply. "I've never loved. I've never been loved. How could I know?"

What a strangely sad answer. Frowning, Naruto gently moved his hand to trail the scar on the man's forehead. He didn't understand the meaning of it.

"Then why do you have it carved into your skin?" he questioned.

The other one grunted. "It's a reminder."

"Of what?"

Gaara's pale gaze turned to look at the blonde's blue one.

"To never learn what love is like."

Naruto's lips parted in slight surprise. It was perhaps the saddest, most depressing sentence he'd ever heard anyone speak. But then again, Gaara definitely was the saddest, most depressing creature he'd ever encountered. For a short while longer, he let his stare memorize the deep lines of the other's scar, before drawing his hand away and letting the red hair cover it anew. A pitiful breath of air escaped his parted lips.

"That's...sad", he commented.

Gaara said nothing right away. Instead he let himself watch the blonde in silence, one hand shortly reaching out to gently brush against the other's face. Mostly by accident, Naruto's eyes fell shut at the feel of it. The redhead didn't mind.

"Life is."

It was. That Naruto couldn't deny. But though he couldn't argue it, he still refused to let life be only sad. Which was largely why forced the grim mood of that moment aside, and instead spoke of something less somber. About something he'd planned for a while by then.

"We need to fly to Fuchu", he stated, opening his eyes.

The redhead frowned, letting his touch drop as a sign of reluctance.

"Why?" he huffed, not exactly enthusiastic. The blonde rose to stand up before replying.

"There's someone I need to see", he told, turning to walk downstairs. Lazily Gaara stood up and followed him.

"Who?" he pried as they reached the kitchen.

"A friend."

Gaara asked no further questions. It didn't seem like Naruto would answer any.

"Clean up the broken glass", the blonde demanded, causing the other one to scowl.

"Why me?"

"Cause you're the one who threw it against the wall."

Gaara stared at him in silent protest for a while, but eventually nodded and sighed as if he'd been asked to clean the entire house. Leaving the lazy bastard to pick up the broken glass, Naruto went to grab his laptop and seated himself by the table with it. Intending to book a flight to Fuchu for the following afternoon, he made it all the way to paying for the tickets, when a thought crossed his mind.

"Are you allowed to travel?" he asked the other man.

"As long as I don't leave the country", muttered Gaara, still picking up shards of glass. "You're my fuckin' lawyer. Shouldn't you know what I'm allowed to do?"

Naruto sighed tiredly. "I ain't got time to keep track of it all. I can just ask you, can't I?"

The redhead rolled his eyes, but got no chance to reply. A particularly sharp shard of glass cut open his hand, the piece now stuck in the palm of his hand.

"Shit."

Taking notice of the sour grunt, Naruto turned to look. He saw the cut. It bled quite badly.

"Are you serious? Why do constantly have to bleed all over the place?" he groaned, and left his seat.

Grabbing a kitchen towel from the counter, he made his way over and crouched down beside the redhead. He took the wounded hand into his, receiving no arguments. He then gently eased out the glass stuck under the pale skin. Now blocked by nothing, the blood was free to flow. If only to avoid explaining to his wife why the hallway carpet was stained in blood, he rushed to wrap the towel around the other's bleeding hand. He realized it was the same hand Gaara had punched useless some time ago. How the man remained in one piece went beyond his understanding.

"You're a walkin' disaster", Naruto muttered. It earned him a glare.

"Pretty sure it's your fault. I've never bled as much as I have around you", assured Gaara. The blonde couldn't help but chuckle.

"Or, maybe you just are a walkin' disaster."

The redhead huffed, but said nothing. Naruto flashed him a crooked smile, moving on to tie the towel so it'd stay in place. Pleased enough with the temporary solution, he then sat back down by the table to take care of the tickets. Thanks to the wonders of internet, in two minutes he'd booked and paid the flight.

"We're flyin' tomorrow at 4 p.m.", he informed.

Gaara still was cleaning up the last of the mess. Somewhat of an awkward sight it was to look at, given that he only had one functioning hand. Naruto secretly enjoyed the man's discomfort, but obviously didn't show it.

"Okay", the redhead muttered, finally done. After throwing out the pieces of glass, he took a seat next to Naruto.

"I'm out of cigarettes", told the blonde. Gaara gave him a strange look.

"You smoked an entire pack up there?" he wondered, questioning the healthiness of such.

"Pretty much", Naruto admitted, but then scowled. "Your fault for bein' a dick."

What Gaara said next, nearly caused the blonde to fall from his seat.

"Sorry."

Silent staring ensued. Naruto wondered if he'd heard correctly, suddenly unsure of the state his hearing was in. He'd sincerely thought the other man wasn't even aware of the word's existence. His tone hadn't perhaps been particularly meaningful, but hearing him say it felt like a miracle nonetheless. Somehow, it made Naruto laugh.

"I didn't think you knew how to be sorry", he told.

"I don't. Usually", admitted Gaara.

The blonde's wide grin mellowed into a less prominent smile instead. A genuine, kind one. The redhead found himself taken aback by it. Maybe not so much by the sight of it, but by the beat his heart unexpectedly skipped. Busy feeling extraordinarily happy about that one small word he'd heard Gaara speak, Naruto never noticed the man subtly press a hand against his chest to check that the beat was still there. The blonde might've noticed, hadn't the sound of his phone ringing brought that moment to an abrupt end. Taking the ringing device out, he quickly checked the caller and then picked up.

"Hey, Shika."

"Hey. You haven't been to the office for a while. Are you okay?" his friend asked.

Not wanting to risk Shikamaru asking any questions, Naruto glanced at Gaara and signed him to keep quiet. It stirred faint curiosity in the redhead, but he did as told.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just takin' some time off", the blonde finally replied. Short silence ensued.

"You never take time off", Shikamaru pointed out, mildly suspicious. "What's wrong?"

Naruto sighed. "Nothing. I'm fine, really."

As if not entirely convinced, Shikamaru remained quiet for a while. But eventually grunted in defeat.

"Fine. I believe you. Are you home?" he asked instead.

"Yeah."

"How's Sakura?" Shikamaru asked casually. Which again caused Naruto to frown.

"Fine, I guess. She ain't home. Shouldn't you know that?" he wondered. The reply left him truly confused.

"Uh...no? Why would I?"

Naruto's frown grew into a scowl. "Where's Ino?"

For such a sudden turn in the conversation, Shikamaru handled the continuation of it fairly well.

"Ino's home", he told.

Naruto shut his eyes, fighting the urge to grind his teeth together. Somewhere in the back of his mind resided the need to slam his fist against the table.

"What do you mean she's home?" he then asked, his voice clearly tense with something or other. Shikamaru released a mildly confused sound.

"I mean...she's home. Right there, sitting on the couch", the man explained. Naruto tried so hard not to ask dumb questions, yet failed.

"You sure?"

"...Yeah. Pretty damn sure."

There was this few seconds long moment at which the blonde tried to rely on logic and understand that there must've been a good reason why Sakura would've lied. But the seconds passed, and so did his logic. Only barely could he give her the benefit of doubt.

"I wanna talk to her", he then demanded.

He could hear the phone change hands, right away followed by a soft female voice.

"Yeah?"

"Hey. It's Naruto."

"Oh. Hi."

She sounded as generally bitter as ever. Pushing aside the woman's natural way of coming across unpleasant, Naruto went straight to the point.

"Do you know where Sakura is?" he asked, trying so very hard not to sound too harsh. Ino let out a surprised sound.

"Huh?" she wondered. "Why would I? We haven't talked in ages."

She'd lied. Sakura had lied. Biting back the insults he wanted to set free, Naruto swallowed his anger for just a while longer.

"Okay. Thanks. Gotta go."

With that, he hung up. Though he felt Gaara's gaze watch the obvious rage building up inside him, Naruto ignored it and went straight to dialing Sakura's number. A tired sigh flooding from his throat, Gaara snatched the phone from his hands before he could make any disastrous mistakes.

"Terrible idea", the redhead stated, refusing to return the phone despite the blonde's attempts.

"Why?" grunted Naruto, clearly less than pleased.

Gaara confiscated the other's phone by shoving it into his own pocket. He might've not been the poster boy for relationship counseling, but even he could detect a disaster about to happen.

"Cause you don't wanna make that call while pissed off", he reasoned.

Naruto's clenched jaw showed no sign of relaxing, but he was forced to admit that the redhead had a point. He was right. Angrily shouting accusations over the phone wouldn't help the matter. Thus he forgot about that plan. It was fine, since he had another one in mind. Wordlessly he left his seat, leaving Gaara to yet again groan tiredly and stand up as well.

"What are you doing?"

He received no reply. Rolling his eyes at the blonde's turned back, he huffed and rushed after the clearly unstable man. He followed Naruto down the hallway, up the stairs and into the master bedroom. Once there, he watched the blonde stop in the middle of the room. After a while of silent wonderment, Naruto rushed over to the bed's right-hand nightstand. He opened up the drawer. Inside he found a laptop. Grabbing it, he took the device out and dropped it on the bed. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the blonde's less than sensible mood.

"The fuck are you doing?" he asked again.

"I'm gonna find out where she went", Naruto informed and turned on the laptop.

He waited for the computer to start up. Once ready, he immediately opened up the internet browser and clicked to get a view of the history. It'd been wiped out.

"Shit."

He forgot about the search history and went on to get into her e-mail instead. As he pressed enter to log in with the pre-written username and password, his mind did briefly tell him to stop acting crazy. But far more interested in finding out where she'd gone, rather than how she'd feel about what he was doing, he refused to acknowledge it. The login was successful. For just a second Naruto hesitated, but then clicked to see the content of her inbox anyway. Regardless of whether it was a relief or a disappointment, he found exactly what he should've expected.

A hotel reservation. At a spa. Just like she'd said.

Naruto couldn't help but furrow his brows in utter confusion. If Sakura was precisely where she'd said she'd be, why lie about Ino? While the blonde fell silent within his wonderment, Gaara glanced at the computer screen.

"See? No need to lose your shit", he grunted.

Naruto said nothing, only sighed. Had he broken into his wife's e-mail for absolutely nothing? He couldn't understand why she'd lied. He wanted nothing more than to ask, but knew it wasn't wise to do so over the phone. He'd have to wait until she returned home. Really all he could do was hope she'd be home before they left to Fuchu. Somewhat disappointed, and even more confused than before, Naruto shut down the laptop and placed it back into the drawer. Not bothering to move, he remained seated on the bed. Gaara stood next to it, gazing down at the apathetic blonde.

"This is a really shitty day", Naruto mumbled.

"True."

As it became clear that the blonde had no intention of getting up, Gaara took the liberty to lie down beside him. Naruto glanced at him from the corner of his eye, but said nothing. Neither did Gaara. In that mostly comfortable silence, he moved his hand to gently press it against the wound in his side. It was aching again.

"Does it hurt?" the blonde wanted to know.

"Kinda."

Another silence followed. One that lasted slightly longer, felt a little less comfortable and little more hesitant. Gaara took his time pensively staring at the ceiling, before he finally forced himself to say something comforting. Which was something he couldn't remember having done in years, if ever at all. It felt just strange enough for eye contact to seem like an impossibility. Thus he carried on watching the dull ceiling.

"She'd have to be dumb to cheat on you."

Naruto flinched, delayed. It was no conscious decision for him to turn and look at the redhead, whose gaze still very much stayed upwards. He must've felt the blonde's stare, must've found it uncomfortable, yet he still pushed himself to continue.

"I'm...rotten. But even I can tell what's worth holding onto."

Weightless. That's how the blonde suddenly felt. Why, he wasn't entirely sure. Not knowing how to respond, he didn't. But there was something he wanted to ask. He wasn't sure what to expect as an answer. Wasn't sure if he should ask at all. He did, anyway.

"Why am I an exception?"

Gaara lifted his head upwards to see the blonde, but then lowered himself back down. A small smirk appeared to lift the corner of his lips.

"Not sure. I guess it's cause I loathe you an exceptional amount."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're really are a complete cunt."

"I know", Gaara chuckled.

Not wasting time waiting for an actual answer, Naruto glanced out the window. It'd gotten dark. He felt tired. A yawn escaped.

"Okay, get out. I need to sleep", he demanded.

Gaara lazily hauled himself up and off the bed. Making his way to the door, he switched the lights off. Before he could walk away, Naruto's tired voice still caught up with him.

"Remember to take care of your hand", he mumbled, face already buried into a pillow. He hadn't even bothered to take his clothes off.

"Yeah, yeah. Just sleep already", the redhead grunted, pausing by the door. Silence, hesitation. "Good night."

Naruto cracked open his closed eyes, lifted his head and glanced in the door's direction. He never got the chance to reply. The door was closed and Gaara gone. Frowning, he stopped to stare at it, the little the darkness allowed him to see. He briefly wondered why he hoped he could've wished him the same, but was quick to shrug it off. He wasn't sure what time it was, but the instant his head hit the pillow again, he was out like a light.

It was 2 a.m. and still too dark to see, when Naruto suddenly jolted awake. For some time, he couldn't figure out what'd cut his sleep short. He'd had no nightmares, seemed to have no real reason to have woken up. Confused, he sat up and paused to simply listen. A faint sound did reach him. The sound of footsteps. They moved around for a short while, before stopping. Since Gaara rarely slept, he nearly dismissed the footsteps as his. But then he realized that though the redhead spent his nights wide awake, he always was perfectly soundless. Suddenly, the sounds no longer were so easy to dismiss. And after a full minute of no sound at all, there was a loud thud.

Naruto was quick to jump out of the bed, run to the door and from there to the stairs. Somehow he never stopped to consider what might await him downstairs. Perhaps too surprised by the unnerving sounds, he cast away caution and carelessly descended the stairs. Unarmed, unprepared, un-everything. It wasn't until he reached the last step, lifted his downcast gaze up and caught the dark outline of someone standing in the hallway, when he finally realized his mistake. Even though it took only a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, it took even less for him to know it wasn't anyone he knew. Mostly thanks to the very distinctive sight of a gun aimed perfectly at him.

The blonde froze still, held his breath. Realizing that he had literally no means of defending himself against firearm, he began to feel the slightest bit nervous. Not knowing what else to do, he slowly raised his hands for the intruder to see. He then quickly glanced over the dark figure's shoulder. There was another man behind him, armed as well. But his gun was no pretty little pistol. The man had a rifle. Finding himself in the very unfortunate position of two of them against just him alone, Naruto felt a stab of annoyance.

Where the hell was Gaara when he was needed the most?

He did then realize that Gaara probably wasn't there because he wasn't big enough of an idiot to waltz right in front of this welcoming committee. Naruto obviously was, and since that was the case, he had no way out. Silence fell. And though it couldn't have lasted any longer than a few seconds, time seemed to stand still. Until it suddenly no longer did. Suddenly, it moved unusually fast.

A glint of something metallic caught Naruto's attention. And though only faintly, he could make out the form of someone familiar standing behind the man closest to the door. Even though he instantly knew it was Gaara, the blonde nearly let himself feel startled. He hadn't noticed the man appear there. And neither had anyone else. Before the man standing by the door even had the chance to notice his presence, Gaara already had a tight grip on his head, abruptly forcing it to tilt backwards. The metallic glint in the darkness turned out to be the reflective surface of a kitchen knife's blade, now firmly pressed against this intruder's exposed neck. And with a motion not the least bit hesitant, not uncertain in the slightest, the blade soundlessly traveled across the man's bare throat.

Even in the dark, it would've been difficult to miss the immediate downpour of blood.

A violent gush of it exited the clean cut, before mellowing down into a steady flow down the tan neck. The wound was deep, that Naruto could tell even from a distance. By the looks of it, the blade had nearly severed his head. The pain must've been unimaginable, yet as the man attempted to scream out in anguish, his voice simply drowned in the tide of blood. A pitiful gurgle escaping his torn open windpipe, the man collapsed to his knees, the rifle in his hands falling from his hold. For an impressive few seconds, he still fought to stay upright, battled against the pain and desperately tried to stop life exiting his earthly vessel. In vain, of course. But the attempt was there.

For the blink of an eye, Naruto tore his gaze away from the suffering man and glanced at the one standing tall behind him. The sick, twisted smirk on Gaara's lips wasn't one to go unnoticed.

Intruder number two, the one still aiming his weapon at the blonde, rushed to turn around to see his partner finally fall to the ground. Whether it was the element of surprise, or genuine horror for seeing his familiar twist and turn in agony, the man froze still and rigid. No more than a couple of seconds could've gone by, yet it seemed to take a lifetime for the desperate sounds of a man drowning in his own blood to fade. As his lungs then drew their last, pathetic intake of air mixed with blood, he died along with the sound. That was the moment Naruto realized that the other man had lost his concentration. His chance had come. Most likely the only chance he'd get.

In a fearless and surprisingly swift move, the blonde rushed forward and took a firm hold of the weapon in the threat's grasp. Still partly facing the other way, it took the man by surprise. Enough to startle him, yet not enough for his hold on the gun to give up. Focusing on keeping his head away from the weapon's direct aim, Naruto fought to pry it from the other's hands, only to be equally as determinedly fought back. Upon finding himself aggressively pushed and pinned against the wall for the purpose of gaining the upper hand, the blonde realized he'd lose this futile fight. And he would've, hadn't it been for Gaara and his quick fix of sinking the kitchen knife into the intruder's turned back.

A cry of pain escaped the stranger's open mouth, his hold on the gun finally weakening. Not about to lose his last chance, Naruto finally managed to tear the weapon away from the other man. Without much thought or any plan whatsoever, he then rushed to aim it at the one still pinning him in place, their pained face only inches away. The mouth left hanging open in surprise looked like an invite to a dose of lead. Naruto found himself pushing the gun's barrel under the man's jaw. With a pull of the trigger, loud bang and subtle flinch, it was over. The gun fired, a bullet pierced the man's jaw and traveled the distance inside his head, before exiting through the top. The blonde certainly did feel blood and fragments of human tissue splutter across his face, yet somehow didn't quite register it. In the blink of an eye, the stranger was dead.

The man's dead weight ended up crashing against the blonde, before finally falling to the floor. Left somewhat shaken and surprised, Naruto stayed to rest against the wall, eyes staring emptily ahead and breath not exactly hasty, but definitely shallow. He took a moment to assimilate what'd just happened, entirely forgetting he wasn't all alone. When he finally did turn to see Gaara, he was taken aback by the look laid on him. The redhead looked displeased, annoyed even. Taking a small step closer, his vicinity demanded for attention, and thus Naruto granted him that. The pale man's words fell out angry and disappointed.

"Never, fuckin' _never_ leave your gun."

For a moment longer, Naruto's blue gaze remained dazed and disoriented. He then finally forced away the shakiness and vigorously shook his head.

"I won't."

The redhead's harsh gaze softened, a less annoyed look replacing the angered scowl. Both of them turned to glance down at the two dead men bleeding across the blonde's previously clean hardwood floor. Gaara then turned to see the door behind him. Naruto followed his gaze, sighing tiredly.

"There's more of 'em, ain't there?"

The redhead said nothing, only nodded. Wordlessly he turned around and walked over to the door, the blonde following behind. Together they stopped to stand behind it. Gaara flashed a smirk.

"You wanna do the honors, blondie?"

Naruto glanced at him, said nothing, but tightened his hold on the gun nonetheless. Taking the silent gesture as a yes, Gaara swiftly pulled the door open. Immediately, the blonde raised his gun. Though having been clueless of what to expect, he'd expected something akin to what actually greeted him. Behind the door, a mere foot away from the threshold, stood yet another unfamiliar man. Judging by the look on his face, he'd arrived in a hurry, perhaps alerted by the sounds of gunfire. He never got a chance to react to the gun pointed at him, as Naruto was so instant to perfect his aim and pull the trigger.

The bullet hit him in the chest. Mostly in the center, slightly to the left. A look of horror spread across the man's already shocked features. Slowly he raised a hand and pressed it against the spot where he'd felt the impact happen. His fingers were quick to turn wet. His horrified gaze slowly dropped to see thick, red blood gush out of the gaping hole in his torso. The crippling terror it stirred within him was apparent, yet Naruto felt it was all taking too long. Thus he fired the gun again, this time hitting the man in the head, instantly putting him out of his misery. Brains blown to mush and legs giving way under his dead weight, he sank to the ground to never rise again.

Naruto silently watched the last of life leave the man's body. A thoughtful question left his lips.

"Now what?"

"Now we get rid of 'em", Gaara grunted. "Hn. I really don't feel like diggin' graves."

Naruto sighed. "We ain't got much choice, do we."

Tearing his gaze away from the dead man, he turned around and made his way back inside. The scowling redhead reluctantly followed behind. Naruto found his way to a large closet in the hallway. He'd primarily used it to store tools and other crap that otherwise just got in the way. After turning on a dim light and sliding open the wide closet doors, he took out a shovel and handed it to Gaara. The response was but a bored glare.

"Start diggin'. Somewhere in the backyard's fine", the blonde told, ignoring the other's sour face. "I'm gonna deal with the mess here."

The redhead sighed, so very jadedly. He was no fan of digging holes, especially six feet deep, but at the very least he wouldn't have to mess around with bloody corpses. Though mildly reluctant, Gaara grabbed the shovel offered, and made his way back outside. Naruto watched him go, before turning to glance at the lifeless bodies lying around him. The sight stirred feelings of frustration. It would take a lot of work to clean up the mess in its entirety. Worse than that, before he could worry about the mess, he'd have to get the corpses wrapped up in some sort of plastic, one way or another. Feeling exhausted at the mere thought, he had to force himself to move.

A lazy sigh escaping, he turned back to the closet and gazed at its contents for a short while. Shortly he discovered a large roll of thick plastic wrap he'd forgotten all about, and decided to utilize it. It'd once been used to protect the floors and furniture when they'd repainted the walls. After a few years of waiting to be thrown out, it finally would be of some use again. Setting it down on the floor, Naruto then rolled it open just enough to fit a body inside. He grabbed the nearest corpse and dragged it onto the plastic. He stopped to watch the lifeless form. Not really because he felt any interest towards the dead man as an individual, but because he wanted to confirm they in fact were part of the mafia. To do so, he rolled up the man's sleeve to reveal a sight uncomfortably familiar by then. Tattoos, yakuza ink. Naruto's gaze moved to glance at the man's neck. From beneath all the blood and gore, he could make out a metallic chain, as well as a tag attached to it. Yet again, identical to the one Gaara had. The blonde frowned.

He was beginning to wonder, exactly what purpose did these tags have? And more importantly, why did Gaara still carry his? Considering the circumstances, it seemed unnecessary.

Shaking himself back to reality, Naruto ripped the tag loose and slipped it into his pocket. Finding no reason to further investigate the body, he then began wrapping it in the plastic it lay on. Once entirely covered, he cut the used plastic off the roll, found himself some duct tape from the closet, and went on to place several layers of it around the body's head and feet. Now done with the first, he moved on to the second. Thanks to Gaara and his partial decapitation of the body, it turned out to be much messier to handle and harder to wrap up. The man had bled out every drop, turning his fresh remains slippery and just generally repulsive. It took him a while, but eventually Naruto finished wrapping the other body up as well. He dragged it next to the other one, leaving them to lay partly stacked.

Suddenly reminded of the third one, he couldn't help but sigh. But well aware of it having to be done, he sucked it up and made his way outside. Once there, he grabbed the last dead thing by the legs, dragged it inside, and gave it the same treatment as the two others'. When he finally had all three bodies wrapped up and ready to be thrown into the ground, he allowed himself to take a seat on the floor. From that slight distance away, he eyed at the small pile of corpses in his hallway. It felt odd, to stare at those three people, all now dead and gone. All because of him. Yet at the same time, he felt no notable remorse. He just felt...empty. Hollow, as if his insides had caved in. Generally detached.

Naruto shut his eyes and pressed his face against the palms of his bloodied hands. A shaky breath escaped his parted lips.

He felt like a monster. Not because he'd taken somebody's life, but because it didn't feel like _anything_. He'd often wondered what it would be like to do so. What it'd be like to rob someone of their entire being, what it'd be like to kill. Given his past and career, he'd never stood too far from people who'd committed such sinful acts. He'd been disturbed, yet curious. Judgmental, but intrigued. He'd had theories about what it would be like, how it would feel. But never had he imagined it to be so easy, so...insignificant. Finding it to be just that, he no longer knew how to feel about himself. On the verge of an introspective breakthrough, that's where he stood now. He supposed, anyway.

He did realize that there was no going back now. No undoing of what he'd done. He'd never live a normal life again, that was for sure. But then again, he couldn't claim he really wanted to. Not anymore. Not only because it would've been unreasonable to wish for such. But because despite all the hell he'd seen and all the terrible things he'd done, he'd never before felt as comfortable in his own skin. He felt like himself again. It wasn't that he found the act of taking human lives a thrill, or even something he'd carelessly condone. But knowing that he was capable of it, that gave him a rush of hope. Hope of survival.

Naruto couldn't help but smirk. He'd definitely learned something new about himself, but he'd also learned something new about Gaara. Or perhaps it was more like...confirmed something about him.

He'd watched the redhead brutally slice open the throat of that man, watched him do so without a hint of hesitation or reluctance. And he'd seen the look. It'd been so vibrant and obvious, the look of honest enjoyment in Gaara's eyes, as he'd sunk the blade into live flesh and torn it apart. Naruto had instantly known, it wasn't the man's first time doing it. Not his first time cutting a throat, not his first time taking a life in general. Gaara was a murderer, case closed. Not that it mattered, anymore. Because now, so was he.

The word 'murder' somehow lost its macabre significance when it turned out to be so easy to execute. As did Gaara's morbid darkness. The thought of it didn't strike as overpowering anymore. Not when he knew how small of a leap it truly was to enter the realm of such darkness. Admittedly, very few would ever permanently reside within it the way Gaara did, but knowing it existed, knowing it was accessible...it stopped seeming so distant and terrifying. Somehow Naruto felt as if he now understood Gaara a little bit better. He didn't feel as frightened of his dark secrets. Didn't feel as intimidated by him anymore. All he now really wanted was to live through this hell with him. And was prepared to anything and everything to make that happen.

The door opened, causing Naruto to flinch. He turned to see Gaara standing in the doorway, muddy and breathless. And wet.

"It's fuckin' raining", the man growled.

Naruto said nothing, only stared. Realizing he couldn't stop doing so, his lips curled into an amused, yet kind smile. It seemed to confuse the redhead.

"What?" he asked. The blonde shook his head, chuckling.

"Nothing", he assured, pulling himself off the floor. "C'mon, help me get these things out of here."

The redhead did as told. Together they went to pick up the bodies left on the floor. Despite the poor state of his health, Gaara picked up one of them like it was nothing. Naruto watched him carry out a full-grown man with ease, blue eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"Show off", he scoffed.

Left to deal with the remaining two, he struggled one over his shoulder and the grabbed the other by the legs. Dragging all that dead weight outside, he couldn't help but make a note of its comedic element. Hadn't it been about hiding bodies, it would've been an amusing sight. But since it was about hiding bodies, he simply concentrated on making it outside and to the backyard. Having an extravagant fence surrounding his yard finally seemed worth the money. It being in the middle of the night was also a perk.

When Naruto finally made it there, Gaara had already thrown one of the bodies into the hole he'd dug up. The blonde was fairly impressed with the DIY grave's size, considering it'd only taken an hour for the redhead to dig it. Reaching the edge of the open grave, Naruto let the body hauled over his shoulder fall into the dark pit, while Gaara kicked in the third one. They fit in just fine.

"Okay. Fantastic", muttered the blonde. "We still gotta cover it up though."

Gaara groaned tiredly.

"I hate this", the man hissed, but grabbed the shovel anew nonetheless.

With a bitter scowl on his face, he started to fill the hole up. Void of any tools, Naruto was forced to use his hands to get the dirt back to where it'd come from. The whole ordeal would leave a nasty, muddy patch on the otherwise well-kept lawn, but fortunately it was shadowed by a couple of dense trees and bushes. Unless specifically looked for, it wouldn't get noticed. In less than thirty minutes, the grave was covered and the bodies hidden. If only their work had ended there.

"Now we need to clean up inside", Naruto stated.

Yet another jaded sigh fell from the redhead's lips. Reluctantly he nodded and followed the blonde back inside. They stepped into the hallway, flicked on the lights and stopped to eye the mess. It was a tiring sight to look at. How they'd ever get the blood off of the white walls was somewhat of a mystery, but after two hours of intense washing and scrubbing, most of it was gone. One faint stain refused to fade, and Naruto could only hope Sakura wouldn't take notice of it. Other than that, the previously blood soaked hallway looked as good as new. The carpet he'd have to throw out. It was beyond saving. Postponing its inevitable fate just a bit, he rolled it up and hid it inside the rarely visited hallway closet. Finally, the work was over. And so was the night.

"Please tell me you got cigarettes", the blonde whined, laying a pleading look on the other man.

He did have, and kindly enough tossed him a full pack. Beyond pleased, Naruto took one out and lit up. Rarely had slow suicide tasted as good as it did then.

"God yes, I needed this", he mumbled, mostly to himself.

Naruto glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. 8 a.m., already. It probably was no use going back to bed. But a shower sounded tempting. Tearing his gaze away from the time, he turned to see Gaara instead. By the looks of it, he was in an even greater need of one.

"Go take a shower. I'll make coffee", Naruto told the bloody mess on legs. Pleased enough, Gaara nodded and walked away.

Left alone, the blonde went on to make the coffee he'd promised. While pouring water into the machine, he found himself hoping that this time Gaara would understand to clothe himself after showering. The thought of it naturally led him to remember the confusingly unforgettable sight of said unclothed, dripping wet man. And it annoyed the blonde, it truly did.

There was no point in denying that he found the redhead attractive, anymore. But he also had no idea why he felt that way. Gaara was a man. A dude. No tits, no curves. No nothing Naruto usually was attracted to. For as long as he could remember, he'd been a devoted fan of female beauty. It'd come naturally, he'd never had to question it. He'd also never found any man visually pleasing beyond objective observation. Like most people, Naruto could tell the difference between good looks and unsightly disasters. But just like beautiful architecture or flashy cars, indisputably attractive men had always fallen under the category of things to appreciate in the most non-sexual manner imaginable. Why this one man, the biggest cunt he'd ever come across suddenly seemed like an exception, he truly could not say.

Resting against the kitchen counter, Naruto sighed. Maybe he was imagining things. Overthinking it, at the very least. Not that the sincerity of his sudden urges even mattered. Real or not, he couldn't let them rule over common sense. He was married. And even if he hadn't been, Gaara would've been the worst possible candidate to show interest in. Not only did he have the personality of a wasp, but Naruto still was his attorney. And of course, he absolutely loathed the man. No change there. The redhead still irked him like nothing else ever had.

Deep in his thoughts, Naruto became startled as Gaara stepped back into the room.

"That was quick", the blonde noted, turning to see the other one. A lengthy sigh was quick to fall from his lips.

So much for hoping he'd be properly clothed. Somewhat astonishingly, he did have a pair of jeans on. But the rest of it, left as bare as ever. Hair wet, the water dripping down that infuriatingly lickable skin of his. Naruto had never imagined he'd think of _anything_ in the world as lickable, and realizing that out of all the things it was _this_, he was forced to admit that his theory of overthinking was barely even laughable. Absolutely nothing objective there was about the things he suddenly wanted to do to that attractive bastard. There the man stood in the doorway, drying his hair with a towel. And Naruto stared like an idiot. Which didn't go nearly as unnoticed as he'd wished it would.

"It's rude to stare, y'know."

Naruto tore his gaze away in a flash. He incoherently mumbled something about not having stared and went on to pour the now done coffee into to two cups. One he took for himself, the other he offered to Gaara. The man stepped closer, took what he was offered and flashed a smirk.

"Thanks."

The blonde embarrassingly enough flinched, before giving the redhead an unplanned smile. Gaara had noticed that every time he spoke words unexpected of him, Naruto would smile. And he liked it. He liked his smile. Liked the way it looked, and wasn't shy to stare.

"What?" the blonde asked, as the other one merely stared in utter silence. Gaara snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head, but didn't look away.

"Nothin'. Just looking."

Naruto gave him a strange look, but said nothing. He was distantly aware of how close the other one stood. Nearly close enough to feel him. Gaara was as aware of it as the other one. It did distract him to an extent. Watching the blonde's parted lips, he knew it would take just a small lean forward to feel them against his. He wouldn't do it. He knew it wasn't a good idea. Just wanting to made him...weak. It wasn't a statement fueled by self-pity, it was true. The blonde made him weaker. And he couldn't afford to be weak.

Naruto did notice the pale eyes gazing at his lips. He knew what it'd eventually lead to, and thus turned to look the other way. He didn't want to look at him. Didn't want to need him. He didn't really even know what it was he supposedly needed. He didn't know Gaara. There was much he wanted to know, but still was too afraid to ask. Frowning, the blonde turned to meet the stare still very much on him. He didn't mind it, didn't mind the stare. Perhaps stupidly, he reached out to run his fingers through red hair, leaving them to gently tug on a few strands. Not for any real purpose. Out of pensive hesitation, more than anything. Like a nervous mannerism.

"I'm gonna ask you a question. I want you to answer me."

His voice sounded mildly anxious, gaze avoiding the other's stare. Gaara easily could've grown suspicious of its ominous sound, but frankly, rather just watched the blonde distracted by his red hair. Thus he only nodded. Naruto took a deep breath, finally meeting the stare on him.

"You killed them, didn't you?"

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**Review, sweeties, review. I'll love you for all eternity ;)**


	17. The Low High of Tomorrow's Regret

**Hello, all you beautiful people. Here's a new chapter for ya. Please enjoy, please review.**

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Naruto didn't know what to expect as he asked his question. It could've been anything from a bold lie to getting strangled to death. It could've been anything but what actually happened. The redhead didn't even flinch at his question. He simply burst out laughing. Naruto watched him eyes wide. He didn't know if him laughing was a good or a bad thing, but it certainly was unexpected. It took a good thirty seconds for the man to get serious again. A smirk remained on his lips as Gaara reached to touch the side of the blonde's face.

"I think you already know the answer to that", he said and watched Naruto with an amused expression.

Naruto just stared like an idiot. He was too baffled by his odd reaction and couldn't really register any of the man's words. When he came back around, he had only one question.

"Why?"

Gaara tilted his head. "Now that, I can't tell ya", he said.

Naruto grunted. No surprise there. He didn't get much out of him, but at least he now knew his hunch had been correct. Gaara had been the one to tear those people apart. Naruto didn't know how to feel about it. He looked at the man still touching his face. He waited for some sort of terror or panic to wash over him, but nothing happened. In his eyes, the man was the same. He felt no fear, no nothing. Also, the fact that he very much liked the man's touch remained the same.

Naruto had expected to see him in a different way if he ever confessed to the murders. But now that he – kind of – had, he still felt no different. Perhaps he'd lived long enough under the impression that Gaara was guilty, for it to no longer affect him. And to not be a hypocrite, he was no better. Not anymore.

"Does it change something?" Gaara asked him. Naruto could detect an almost unnoticeable undertone of worry, which was surprising.

"No. It doesn't", Naruto said.

Gaara nodded. He remained close to the blonde, his hand still on his cheek. It became silent. They just watched each other. They were drifting back to that dangerously close atmosphere again. Fortunately, it came to a stop as there was a knock on the front door. The two men startled slightly upon hearing the sound and quickly pulled apart.

"I'll get it", Gaara muttered and left Naruto to drink the rest of his coffee.

The blonde watched the redhead pull out his gun, just in case and then open the door. Naruto didn't see the visitor, but Gaara let out a displeased noise.

"It's him again", Gaara growled and moved away from the door.

He seated himself down by the kitchen table and lit up a cigarette. Sasuke stepped inside. Naruto flashed him a smile.

"Hey, moron", the brunette muttered.

"Hey, asshole. What's up?" Naruto asked. Before Sasuke had the chance to answer, his gaze got stuck on Naruto's clothing.

"Why are you covered in blood and dirt?" the man asked eyeing the blonde. Naruto grunted.

"Yakuza got in last night."

Sasuke's eyes widened. He closed the front door behind him and rushed to Naruto.

"Are you okay? Is that your blood?" the man asked unusually worried and actually lifted up the blonde's shirt to find any possible wounds.

Needless to say, it made Gaara like him even less. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine and no, it's not mine. Would you stop undressing me?" Naruto said and slapped the man's hands away. Sasuke frowned.

"What happened?" he asked. Naruto glanced at Gaara. It was probably best not to be too specific.

"I don't wanna make you any more a part of this, so I ain't gonna tell you about it", Naruto decided. Sasuke wasn't pleased.

"What ? Did you kill someone or something?" Sasuke asked. Naruto didn't answer that, but his face told enough. Sasuke flinched.

"Did you?" he asked again, with a suspicious expression.

"I told ya, I ain't talking about it", Naruto repeated and gave him a cold glare.

Sasuke was about to take the discussion a step further, but went silent as he saw Gaara rise from his seat. He didn't look happy.

"Mind your own business", the redhead growled. Sasuke watched him with deep loathing in his eyes.

"How about you mind being in places you ain't supposed to", he hissed.

It took exactly one second for the two of them to lunge at each other. Naruto's jaw fell. Were they fucking serious? The sight was something he would've expected to see on discovery channel, not on his kitchen floor. He watched the two men wrestle for a while, before pulling out his gun and aiming at the two.

"Get off each other", Naruto commanded. He got no reaction. They weren't even listening. Naruto became frustrated.

"_Fucking morons!_" the blonde roared.

Two flustered men turned towards him. They noticed the gun and the seriously pissed off look on his face and let go of each other.

"Now sit the fuck down", the blonde ordered. They both did as told. Naruto put his gun away with a frustrated growl.

"Seriously. You ain't fucking animals", Naruto huffed. He turned towards Gaara.

"And you, damn twat, just got shot. It's like last night wasn't enough fighting with that wound", the blonde said.

Gaara rolled his eyes. Sasuke glanced at the redhead. He felt a stab in his ego. Had the man seriously been a match for him even though he'd been shot? Only then did Sasuke notice the pad taped onto his side. Apparently he had.

"Oi, c'mere", Naruto hollered Gaara.

The man sighed, but got up and walked over to the blonde. Naruto opened up the medicine cabinet and took out the things needed to clean the wound.

"You should really start doing this yourself", Naruto muttered to the other man. Gaara smirked.

"Nah, I like it this way", he said.

Naruto shot him a glare and then violently ripped off the pad taped onto the man's side. Gaara let out a hiss of pain.

"What the fuck, dude? That hurt like a bitch", he yelped. Naruto dismissed his agony.

"Don't be an asshole, then", he informed. Gaara made a face.

"You have no sense of humor", the redhead muttered.

Naruto poured alcohol down his side. It seeped into the wound and dripped down the man's jeans. Judging from his face, it still stung.

"Shit. You are gonna be the death of me, you know", Gaara said.

"Damn right I will, if you don't stop complaining. Suck it up", he told and started wrapping the bandage around him.

"You ain't at all cute today", Gaara sneered. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, 'cause you're obviously Mr. Sunshine", he muttered.

"That's rude."

"Fuck you."

"That's just nasty."

"Fuck you twice."

Sasuke watched the odd scene happen in front of him. They acted as if he wasn't there. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. They were bickering like an old couple.

"Are you two like fucking married or something?" Sasuke blurted.

The two men turned towards him. Naruto rolled his eyes. Gaara huffed and insisted on putting the rest of the bandage on his own. Naruto demanded to let him finish what he'd started. They continued mumbling offensive shit to each other while Sasuke just marveled at the view. When he'd sat in the courtroom watching the redhead get sentenced to prison for life, he'd absolutely not expected to ever see something like this. He'd been under the impression that the man was completely incapable of any normal human interaction. That was stated as an actual fact during the investigation.

But there he stood, getting patched up by Sasuke's best friend, interacting both verbally and physically. All the while half-naked. In no way did he remind Sasuke of the man he'd met seven years ago. The brunette couldn't help but to wonder what exactly had the blonde done to make him that way.

The bandage eventually got put in place. By Naruto. Because he always had to have things his way. Gaara wasn't happy about it, so Naruto told him to take care of the cut on his hand himself. He left Gaara to it and turned towards Sasuke.

"So, why are you here?" he asked. Sasuke then remembered he actually had a reason to come.

"Oh, yeah. I came to tell you I took care of the picture", Sasuke told.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. Fortunately, the man was focused on the wound on his hand and wasn't listening to their conversation. Naruto had a feeling he didn't want to hear a thing about the picture.

"Good. Thanks. Has the body already been linked to the case?" Naruto wanted to know.

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah. The DNA matched", he confirmed.

"What about the facial reconstruction?" Naruto pried.

"It'll take some time. But I confirmed that there was no evidence found at the spot you dug the body up at. At least there was no mention of it", he informed.

Naruto was relieved to hear that. They'd left in a hurry to get away before the cops showed up, so he hadn't been completely sure nothing got left behind.

"Thanks a million. By the way, I'm flying to Fuchu today. But I'll call you when I get back", Naruto assured. Sasuke made a face.

"You're going with him?" he asked turning up his nose.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

It was quite obvious the two of them didn't like each other. Actually, that was an understatement. They despised each other. Hence the reason, why Sasuke really wanted to voice his opinion about Naruto being around him. But he knew it would be in vein, so he left it unsaid. Instead, he just nodded.

"Right. I need to get to work. I'm working morning shift today", he told the blonde.

Naruto bumped fists with him and then watched him walk out and shut the door behind him. Gaara had gotten done with his hand.

"The witness' statement can be overruled", Naruto said.

"I know. I heard what you two talked about", Gaara informed. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You did?"

"Yeah."

Gaara didn't say anything more about it, so neither did Naruto. He concluded the situation was clear to both of them. Naruto ran a hand through his hair. His blonde strands had gotten dirty with blood and mud.

"I'm gonna take that shower now", he informed and left the room.

Gaara remained in the kitchen. He took a seat at the table and sighed.

"Fuchu, huh?" he said out loud.

He wasn't ecstatic about going back there. He'd wanted to avoid the city for as long as possible. If he did end up back in prison, he really wouldn't want to remember spending his free time just outside it. But if the blonde was going, so would he. He didn't want to leave him alone. And to be honest, he didn't want to be alone either. Last night had been a good remainder that hadn't they been together, they'd both be dead. It would be only a matter of time when yakuza would come after them again.

To be honest, he had no idea how they could possibly survive. But that didn't mean it was best to give up. And even if it'd been, he wouldn't. There were still things he needed to do before dying. He wouldn't leave them unfinished. There was also no way in hell he'd kick the bucket before figuring out what it was about the blonde that made him act like an idiot. In a way, he'd given Gaara one more reason to stay alive. Damn that angel faced demon.

Naruto stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. While dressing himself, he wondered whether or not he'd get to see Sakura before leaving. Even though he probably was being overdramatic and imagining things, he wanted to ask her about it. He hoped she had a good reason for lying about Ino.

The blonde walked out of the bathroom in just a pair of boxers, since he didn't want to put on the dirty clothes. He would have to try and look presentable for a change. Just for his sanity's sake. He hadn't put much effort into his looks for a while and he was tired of seeing a sad and messy reflection in the mirror. But since there was still a few hours before the flight, he wouldn't have to think about it just yet. Naruto made his way upstairs and to the bedroom. He pulled on a pair of sweats and a tee before going downstairs and back to the kitchen. Gaara still sat by the table, staring at the wall. It seemed his mind was in some faraway land. He didn't notice Naruto standing in the doorway.

"Whatcha thinking 'bout?" he asked the redhead. Gaara snapped awake from his own little world and turned to see him.

He gave a smirk. "Nothin' much."

"You don't look like it", Naruto said and walked over to take a seat across him. Gaara let out a small chuckle.

"Wasn't my intention", he said. Naruto glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only 10 am.

"I wonder when she's coming home", Naruto muttered.

Gaara tilted his head. "Ya mean your wife?"

Naruto nodded. "I wanna ask her about it before we leave", he explained.

Gaara opened his mouth to say something, but got cut off by the sound of a door opening. Both men turned towards the hallway. Speak of the Devil, it seemed. Sakura was standing in the kitchen doorway, watching the two men staring at her. She noticed the awkward atmosphere caused by her appearance. Nobody said anything. After a while, Gaara stood up and walked away. He knew when he wasn't welcome. Naruto and Sakura got left alone. Sakura watched her husband with a confused expression. She waited silently for Naruto to speak.

"Why did you lie?" he asked. Sakura bit her lip.

"What do you mean?

Naruto sighed. "I know Ino wasn't with you. So, why did you lie about it?"

Sakura stood still for a while. She then took a deep breath and walked over to the table to take a seat next to him. She seemed a bit unsure of what to say and Naruto noticed it. His eyes narrowed. He waited patiently for the woman to speak. It took her a bit too long to do that.

"I went alone", she eventually said. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Alone?" he asked. Sakura nodded.

"Why would you lie about that?" Naruto wondered. Sakura seemed to have troubles with sitting still.

"I didn't want you to get offended. I just needed some time for myself", she explained. Naruto didn't understand.

"Why would I get offended? I'm away most of the time. I wouldn't get offended if you wanted to go away every once in a while too", he said. Sakura gave a weak smile and nodded.

"Yeah. You're right. I was silly, I'm sorry I lied", she said.

The woman still seemed a bit off, but Naruto concluded it was because of the lying. She wasn't very good at it, she never had been. Naruto sighed, but forced a smile.

"It's okay. Besides, I'm gonna fly away today myself. So, you have a bit more time for yourself", he told.

Sakura just nodded again. Naruto was surprised there was no protesting from her side. She usually didn't like him going away. But he didn't complain. It was better than listening to any sort of whining. Naruto stood up.

"I'm gonna go pack some stuff, okay?" he said.

Sakura glanced at him and gave a nod. Since she said nothing, Naruto left the kitchen and made his way upstairs. He found Gaara sitting on his bed. Naruto smirked.

"It's kinda rude to sit on other people's beds, ya know", he said and went over to his wardrobe.

Gaara glanced at Naruto. Judging by the blonde's mood, nothing had gone wrong. He concluded that the man's wife had had a good explanation. He wasn't going to ask about it, though. He didn't actually care.

"It's comfy, so I ain't moving" the man informed.

Naruto rolled his eyes and pulled out a few pieces of clothing, then shoving them into a small bag. He didn't bother taking too much with him. He doubted they'd be away for that long. He glanced at Gaara.

"You need to buy clothes", he informed. Gaara grunted.

"I hate shopping for _anything_", he muttered.

"Who doesn't? But just 'cause you fit into my clothes doesn't mean you can keep wearing them forever", Naruto said.

His very much reasonable statement didn't have much effect on the redhead.

"You have way too many clothes for a guy, anyway", he stated. Naruto gave him a glare.

"I like my fucking clothes. And your whining won't help. Either you buy clothes or I buy them for you. Do you really wanna risk it? I might get you a dress", he threatened. Gaara shook his head and chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, yeah. Fuckin' fine", he muttered. Naruto was content with the answer. He then started picking out clothes to put on.

"Okay, get the fuck out. I need to make myself pretty", the blonde said. Gaara rolled his eyes and got up from the bed.

"You're so vain", he mumbled as he walked out of the room. He very clearly saw the blonde flip him off before he closed the door.

The redhead huffed and made his way downstairs. He concluded that after sitting on the uncomfortable kitchen chairs for way too long, he could sit on the living room couch for a change. And that's exactly what he did. He made his way to the living room and let himself slump down onto the couch. He laid there staring at the ceiling for a while, but got bored and decided to turn on the ridiculously huge flat screen TV across the room. Now, it had been quite a while since he'd last watched TV, but it only took him five minutes to realize, he might as well have kept on not watching.

"What kind of shit do they make these days?" Gaara muttered out loud as he flicked through the channels.

"The really shitty kind", a female voice spoke behind him. The redhead turned around to see the pink-haired woman standing in the living room.

"So it seems", Gaara said.

The woman seated herself onto an armchair next to the couch. Gaara wasn't sure what she wanted and stayed silent as he didn't know what to say. They both stared at the TV for quite some time. Eventually, Gaara couldn't keep himself from speaking.

"Why did ya lie to blondie?" he asked the woman. She turned towards him. She seemed taken aback by his boldness.

"I went alone. I thought he might get offended for not being invited along", she said.

Gaara narrowed his eyes. He didn't say anything for a long time, just stared at her. She started to feel a bit uncomfortable under his watching eyes.

"Don't hurt him", Gaara suddenly said, his voice deep and slightly intimidating.

Sakura flinched. She hadn't been expecting such a defensive tone. Normally she would've instantly been pissed off hearing anybody talk to her in such way. But there was something about the redheaded stranger that forced her into a submissive state.

"I would never", she said and lowered her gaze to the floor.

Gaara looked no more convinced, but said nothing more. After all, it wasn't any of his business. He'd said what he'd wanted. That was enough. They were quiet again. Both had their eyes directed at the TV, but neither was concentrating on the thing. The atmosphere was slightly awkward. Fortunately, after a few minutes, Naruto showed up and shattered the tense mood. They both turned to see the blonde standing in the doorway.

Gaara's jaw actually dropped. The man looked like he'd walked out of a magazine cover. His blonde hair had been slicked back, making his face seem like a fucking sculpture. He had on black skinny jeans that fit him like he'd been born in them. His top half was covered by a white t-shirt and a blazer looking thing, that might as well have been sown right on him, since it was like made for him. He'd rolled up the sleeves, revealing the tattoos he carried proudly. There were all sorts of chains hanging from his jeans, that made Gaara wonder if he could use them to tie that pretty son of a bitch up.

As he watched the blonde stand there, just for a second he felt he looked like something that'd lived in the forest for ten years and never even heard of a mirror. But his thoughts came to an end as a blur of pink-haired irritation blocked his view. Sakura had moved next to the blonde and wrapped her arms around her husband.

"You look good sweetie. Too bad you need to leave", the woman purred, not even trying to hide the intention behind her words.

Naruto chuckled and put a finger under her chin, tilting her head.

"Too bad, indeed", the blonde said and planted a kiss on her lips. She was more than happy to receive it.

Gaara watched the two get all cute and disgusting over each other. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't deny that at the moment he just wanted to throw that bitch the fuck away and preferably shoot her head off. He didn't really know what to call the feeling he got from seeing the blonde get touched by her that way. It made him sick and just a little bit homicidal.

"Are we going?" Gaara growled when he no longer wanted to watch the two of them be so sickly affectionate.

He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Naruto stare after him confused. The blonde didn't know what'd gotten Gaara on a bad mood, but he just shrugged it off and gave Sakura another kiss.

"I gotta go. I'll see you when I get back", he said and hugged her tightly. The woman nuzzled herself against him.

"Yeah. Be safe, okay?" she said. Naruto sighed. He'd certainly try.

"Yeah. You too", the blonde said, then waved her goodbye and left the room.

He put on a pair of shoes, grabbed his bag and the guitar case filled with guns. It wouldn't be wise to leave it lying around. He then left the house. Gaara waited outside, smoking a cigarette. He seemed tense and slightly irritated. Naruto gave him a glance, but didn't say anything. He went to the garage and placed the guitar case inside it. He hoped his wife wouldn't have any business in there. Naruto closed the garage doors, bummed a cigarette from Gaara and they then started walking towards the town. It wasn't even noon yet, so they would have time to get Gaara some clothes before going to the airport.

It turned out that going to a mall with Gaara was just as hellish as he'd expected. The man wouldn't stop whining for a second and every single thing took forever. It was about three hours, a pack of cigarettes and a shitload of teeth gritting later when they finally had gotten what they needed. They were standing on the side of the road, waiting for a cab to show up.

"That was fucking horrible", Gaara sighed and rolled his eyes.

"You're whining again. You've been doing that for three fucking hours now. That was seriously the most annoying part of the whole thing", the blonde hissed.

Gaara gave him a glare, but kept quiet after that. Naruto stopped a cab and they got in. The drive to the airport didn't take more than fifteen minutes. They were on time for the check-in and got through without problems. They boarded the flight and for once, it took off on time. Naruto spent most of the flight with headphones on, listening to music and Gaara mainly still moped. At some point, the blonde got tired of his sour face and sighed deeply. He took out one of his headphones and handed it to Gaara. The man looked at it for a while, but then took what he was offered.

"I'm surprised. You don't listen to complete shit", the man said after a while. Naruto stuck his tongue out.

"I would find you a lot less annoying if I was constantly stoned", he muttered. Gaara chuckled.

"You would be a less of a pain in the ass if you were constantly stoned", the man said with a smirk.

Naruto gave him the finger. Gaara did the same. So mature.

Thankfully, the flight was soon over. They got off the plane and walked through the terminal to get outside. The busy streets of Fuchu lay in front of them as they waited for a free cab. Gaara wasn't pleased to be there. Naruto noticed it, but didn't comment.

"Okay. Now, there's exactly one hotel in this city that my firm covers all expenses on. The problem is, I forgot to book rooms. So we'll just have to hope they're not booked full", Naruto said.

Gaara didn't really listen, so he just nodded.

The longer he watched the city, the more pissed off he became. He really didn't want to be there. But he couldn't get away either. He turned towards the blonde. Seeing the man there, with him, made it just slightly easier to keep his head together. He tried to remind himself why he was there in the first place. He'd made the decision to make sure the blonde wouldn't get hurt, and changing his mind now was a bit too late. So, he would just have to suck it up.

They finally got a cab and were on their way to the hotel. Naruto watched the changing view outside the car window. The last time he'd been there, things hadn't gone too well. He couldn't believe the way things had turned out. When Naruto had cracked Gaara's head open and told him to get a new lawyer, he'd been sure they wouldn't see again. And even if they did, it would be the last thing Naruto would see, period. But for some reason, it only took a day for Gaara to crawl back to him. And the man didn't even try to kill him. He had wondered for a while why not. Gaara obviously held no hesitation when it came to taking a human life. So why had his been any different? He doubted anybody else had been as much of an asshole towards him as Naruto had. There was really no good reason why he hadn't been ripped into pieces. It seemed that Gaara would never fail to surprise him.

The cab stopped outside the hotel. Naruto was about to pay for the ride, but Gaara was faster. Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that. Even I can be nice", Gaara said. Naruto snorted.

"I seriously doubt that", he said. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"You're not making me want to be, either", he pointed out and left the car.

Naruto rolled his eyes and followed him. They made their way inside the building and stepped into the lobby. It was so posh, it made Gaara gag. Naruto walked over to the reception counter, while Gaara stayed to eye the place sort of disgusted. He had money more than needed, but he still didn't like any kind of extravagant showing off. And the place basically screamed it. Gaara came back to reality as Naruto walked over to him. The blonde let out a deep sigh.

"They had exactly one room available", he muttered. Gaara smirked.

"Oh, great. So we have to spend even more time together? Marvelous", he said with strong sarcasm.

"I ain't any happier, you know", Naruto growled and turned to walk away.

Gaara rolled his eyes at the blonde's dramatic act and then followed him. They took the elevator to the 10th floor. Naruto searched for the right door and upon finding it, unlocked it. As the door opened, the two men simultaneously let out a very displeased grunt. They didn't have to step inside to realize there was exactly one bed. _One._

"You've got to be kidding me", Naruto hissed. Gaara chuckled.

"Isn't this a bit too clichéd?" he asked.

Naruto didn't bother answering him. He just threw his bag on the floor and marched over to the bed. He took off the covers in order to check something extremely relevant.

"Shit. It can't be separated", he muttered. Gaara had a hunch of where this was going.

"I ain't sleeping on the floor", he said making his point very clear. Naruto groaned.

"I ain't sleeping next to you", the blonde informed.

"Then you're sleeping on the floor", Gaara stated. Naruto shot him a glare.

"Like hell I am", he protested. Gaara shrugged.

"Then you're sleeping next to me", he said simply. Naruto gritted his teeth. He stopped protesting and instead just moped.

"Stop being such a fucking drama queen", Gaara said shaking his head. Naruto continued sulking.

"How about you stop calling me a queen?" he mumbled. Gaara had to laugh. God what a moron.

"Are you seriously gonna sulk about this?" the redhead chuckled.

Naruto didn't say anything, just glared. And then childishly gave him a slight shove. Gaara made a face. He gently shoved him back. Naruto pushed him again. They continued doing that until Gaara shoved him hard enough for the blonde to fall onto the bed. Naruto gave him a 'I can't believe you fucking did that'- look and swiftly pulled the other one onto the bed too. It took about two seconds for them to be wrestling each other. And because Gaara discovered that Naruto was very much a ticklish individual, he easily got the upper hand.

"Oh my god, fucking stop, that's horrible", Naruto shouted between his bursts of laughter.

Gaara had no intention of stopping. The laughter he got out of the blonde was a sound he'd never heard him make before. He liked it. It was a slightly hoarse, but still soft laugh. It suited him perfectly; a mix between an angel and Satan himself.

Gaara hadn't noticed he'd stopped tickling the blonde and just stared at him for a while already. He was more or less lying on top of the other man and couldn't stop looking into his deep blue eyes. Naruto had a questioning look on his face.

"What?" he asked after a while of getting stared at. Gaara shook his head and lifted himself up.

"Nothing", he said with a serious face. Naruto studied him for a while, before smirking.

"You're weird", he huffed.

A smirk appeared on Gaara's lips. "I know."

Naruto watched the redhead for a while, before beckoning him to come closer.

"C'mere", he requested.

Gaara hesitated, but did as told. He crouched next to the bed the blonde was sitting on. The man narrowed his eyes as the blonde did and said nothing.

"What?" he asked.

Naruto's lips twisted into a sly grin. He gave the redhead no time to react as he lunged forward, making the man fall down to the floor and landing then on top of him. He sunk his fingers to the man's sides and as much as Gaara tried to fight it, he couldn't keep a yelp escaping his lips.

"Ha. I knew I'm not the only one who's ticklish", Naruto sneered and wouldn't stop making the man snort out bursts of something resembling laughter.

"You fucker", Gaara muttered, trying to catch his breath. After a while of squirming under the blonde, he grabbed the man's wrists to make him stop.

"You are so childish", he said and pressed Naruto's hands against his chest to keep him from getting free.

"You started it", Naruto pointed out. Gaara chuckled. "No, you did. You shoved me first", he protested.

Naruto gave him a weak smile. It made Gaara stare at him again.

"You stare a lot", Naruto muttered.

Gaara didn't answer. He knew that was true. But it was entirely the blonde's fault. He had a face that one couldn't help but to stare at. And lips, too. Especially those.

"Your fault", he blurted. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "And how's that?"

Gaara sighed and let go of the other's hands.

"Forget it", he muttered.

Naruto seemed questioning, but let it be. He rolled off the other one and laid himself next to him. They both stared at the ceiling for a while, silently.

"So, why are we here?" Gaara eventually asked.

"To see a guy", Naruto answered. Gaara huffed. It wasn't much information to go on, but he had a feeling he wouldn't get much more out of him.

"We won't be seeing him before tomorrow, though. I'm too lazy to go that far today", the blonde continued. Gaara chuckled.

"So what are we gonna do then?" he asked. Naruto thought quietly for a minute, before shrugging.

"I dunno. We have a TV and a minibar. That's the best I can offer right now", he said. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Wow. Impressive", he muttered sarcastically. Naruto shot him a glare.

"If you have a better idea, do tell", he demanded.

Gaara thought in silence. It took him a while, but a sly smirk formed onto his lips. Naruto immediately regretted even asking. Gaara lifted himself up from the floor.

"I'm going out for a while", he informed and moved to pull on his jacket. Naruto lifted himself upwards and raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a good idea? You have no weapon", Naruto pointed out.

"I'll be fine. I'm creative", was Gaara's explanation.

Naruto had no further chance to protest as the redhead already disappeared through the door. Naruto was left lying on the floor alone. He stayed there and stared at the ceiling. He had no idea where the man had gone, but to be honest, he was kind of happy to be alone for a change. He had been in the constant company of Gaara for a few days now and though he'd gotten used to it, being by himself was even more liberating than he'd expected. He suddenly realized that he now had a limited amount of time to do absolutely whatever the hell he wanted. Naruto grinned. He lifted himself up from the floor and after some hesitation, crouched next to the minibar. He opened it up and studied the content. The blonde chuckled. It didn't really matter how long he stared, he'd end up emptying the whole thing anyway.

With that thought, Naruto grabbed every single bottle containing alcohol and hands full, kicked the minibar's door shut, before walking to the bed. He dropped the bottles onto the covers and sat himself in the middle of the bed. He then reached for the TV remote, turned the device on and opened up a small bottle of whiskey. He downed the thing in one sitting and ended up making a face at the bitter aftertaste. He shook his head to get rid of the shivers it'd given him. Naruto decided that since he was alone, sitting on a hotel bed and had quite an impressive amount of alcohol, there was no need for him to wear pants. So, he took them off.

It was a few hours later and Naruto still sat on the bed, wearing just a t-shirt and boxers, watching TV. He might've been slightly tipsy. But that was to be expected after drinking half of the contents of a minibar. He had wrapped himself partly inside a blanket and knew he most likely looked like moron. But he didn't care, since there was no one around. The blonde glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Gaara had been away for some time already. As much as Naruto hated to admit, he was getting slightly anxious. There was no guarantee he was okay. And there was no guarantee Naruto wouldn't hit himself for getting worried about that bastard.

He didn't want to think about it any longer. Naruto hopped out of the bed and went over to the bag he'd taken with him. He took out his laptop. Whenever he traveled, he took it with him and now thought he might as well put it into some use. The blonde repositioned himself onto the bed, crawled back under the covers and turned on his computer. When it got ready for use, Naruto clicked open the file he'd saved some of his thoughts on. Familiar text popped open onto the screen. Naruto added a new page and got down to writing.

"_Life is no longer the same. I am no longer the same. Things have taken a much unexpected turn. Whether it is for better or for worse, I do not know. I am confused when it comes to the current situation. I have learned more in just a few weeks, than I have in my lifetime. I've learned a new side of myself. Or maybe it is more like discovering my true self. I'm not sure. But I now know that I am no less monstrous than what he is. Gaara, that is. And I don't find it disturbing. _

_Am I going mad, perhaps? Would it bother me if I was?_

_I have so many questions, but no answers. I am utterly at loss when it comes to my true identity. I feel like I have lied to myself and everyone around me. Unintentionally, though. I've been blind. I haven't seen the truth behind the lies and hopeless dreams of a better life. That is perhaps the most important thing I have learned. I never had normality to begin with, I only dreamed of it. Perhaps to the extent it became a reality in my head. But I guess you can't run away from real life forever. I don't really want to, anymore. As fucked up and confused as I am, I feel confident and honest. For the first time in years. It's oddly liberating. _

_I killed someone. A few, actually. Even as I admit it here, I still feel nothing. It was so easy. It was so…empowering, in a way. Me and Gaara, we buried the bodies in the backyard of my house. Knowing that there are three bodies decomposing on my property should probably have an effect on me, but no. I feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. That's the funny part, really. There seems to be exactly one thing left in the world that makes me feel anything at all. That is Gaara. He winds me up like nothing else. In more ways than just one. I hate him, I really do. But at the same time, I need him to be close. I need the hatred he stirs awake inside me. I guess I'm addicted. A junkie for emotional self-harm. _

_I kissed him. Or maybe he kissed me. I can't recall. But I remember it making me feel something I've never felt before. I don't think that emotion has a name. For just a moment, I wanted him. I wanted him close to me, touching me. And even though I knew it never should've happened, I still couldn't keep away. I decided it could never happen again. But it did. Twice. And it felt as good as it did the first time. _

_I guess since he is the reason for the hatred I've become hooked on, he is my addiction now. I don't know what that means. But I know I need him now. I am getting hunted. So is he. We need each other to survive. Maybe that is what has driven me to the edge of sanity. I don't want to need him, but I do. I've been wondering…if the situation hadn't turned out this way, would I still need him? Or would I have been able to keep away?_

_I guess I'll never know. _

_It doesn't really matter, either. Not anymore. Even though I never imagined it would be so, we are probably gonna die together. I am probably going to die in the arms of a complete stranger I can't stop but to need. _

_I am not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying alone._

_I guess dying in his arms wouldn't be so bad after all."_

Naruto stopped to stare at the text he'd written. As he read through it, he became somehow shocked of what truly went on inside his head. Writing down the tangled mess of thoughts stuck in his mind had given him a clearer view of reality. It seemed he'd accepted the probable faith that lied ahead of him. As well as the desperately confusing present he was living at the moment. But he was okay with that. He was glad he'd come to an agreement with himself on the subject. He had accepted the fact that Gaara wouldn't be leaving and he wouldn't be leaving Gaara. Neither of them would survive alone.

He also now understood that the redhead messing his head up was an inevitable fact. He didn't have to like it, but he also couldn't avoid it. But he was prepared to make that sacrifice to survive. Who knows, maybe life was more pleasant as a complete lunatic? 'Cause that's what it would lead to in the end. At the moment he didn't really care how it would turn out to be. He wanted to focus on staying alive and not worry about dying or going crazy before it became an actuality.

He got startled away from his thoughts as the sound of a door opening reached his ears. Gaara stepped inside and shut the door behind him. Naruto unintendedly let out a breath of relief upon hearing him arrive. The blonde saved the text he'd written down and hastily shut the laptop. He didn't want Gaara to see inside his head that way. He then turned his gaze back to the other man. The redhead turned around and was about to take off his shoes, but stopped to stare at Naruto. He was silent for a while. The man glanced at the empty bottles of all sorts of alcohol, scattered around the bed. He then looked at the blonde again.

"Did you get drunk alone?" he asked after a while of questioning the view. Naruto grinned like an idiot. It was enough of an answer.

"Are you not wearing any pants?" he continued his questioning.

"No pants", Naruto admitted, still wearing a dumbass smile on his face.

Gaara shook his head, but couldn't help but to chuckle. The blonde looked like a twat. There he sat in the middle of the bed, more or less drunk. He had no pants, but had left his socks on. Gaara had to admit it was an amusing sight. The redhead took off his shoes and walked over to the blonde. He let himself fall onto the bed next to the other man.

"You're a moron", Gaara chuckled. Naruto stuck out his tongue.

"You're an asshole", he muttered.

Gaara rolled his eyes, but let it be. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. He tossed it onto Naruto's lap. The blonde glanced at the item.

"Where did ya get it?" he asked. Gaara took out another one.

"I bought them. Took me a while to find a seller", he said. Naruto examined the weapon he'd been given.

"Not bad. They're untraceable, right?" Naruto wanted to know. Gaara huffed.

"C'mon. I'm not an idiot", he said and gave Naruto a glare. Naruto smirked. "Yeah, you are."

Gaara flipped him off. Naruto chuckled and reached to pick up another bottle of alcohol. He was about to open it up, when Gaara snatched it away from his hands.

"You won't be needing that anymore", Gaara informed and opened the bottle up.

Naruto watched him drink the contents of the bottle in one gulp. He was about to protest, but shut up as the redhead reached to his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked. Gaara smirked.

"Quite possibly", he said.

Naruto snatched the bag from his hand, opened it up and sniffed. He then turned towards Gaara.

"You bought weed", Naruto stated. Gaara tilted his head.

"I bought weed", he confirmed. Naruto stared at him for a moment, but then let a smirk form onto his lips.

"It's been a long fucking time I last had this stuff", he said. Gaara tilted his head slightly.

"In that case, you're welcome", he said. Naruto shook his head chuckling.

"I think this moment deserves pants. Pass me my jeans", the blonde decided.

Gaara picked up the piece of clothing from the floor and tossed over to the other one. The redhead then took the plastic bag away from Naruto and laid himself to rest against the bed's headboard. While Naruto struggled to get his jeans on, Gaara rolled a joint. It'd been pretty damn long since he'd last done it. Drugs in prison wasn't exactly the easiest thing to pull off.

Naruto finally got his jeans on and let himself fall back onto the bed. A pale hand appeared in front of him, offering him a skillfully rolled blunt. Naruto happily took it and then moved himself to sit next to the redhead. He reached to the front pocket of his jeans for a lighter and lit up. He took a long drag, letting his lungs fill up with smoke. A familiar smell filled the air. Naruto held his breath for a while, then letting the smoke slowly slip out.

"Fuck yes. Just as awesome as I remembered", he muttered and took another drag.

Gaara watched him enjoy the slight buzz that soon filled his head. He closed his eyes and passed the joint to Gaara. He was just as happy to take in a deep breath of the treat. They hadn't gotten even halfway through the joint when Naruto already started grinning like an idiot.

"Oh Jesus, it's really been too long. I can't stop smiling", he mumbled. Gaara chuckled lightly.

"You know, it was either this or cocaine, but I thought this would make you happier. Seems I was right", he said and took another drag.

Naruto snickered. "Yep. You certainly were", he admitted.

He hadn't used any sort of drug in years, but holy shit did he enjoy it. He'd left the recreational use of hard drugs behind a long time ago, and was happy to do so, but he found absolutely no harm in getting high every once in a while. It made him happy and giggly, so why the hell not? It also gave him the greatest ideas ever.

"I think I absolutely should run naked down the street", Naruto said out loud. Gaara turned towards him and stared for a long time.

"Maybe. But if you get hit by a car, you'll die naked. Kinda sad", he said after pondering it for a while. Naruto nodded.

"True. Maybe I won't, then", he concluded.

Naruto took another drag. They were silent for some time. Naruto glanced at Gaara. He got a glance back. The silence shattered as both of them burst out laughing. It lasted way too long to be sane. Naruto had to double over to hold his stomach. Gaara laughed like a maniac. Naruto had been sure Gaara didn't even know how to laugh, but seeing him cackle on the verge of tears made it even harder for the blonde to stop.

"Oh god. I didn't laugh this much even the first time a got high", Naruto said as he tried to calm down.

Gaara forced his laughter away, but let out a few unintentional snorts anyway.

"You need to stop giggling. You look like an idiot and I can't stop laughing at that face of yours", he informed very straight forward. Naruto flipped him off, still chuckling.

"Rude. You are so fucking rude", he said. The redhead smirked, finally getting control over himself again.

"I know", he said.

Naruto let out one last muffled snort, before succeeding to calm down. He stared at Gaara silently. The man took one last drag from the blunt before putting it out. Noticing he was being stared at, he turned towards the blonde.

"What?" he asked. Naruto tilted his head.

"I still hate you, you know," he blurted. Gaara huffed.

"Now who's being rude?" he asked and let the back of his head lean against the wall. "I hate you too", he then continued.

Naruto positioned himself next to the other man and slumped against the headboard. They both had a silent moment of staring blankly into nothingness. At some point, Naruto woke up from his frozen state and turned to look at Gaara. The man didn't notice his gaze and Naruto wasn't really looking to get attention. He just watched. Watched that ridiculously well-shaped face that, at least at the moment, seemed unworldly. Naruto wondered how it was possible for someone to look so irritatingly perfect. Gaara was one of those people who stirred an immediate reaction of jealousy hidden behind a defensive wall of hatred.

"Your mother must've been beautiful", Naruto suddenly blurted out.

It took Gaara a long time to register what he'd said, but eventually turned to see him. His eyes were glassy and kinda out of it.

"I wouldn't know. I never met her", he finally said. Naruto tilted his head slightly and after a while, let it fall against the redhead's shoulder.

"I know", he muttered.

Naruto wasn't sure if Gaara noticed him taking advantage of his shoulder. He seemed to be deep in his thoughts.

"I've never even seen a picture of her", he soon spoke. Naruto slightly turned his head upwards to see him.

"But I've been told I don't look like her anyway", the redhead continued.

Naruto wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or not, so he didn't say anything. He just leaned silently against the other man and stared out the large window across him. It was dark outside. The stars were visible once again. Just not the same way they'd been outside the city. An exceptionally bright star shone beautifully. Naruto had a feeling it was someone watching over him. He wondered who it might be. There were so many possible candidates, it made him slightly sad.

He unknowingly let out a weak sigh. He flinched slightly as a hand suddenly came to stroke his hair. Naruto slowly tilted his head to see Gaara. The man had his eyes glued on him. He continued running his hand through the blonde hair as he watched deep into Naruto's eyes. Neither one said a thing. Gaara let a smirk form onto his lips. Actually, it wasn't as much of smirk as it was a genuine smile. Naruto melted just a little bit seeing it.

"You really are a less of a pain in the ass when stoned", Gaara sneered, but in a surprisingly gentle way.

Naruto chuckled, but didn't reply. He just enjoyed the oddly safe feeling he had, sitting there, leaning against the redhead. The blonde lowered his gaze away, but Gaara instantly placed a finger under his chin and tilted his head upwards.

"Don't look away", he demanded.

Naruto didn't. Gaara seemed happy to watch him wordlessly, so the blonde let him.

"You look like a fucking angel. It's deceiving, you know", the man muttered after a while.

Naruto hadn't expected those kinds of words. His lips parted slightly in surprise, but he stayed the way he was. Gaara's gaze traveled to his lips. He stared at them for a long time, completely silent. Naruto still partly leaned his head against Gaara's shoulder. The man watched him from above, his hand still buried in his blonde hair. The silence between them seemed to go on forever. But then Gaara shattered it with something that was very hard to refuse.

"I really wanna kiss ya", he said his voice low and quiet. Naruto gave him a weak smile.

"You can't", he told. Gaara closed his eyes in frustration, but didn't move.

"I know."

The redhead opened his eyes again. Naruto was amazed by the poisonous green color of his eyes all over again, as if he'd forgotten it in that short moment. He couldn't stop himself from getting sucked into his stare. The man glanced at his lips again. He stared for quite some time.

"I know", Gaara repeated.

He hesitated, but then cautiously moved his face closer to Naruto's. The blonde knew he should've turned away, but didn't. Gaara was pleased.

"I know, but I just don't fucking care", he said, nearly whispered and closed the distance between them.

Naruto didn't push him away. He didn't even want to push him away. They stayed like that for some time, before Gaara pulled away just slightly. His lips still brushed against the blonde's, waiting for him to decide what he wanted to do. Naruto tried to reason what would be the best thing to do. It didn't really matter if it was because he was high as fuck or perhaps just that he really didn't want to stop, but he ended up pressing his lips against the other's. Gaara breathed out satisfied. He placed his other hand on the side of the blonde's face and then kissed him in a way Naruto didn't even know existed.

It wasn't like before. It was slow and it felt like fucking heaven. He let the redhead trace the scars on his cheek as he moved his lips against the blonde's. The hand buried in his blonde hair slowly traveled lower and stopped at the nape of his neck. His touch was so soft and gentle, Naruto actually forgot what Gaara usually was like. Naruto's hands rested on his lap, but one of them slowly reached to touch the back of the redhead's neck. It made him even more eager to have the blonde close to him. Gaara moved the hand tracing the side of Naruto's face lower, placing it on the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Naruto flinched slightly. Gaara pulled away immediately.

"Don't tell me stop", the redhead said.

He moved away from Naruto's side and instead placed himself in front of him, between his legs. He cautiously came closer to the blonde and stopped just an inch away from his face. Naruto still sat in his place, leaning against the headboard of the bed. He didn't say anything. Gaara reached to touch the side of his neck.

"Please don't tell me to stop", he pleaded his voice hoarse and brushed his lips against Naruto's.

Naruto closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He grabbed the front of the other's shirt and pulled him closer.

"I won't. Not yet", he promised.

Gaara pressed his body as close to Naruto's as he could and placed his lips back where he very much felt they belonged. Naruto didn't protest. The blonde moved to grab the back of the other man's head and pulled him even closer. Gaara's hand traveled to the blonde's waist and got left there. Naruto parted his lips. Gaara took advantage of it. The blonde moaned into his mouth. Gaara shivered at the sound. He pulled away just a little bit.

"You still can't do that", he stated. Naruto dismissed his demanding voice and moved to trail his lips along the redhead's neck.

"Why?" he asked before gently biting down on the pale skin. Gaara's eyes fluttered shut and his hand came to grab the blonde hair.

"As long as I can't rip your clothes off, you are not allowed to make noises like that", he tried to explain, but found talking to be very difficult.

Naruto smirked against the nape of his neck.

"Unless you're gonna stop doing this, you'll just have to live with it", he said.

Gaara visibly flinched at the thought of stopping.

"No way in hell am I stopping", he growled and caught the other man's lips once more.

He kissed him in a way that left no doubt he was determined to drive the other one crazy. Naruto could've passed out. Nobody had ever made their desire for him so obvious.

Gaara moved his lips lower to trace the blonde's strong jawline and then his neck. Naruto moaned again. Gaara clenched his hands into fists. It took his everything not to slam the blonde against the wall and rip off every single piece of clothing on him. His head filled with images that made him physically squirm on top of the other one. When a hand came to pull his red hair, he was too close to losing all control. He had to break away.

"You can't expect me to listen to that and not go fucking insane", he hissed.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the man sitting in front of him. His gaze traveled lower, below the redhead's waistline. It seemed that at least one part of him was so done with the situation. Naruto smirked at the sight. He then turned his gaze back up. He had to make the best of this.

"You're a big boy. You can take it", Naruto said and pulled him back down on top of him.

Gaara didn't get a chance to say a thing, as the blonde turned them around in a very swift manner. Naruto ended up sitting on him. He pinned the redhead against the bed and pressed his lips onto the man's neck. It was Gaara's turn to let out a sound he couldn't keep inside any longer. Naruto reacted to it in an unexpected way. His hands moved on their own and slid up the man's shirt, revealing his upper body. The blonde kissed the pale skin of his chest and trailed all the way down to his waistline. The hands placed onto Gaara's waist slid down. His hand touched the man's extremely obvious hard-on. Gaara jolted violently. His eyes shot open and hands moved to push the blonde away.

"No. I seriously can't", he said.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He clenched his jaw and bit the inside of his cheek to get himself back to reality.

"Yeah. This was a bad idea anyway", he then muttered and lifted himself away from the other one.

He sat himself on the edge of the bed. He wanted to slap himself. It had been the worst idea in the world, to be specific. He had to stop losing his control. It wouldn't lead to anything good. Naruto still didn't understand what drove him to do such things. He had no understanding of what it was that even made him want to do such things to him.

The blonde groaned frustrated. "This has to fucking stop", he said.

Gaara sat on the other side of the bed.

"Yeah", he muttered.

He absolutely agreed. Whatever twisted and sick relationship they had, wasn't healthy on any level. They couldn't get rid of each other, so they would have to learn to restrain themselves. Though, the sexual frustration would probably get replaced by violent behavior towards one another. But it still was the lesser of two kinds of destructive behavior. The biggest issue wasn't Naruto being married, but the fact that they would end up destroying each other inside and out, if they continued their ridiculous behavior. They would most likely never stop despising each other, but neither would they stop being addicted to the rush it gave them. It was a horrible, horrible combination. And they couldn't get away from it.

Naruto sat still silently. Even being high as hell didn't entirely wash away the reality of the situation. Had he not been, he would've probably freaked out all over again, so it did help a little. But he was very aware of how things had turned out between the two of them. It wasn't long ago since he still had been sure he'd find a way to shut down his emotions and control himself around the redhead. Unfortunately, it had become all too clear it was never going to happen. He didn't know what to do.

Naruto startled slightly as he felt Gaara move closer to him. The man positioned himself to sit behind the blonde. A pair of hands came to grab Naruto by the waist. He flinched, but didn't move. Only when he felt a pair of cold lips brush against his neck, did he turn his head to see.

"I'm high as fuck. That is my reasoning to why I'm going to ask you to come and sleep next to me", Gaara said after a while. Naruto sighed.

"That's a horrible fucking idea", he stated.

Gaara laid his head to rest on the blonde's shoulder. He wrapped his hands around him and huffed.

"I know", he admitted.

He couldn't believe what he was asking for. He seriously had to be so high up in the clouds there was no way to see the ground anymore.

"Just for tonight, I want to pretend I'm not entirely alone in this pathetic fucking world. So just do it", he soon continued.

Naruto was taken aback. He didn't know Gaara was able to speak so openly. In all truth, he wouldn't have if he'd been sober, but it didn't matter to Naruto. He was well aware there was absolutely nobody else on earth that got to see this side of the redhead. Naruto really was an exception. He didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing, but he didn't want to let it go to waste, either.

Naruto turned around to face him. He watched him silently for a while, but eventually let out a sigh.

"Fine."

The blonde tore away from Gaara's grip and moved to lie down onto the bed. Gaara soon lowered himself down next to him. They lay there, facing each other. For a while neither one spoke and they just stared one another.

"Being high makes me hate you less", Gaara said breaking the silence. Naruto snorted.

"Is that even possible?" he asked.

"Apparently it is", Gaara said.

Naruto gave him a weak smile. The redhead found himself to be way too happy to see that smile. Gaara sighed. He hesitated, but then cautiously moved closer to the other one. Naruto let him wrap his arm around him and pull closer. The expression on the blonde's face screamed it was not a good idea in the least. Gaara didn't care.

"I'm gonna regret this tomorrow. I know that. But I don't give a shit", he said.

Naruto just shook his head displeased and turned his gaze away. Gaara moved even closer, forcing the blonde to make eye contact.

"You asked me why I wanted so bad to keep you alive", he spoke.

Naruto watched him, waiting for the man to continue. Gaara sighed as if he didn't really want to voice his thoughts.

"I said I didn't know. And that was true. When I told you the first time I'd keep you safe, it was only to get you to come with me. But it somehow changed. I didn't know what happened. Then I had this realization", he continued talking after some hesitation.

Naruto had started to relax under his touch. He even moved a little closer.

"I don't know you. I probably never will. I only met you and in all honesty, I hate nearly every aspect of you", he kept on speaking.

Even though his words weren't exactly the nicest kind, the oddly soft tone of his voice made Naruto forget about everything else and just listen.

"But you know what?" Gaara asked.

Naruto didn't, but wanted to.

"There is absolutely nobody else I have. You are the only fucking one I have. And that's why I can't let you die. That's why I _won't_ let you die", he finally came clean.

Naruto didn't speak, just let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. To be honest, Gaara's words didn't make much sense to him. He still didn't understand why Gaara would care whether or not he was alone. He'd seemed content that way. But it didn't really matter. It'd still been a better reason than claiming he didn't know. Naruto let out a deep sigh. He slowly reached to pull the redhead as close as possible.

"I'm probably gonna kick you in the face first thing tomorrow", Naruto said. Gaara tightened his grip around him.

"Okay."

Although neither of them would ever admit it, they both hoped regret wasn't an inevitable fact.

* * *

**How cute, ain't it? God I wish those two were real. The world would be so much cuter.**

**Anyway, please review, my loves. Hugs for everybody!**


	18. The Demon Within

**Yay, a new chapter. Please review, my sweeties, and you'll have my love for evermore.**

* * *

The next morning was a beautiful one. Naruto let his eyes flutter open as the sun shone through the window, gently waking him up. He felt peaceful. Peaceful and safe. It was as if he wasn't getting hunted 'till death. He was oddly warm and comfortable, too. The events of yesterday took their time to fill his mind. When he eventually remembered what'd happened, a massive wave of regret slapped him across the face. It'd been a huge mistake.

Naruto tried hard not to mind the fact that he still lay next to Gaara, the man's arm placed under him. The blonde wasn't facing him and to be honest, he really didn't want to either. But he couldn't avoid it forever. With a sigh, Naruto lazily turned around. His gaze met Gaara. The man was awake, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling with a blank expression. He gave no sign of acknowledgment at first, but eventually turned to see the blonde. They stared at each other silently. It was an awkward moment. Neither one knew what to say. Had they been sober the night before, none of it would ever had happened. But it did. And that's the awkward part.

"Mornin'", Naruto eventually said. Gaara continued staring, his face blank as white paper.

"Mornin'", he then muttered.

It was evident that Gaara regretted it just as much as he did. But that was absolutely healthy. Every aspect of it had been so wrong. It hadn't been like before. Naruto still remaining in his arms was even more wrong, but he didn't move away. He concluded that it was less awkward to stay right there, than getting up and pretending to function like a normal human being. The blonde wanted to scream, shout and throw things. That's how much he regretted. He absolutely shouldn't have let Gaara touch him, let alone kiss and even less should he have given in to it. And why the hell had he agreed to sleep curled up next to him? Just what part of his brain had concluded that it would be a good idea at all? None, really. But he still did it.

It was the extravagantly vulnerable words that Gaara had spoken to him that'd made his head kick out all sensibility and just do as told. He felt like the biggest moron on the planet. But he knew that Gaara probably felt like an even bigger one. Naruto knew he regretted telling any of the things he'd said out loud. Perhaps even more than giving up his control and touching Naruto in ways that he really shouldn't have.

"How long have you been awake?" Naruto asked.

Gaara turned his gaze back to the ceiling. "Three hours."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. Had Gaara been awake for three hours just staring at the ceiling, while the blonde slept partially on him? He found it odd and slightly twisted, but then again, those words pretty much summed up Gaara.

Naruto watched the man intently, waiting for him to make eye contact again. Gaara sighed. It was as if he wanted to say something, but just couldn't find the words. He eventually turned back towards Naruto.

"Are we just gonna pretend none of it happened?" the blonde asked. Gaara didn't even hesitate to answer.

"Yeah."

Naruto was both happy and disappointed to hear that. He didn't want to think about the fact he'd acted like a complete moron once again, but he also knew it couldn't be forgotten. That didn't mean he wouldn't try.

Naruto was about to lift himself up and leave the bed, when Gaara pulled him back down. He yanked forcefully enough to get the blonde to land on top of him. Naruto, still being half asleep, couldn't really do much about it, so he just gave the redhead a questioning look with a hint of disapproval.

"It's never gonna happen again, right?" Gaara asked.

He was holding Naruto down by the waist to keep him from leaving. The blonde seemed confused.

"Never", he confirmed.

Gaara tilted his head slightly. He seemed kind of unsure whether or not to say what he wanted. Naruto had absolutely no clue what the man wanted or why he was lying on top of him. Again. Naruto flinched as one of the hands on his waist slid up his back and stopped at the back of his head.

"I can't really make a bigger idiot of myself than I already am. So that's why I'm going to do this one last time", Gaara eventually spoke and roughly pulled Naruto down.

His lips collided with the redhead's and his eyes widened in horror. In just five seconds his brain went through a chain of emotions, varying from panic to anger and then acceptance. He fully registered what was happening and knew it wasn't good, but somehow he reasoned that one last time wouldn't hurt. So, he kissed the man under him. He kissed him in a way that he would never forget, even if he wanted to. Gaara was quite sure that breaking away from it was the hardest fucking thing he'd ever done. But he managed.

"Never again", the redhead stated. Naruto nodded.

"Never again", he agreed.

And just like that, the moment was gone. In a second, both of their faces went back to their usual stoic and cold state. Naruto lifted himself off the other man and got out of the bed. Gaara followed his example. Naruto picked up the gun he'd gotten the night before from the nightstand and placed it down the front of his jeans. He covered the gun with the helm of his shirt.

"I'm gonna go get coffee. Want some?" Naruto asked Gaara, not sparing a glance to him.

"Sure", was the simple answer.

Naruto made his way out of the room and closed the door behind him. As it clicked shut, the blonde let out a breath of relief. He slumped slightly against the door and shut his eyes. It would take some time to get used to pretending nothing ever happened between them, but he would pull it off. He would have to. It wouldn't be a problem to act that way around Gaara, but it would be a problem to forget all about it. One more challenge to overcome. Great. Just what he needed.

Naruto shook his head to clear his mind and then pushed himself away from the door. The blonde made his way downstairs and in to the hotel's café. He got what he wanted and was soon back upstairs. He succeeded in unlocking the door to his room and pushing the door open, even with both of his hands occupied. The blonde kicked the door shut behind him and then walked over to the bed. He sat down and placed the cups in his hands on the nightstand. Naruto glanced around the room. It didn't take long for him to realize Gaara wasn't there.

He'd left. Naruto wasn't surprised, he'd kind of expected it.

The blonde let out a frustrated grunt. Even though he didn't know if Gaara was coming back anymore, he was happy that he'd gone. But at the same time he remained raged by the fact that he'd probably come to miss him. Naruto wanted to strangle something. He was pissed. At himself, mostly.

With an angry groan, Naruto turned to pick up one of the unopened bottles he'd left on the bed the night before. He then took off the lid of his coffee cup and poured the content of the bottle into the black liquid.

There was no way in hell he was gonna survive this day sober.

It was several hours later and Gaara still hadn't come back. It was getting dark by then. Naruto wasn't drunk, but he wasn't sober enough to drive, either. He remained angry and frustrated. Every aspect of the situation was so fucked up, it made him want to shoot living things dead. He'd sat on the bed and stared at wall for a long damn time. Even alcohol didn't help his angered state. Eventually he got to a point of pissed off that made something snap inside his head and throw empty bottles after another against the wall. Every single one of them shattered into a million pieces. As the last one fell broken to the floor, Naruto discovered it didn't help. He remained pissed off.

With a grunt, Naruto lifted himself off the bed. He concluded he'd have to do something productive in order to get his head back in the game. He had to get out. And that's what he did.

The blonde threw on a jacket and headed out the door. He made his way downstairs and through the lobby to the streets of Fuchu. He hadn't really anywhere to go, but wandered around the city just to clear his head. After a while of walking round, he got to a quiet alley. Naruto let himself lean against a brick wall. He took out a pack of cigarettes and lit up. He then pulled out his phone. He flicked through the contacts and then hit dial. It rang a few times before answering.

"Yo", a male voice spoke on the other end of the line.

"Hey. It's Uzumaki", Naruto said.

"Hey. What's up?" the voice wanted to know. Naruto sighed.

"I have a favor to ask, Kakashi", Naruto cut straight to the chase.

"Ok. Fire away", the man complied. Naruto wasn't sure if it was a good idea to ask for a favor like this, but didn't really care.

"Could you look up the family Sabaku has?" he then asked. Kakashi didn't understand why, but didn't find the request too bad.

"Yeah. Sure", he said.

"I want an address", Naruto demanded. Kakashi became slightly hesitant.

"Okay…Why?" he asked.

Naruto hadn't really planned it through himself yet, so he didn't have an answer.

"I need it", was the only reason he could come up with. Kakashi sighed.

"Fine. I'll call ya when I get the info", he informed. Naruto nodded, even though he wouldn't be able to see it.

"Okay. Thanks."

Naruto hung up. He put his phone away and remained leaning against the wall, smoking his cigarette. His thoughts revolved around the information Kakashi would possibly dig up. As odd as his request had been, there was a reason behind it.

Naruto was getting so fed up with Gaara and the fact that he didn't know shit about the man. Gaara himself wouldn't open up in a million years and if Naruto was ever going to win the trial, he would have to learn something new. He'd concluded that perhaps the redhead's family would have some information. It was a longshot, but he was running out of ideas. Naturally, Gaara would never get to know about his plan.

Naruto was awakened from his thoughts as he caught from the corner of his eye a human figure. Someone had turned to the alley. Naruto narrowed his eyes. The figure seemed to be a man. Taller than him, around the same age. Perhaps a bit older. The man stood a few feet away, just watching. Naruto turned his head to get a proper view. It was too dark to make out his face properly, but it was enough for Naruto to know he wasn't a familiar.

Naruto tensed up slightly, but made no movement. He tore his gaze away. The man started walking towards him. Naruto remained leaning against the wall, waiting for the man to reach him. It didn't take long for him to stand tall in front of the blonde. Naruto didn't spare him a glance, just kept his head and gaze down. It was silent for a while.

"I think you know why I am here", the man eventually spoke.

Naruto grunted, but didn't speak. The distant light of a street lamp hit the man's hand to reveal an army knife. The metal gleamed ominously in the darkness of the night.

"They say you're the easy one, so I won't make this too painful for ya. I don't like picking on the weak", the man continued and let out a mocking laugh.

Naruto remained quiet. The man's irking tone reminded him of a certain red-haired asshole. It made his eye twitch in an odd way. He was almost sure he heard himself laugh, but wasn't sure if it was just inside his head. Judging by the man's expression, he'd chuckled out loud. The blonde lightly shook his head and slowly lifted his head to face the man. The man flinched upon seeing him.

A sick, twisted smirk had appeared onto his lips. His stare was hollow and cold and didn't mix well with the sickly grin on his face. The blonde chuckled again. His eyes drilled right through the man, giving him a chilling feeling. The man's confidence had gone from hundred to zero in a second and his grip on the knife tightened considerably. Unfortunately for him, it wouldn't be much use against the blonde.

The smirk on Naruto's lips faded away and his face went back to its usual stoic mode. The man knew it wasn't good. He desperately tried to use the knife to stab the blonde, but wasn't quick enough. Naruto had already pulled out his gun and smacked the man on the side of his face with it. The force was enough to fracture his cheekbone. A sickly cracking sound got followed by a cry of pain. His head flung to the side and before he knew it, Naruto was aiming the gun at his head. The man tried to back away, but got trapped as his back made contact with the wall behind him. Naruto was ready to pull the trigger, but glanced at the knife in the man's hand. He changed his mind.

The blonde took a step closer. The man tightened his grip on the knife. Naruto was now just a step away from him. The man was getting distressed and had trouble standing still. He eventually felt that the blonde was way too close and with force, he brought the knife forward. What Naruto did next, didn't help the man's anxiousness at all. The blonde reached out his hand and without hesitation, let the knife pierce his palm. The blade went straight through. He didn't even flinch. He simply raised the gun again to aim it at the man.

"I'll be taking that", he stated, referring to the knife.

The man's eyes were wide as plates. He seriously regretted not taking a gun. He didn't know he'd be facing a monster.

"You're fucking insane", the man stuttered and let go of the knife.

Naruto brought his hand to eyelevel. He studied the pierced hand for a moment, before taking the handle between his teeth and pulling the knife out. It hurt. It really hurt. But he didn't let it show.

"Yeah. So I've been told", Naruto muttered and took the knife into his healthy hand.

He moved his gaze towards the now unarmed man. He let his eyes travel from his head to toes and back again.

"Seriously? This is the kind of shit they send after me?" Naruto spat out in disgust.

The man didn't say anything. Naruto gave him a sadistic smile. The man had to close his eyes to avoid seeing it. Naruto grunted. The smile disappeared from his face. He was tired of messing around. He admired the knife for one more glance, flipped it around in the air and after skillfully catching it, shoved it into the man's chest. The man's eyes shot wide open. All color drained from his face and he let out a wheezing sound. Naruto pulled the knife out and watched blood gush out from the wound. The moon had revealed itself and now shone its light upon them, making the red liquid gleam as it dripped to the ground.

Naruto stabbed him again. The man cried out in pain. The blonde enjoyed the sound way too much. It gave him the feeling of superiority. He controlled the situation. He'd lost control of himself and his own life, but he finally had control over something. It felt so good. But he had to get done quickly. Too much noise would mean too many witnesses.

"When you get to Hell, tell your friends I said hi", Naruto hissed and shoved the knife deep into the side of his neck.

He then yanked the blade across the man's throat. The knife tore open literally everything. It wouldn't have taken much more to sever the head completely. Blood flowed down the man's chest and stained Naruto's clothes. He died slower than Naruto had expected. Clinically it only took a few seconds, but it seemed like the life didn't leave his eyes straight away.

But eventually, the man's blue eyes dimmed as well.

Naruto waited 'till the man had bled out entirely, before pulling out the knife and letting the body fall to the ground. He crouched next to the dead man and yanked down the collar of his shirt. He too carried an army dog tag. Naruto ripped it off him and put it into his pocket. He then stood up and was about to toss the knife away, but changed his mind as he concluded it was a good one. He wiped off the blood with the helm of his shirt. It wasn't much good, since the shirt itself was covered in blood, but it got rid of most of it. Naruto put the knife into his jacket pocket and then zipped the jacket up to hide the bloody shirt. Naruto glanced around to make sure no one actually was nearby, before walking away, leaving the dead body lying on the cold asphalt.

It didn't take long for Naruto to get back to the hotel. He didn't really feel like going there at all, but couldn't walk around town in bloody clothes, either. Naruto hastily made his way through the lobby to the elevator and then to the 10th floor. He used a key to unlock the door and got inside. As he shut the door behind him, he let out a deep breath. He stopped to lean against the door and took his time to calm down. The blonde hadn't even considered he might not be alone, before Gaara suddenly stood in front of him. Naruto turned to see him. The man's face had an odd expression. It was a mix of confusion and surprise, yet still somehow blank. He stared quietly for a long time and Naruto did the same.

"What the fuck happened?" Gaara eventually asked. Naruto shot him an angry glare.

"None of your fucking business", he hissed and moved to get past him.

Gaara grabbed him by the wrist and shoved him against the wall. He forcefully unzipped the blonde's jacket and gripped his shirt. His hand came back bloody. He stared at his blood covered hand, before turning back to the blonde. Without a word, Gaara ripped off Naruto's jacket and yanked up his shirt. He let his hands slide down the blonde's chest to look for any injuries. Naruto slapped his hands away. He'd forgotten about the stab wound in his hand and hissed out in pain as he used it to shove Gaara away.

"I'm fuckin' fine", Naruto growled.

Gaara didn't buy his statement. He immediately noticed the wound in the blonde's hand. The redhead grabbed his hand by the wrist to take a look at the injury.

"Like hell you are. _What the fuck happened?"_ Gaara asked again and tightened his grip around Naruto's wrist.

Taking into consideration that Naruto had just stabbed a man to death while balancing on the thin line between sanity and madness, the way Gaara spoke to him wasn't appreciated. Naruto yanked himself free from his grip and without warning, hit the man hard in the face.

"Don't fucking touch me", Naruto growled and shoved the man even further away.

He hastily rushed to the bathroom, shut the door and then locked it. He could hear Gaara throw a powerful kick at the door. Naruto didn't give a shit. Instead, he rid himself of the bloody clothes and turned on the shower. He positioned himself under the running water and let it wash away the blood. The white tiles of the bathroom got stained by a deep red color. Naruto used his healthy hand to lean against the wall in front of him. The warm water hitting the wound on his hand stung like a bitch. He didn't really know how he'd managed to let a knife pierce his palm all the way through without even flinching.

The warm water running down his body, slowly but surely, calmed him down. The fucked up state of his mind faded away and got replaced by sanity again. His mind took him back to the alley. Back to his brain having a complete short cut and back to killing a man. Again. It hadn't felt wrong this time, either. On the contrary, actually. He'd gotten a rush out of it. It made Naruto slightly worried. He had been able to understand that it wasn't hard to detach himself from a situation like that, but enjoying it was a completely different matter. Had it been just a momentary walk on the insane side of his mind? He hoped so. Being able to take someone's life wasn't the same as liking it.

He didn't want to be like that. He'd never thought he would. What if he couldn't avoid it? It would be a problem. As he'd slit open the man's throat, as he'd taken the lives of the men so far, he'd felt like a different person. Like it was somebody else doing it. Perhaps that was why he could so easily pretend it never even happened. The reason didn't really matter. It was too easy. Some part of him liked it too much. He didn't want to give into it, but taking into consideration the current circumstances, he'd probably have to do it over and over again. He wouldn't be able to pretend that part of him didn't exist. Because it did. He couldn't deny it. Whether or not he would be able to fight it, he didn't know.

Naruto let out a frustrated sigh and turned off the shower. He got out and took a towel to dry himself off. He'd dried his hair, when he caught his own reflection in the bathroom mirror. He got slightly startled. There wasn't really anything wrong with his face, but it was his eyes that'd given him a shock. Even though he carried no particular expression on his face, his eyes had become visibly hollow. Hollow and cold. Like Gaara's. It made him look like another person. Even the last traces of his childlike happiness had disappeared completely.

Naruto studied his face as a whole. He actually looked better than he had in ages. He didn't look pale and sickly anymore. He had gotten back his coverboy looks. Apart from the eyes, of course. Naruto wondered if it was all the insane homicidal behavior that'd given him his life-force back. It was kind of a worrying thought, to be honest.

The blonde sighed again and tore his gaze away from the mirror. He'd stared at the mirror long enough for the water to dry off on its own, so he just wrapped the towel around his waist. Naruto unlocked the bathroom door and then pushed it open. He found Gaara sitting on the floor across him, leaning against the hotel room door. Naruto noticed his hit had torn open the man's lower lip. The redhead didn't look happy, but he also gave no sign of getting up. He simply stared at Naruto, who stood in the doorway of the bathroom. Naruto let himself slump against the doorframe and stared the man back.

"What happened?" Gaara asked once again. Naruto tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.

"Where were you?" he asked in return. Gaara grunted displeased.

"Fuckin' answer me. You need to tell me", the redhead growled. Naruto became enraged all over again.

"I don't have to tell you shit", he hissed and walked away from the man.

He went over to his bag to pull out a set of clean clothes. Gaara soon got up from the floor and followed him. He was obviously angered, but tried his best not to lose it. That would get him even less of an answer.

"Don't fucking say that", Gaara said. Naruto had pulled on a pair of boxers and jeans. He turned around to face the other man.

"Listen to me, fucker. I have absolutely zero obligation to tell you anything. There is no reason for me to even keep on looking at that face of yours. Every aspect of you comes with a side of insanity and homicidal behavior, and I'm getting tired of it. So just shut the fuck up", he spat out angry as hell.

Gaara went silent. He looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. His face soon darkened. After a while of heavy silence, he spoke.

"I asked if you wanted me to leave for good. You never told me. So fucking answer that then", he said through gritted teeth.

Naruto clenched his jaw and glared at the redhead, who waited for an answer. Naruto snorted.

"I'm not gonna say yes, I'm not gonna say no, because I honestly don't give a flying fuck. Do whatever the hell you want. I'm done wasting my time", he then hissed.

Gaara felt a stab in his chest. It wasn't the first time the blonde had made him feel that, but he still didn't understand the meaning of it. All he knew was that it actually physically hurt and it was the blonde's fault. He didn't like it.

"I'm going out. I've got things to take care of. Whether or not you're here when I come back, is absolutely irrelevant to me", Naruto continued as he pulled on a shirt.

The blonde gave the redhead no further attention. He put on a pair of shoes, a jacket free of blood and made his way out the door, not looking back. He really couldn't have cared less about what Gaara thought of him. Or how he felt. Naruto was beyond caring about others. Especially him. He had enough problems of his own and couldn't bother with the problems of others. At least, not anymore.

Naruto was walking down the main street with his hands in his pockets. He'd taken the newly attained knife with him. And of course, the gun. He was kind of surprised to learn that yakuza still thought he'd be taken down that easily. They must've figured that the only reason he was alive was because of Gaara. Shitty call on their behalf. They just lost one more man because of it. But it did make his job easier if the guys paid to kill him continued being that easy to defeat. It most likely was a useless thing to hope for, but a guy could dream, right?

Naruto had almost reached downtown, when he heard running footsteps behind him. They were closing up with such speed, Naruto had to turn around to look. Once he'd turned around, he regretted it immediately.

"You fucking asshole", an unpleasantly familiar, low voice growled.

Gaara stood there in front of Naruto, aiming his gun at the blonde. He was slightly out of breath and pissed as fuck. Naruto knew that if the man was serious about shooting him, he wouldn't stand a chance. It would be absolutely no use to try to get his gun out. So, he did nothing and just waited for what would happen. Gaara was shivering with rage. The want to kill was flowing out of him into a mile's radius. Naruto was honestly anxious. It seemed like forever before Gaara spoke again.

"Every single fucking thing I told you yesterday is true", he hissed.

Naruto's face softened slightly. Gaara stayed raged.

"I am not gonna let you turn your back on me. I'd rather kill you then see you walk away", he said, raising his voice.

The blonde still didn't speak. He could sincerely say he didn't know if Gaara would shoot him or not. If what he said was true, there was a big risk he'd pull the trigger. Seconds went by and felt like hours. Naruto was afraid to move. Gaara wouldn't lower the gun. He took the safety off and Naruto was ready to shoot himself to get out of the situation. But Gaara didn't pull the trigger. Instead, he took a few fast paced steps towards Naruto and threw a clenched fist at his face. The force made Naruto fall backwards. He remained standing, but it took work to stay that way.

Pain shot across his jaw. A tooth sunk into the inner side of his lower lip. His mouth filled with blood. He had to spit it out. He'd never been hit so hard.

Gaara put his gun away and grabbed Naruto by the front of his jacket. The blonde tried to get words out, but the blood filling his mouth again made it impossible.

"Now listen to me, you piece of shit", Gaara roared. Naruto didn't really have a choice.

"I need you and you need me. I want to live. You want to live. Alone that won't happen. That means you ain't getting away from me. Do you fucking understand?" he hissed just an inch away from Naruto's face.

He tried to answer, but ended up just spitting out more blood. Gaara slapped him across the face.

"_Do you understand_?" he asked again.

Naruto was painfully aware that there were people watching them. After all, getting hit and then bleeding in the middle of a busy street usually did that. Naruto finally got back his ability to speak. And to kick. A forceful kick in the abdomen forced Gaara to let go of him.

"Get off you sick fuck", the blonde growled.

Naruto made sure the man stayed away and then crouched down to spit out even more blood. The people around them had started to get loud and way too curious. A few had taken out their phones, most likely to call the cops. If they turned up, shit would go down. Naruto pulled himself back up and grabbed Gaara by the wrist. He dragged the man through the crowd and down the street, until he no longer could see the people they'd left behind. Naruto spotted a quiet parking lot a few feet away and forcefully dragged the redhead there with him. As they got away from the street, Naruto immediately shoved the man against a car hood. It was miracle the alarm system didn't go off. Gaara tried to get up, but Naruto stopped him by pinning the man down hard against the metallic surface.

"Are you fucking insane?" the blonde spat out. Gaara glared at him coldly.

"If you hit someone in the middle of the street, people call the cops. We don't want cops, remember?" Naruto reminded him and shoved his hands against the man's chest. Gaara clenched his jaw and turned his gaze away.

"And what comes to your fucking tantrum, I know damn well I can't get away from you. Don't you think I've tried? It's fuckin' impossible. I'm stuck with you 'till someone skilled enough to kill me comes along and then I'll probably die in your arms, you fucking freak", Naruto continued.

By the time he was done, he was shouting. Gaara's face was no longer as much enraged as it was taken aback. He watched silently the blonde breathe heavily from sheer anger. The lower half of his face was painted red with blood and his eyes screamed the want to kill living things. Gaara hadn't noticed the change in his blue eyes before, but now it was evident. Naruto now had the same eyes as him. It was horrifying in a way. But in Gaara's twisted mind, it also was very appealing.

"Holy fuck you look good", he blurted.

Naruto's jaw dropped. Gaara had the attention span of a mentally retarded squirrel.

"God you're annoying", Naruto muttered and let go of him.

The redhead popped himself up to lean his elbows against the car hood. He stared at the blonde for a while before speaking up.

"You're right. About the cops. My bad", he admitted. Naruto rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

It would've been a waste of time to drag it out. The blonde turned to walk away.

"I'm going now. If you're gonna drag along, then hurry up", he said as he made his way back towards the busier streets.

Gaara huffed, hopped down from the car hood and followed the blonde.

They'd walked for a mile or so and Gaara had noticed they no longer were in the better part of the town. It was kind of a shady neighborhood, prostitutes and obvious ex-felons hanging on every corner. The redhead couldn't help but to wonder why they were there. Gaara woke up from his thoughts as he nearly ran in to the blonde who'd suddenly stopped walking.

"C'mon. In here", Naruto said and made his way into a less pretty building.

Gaara followed him and was welcomed by a roomful of drunk ass people. It became quite clear they were in a bar. A nasty one. The people there were all wasted out of their minds and too loud to his liking. But he didn't really have the position to complain.

Naruto made his way to the counter and took a seat. It was pretty obvious who he was hoping to see. But the face he was looking for was nowhere to be found. A bartender walked past him.

"Yo. Is Sai around?" Naruto asked the female bartender behind the counter.

She turned to face him. Surprisingly, she didn't mind his blood soaked face. Naruto figured it wasn't unusual around here.

"He's working nightshift today. He should be here in a couple of hours", the woman informed.

Gaara had taken the seat next to him and seemed clueless of why they were there. Naruto dismissed his confusion and kept his gaze on the woman.

"Thanks. Get me vodka on rocks, okay sweetie?" the blonde requested and flashed a charming smile.

"Sure", the woman complied and winked her eye. "How 'bout your friend?" she asked referring to Gaara.

Gaara seemed to be in a moping state, so Naruto took the liberty to order for him.

"Make it two", he said. The woman nodded and went on to complete the order.

Naruto turned to face Gaara. He rolled his eyes at the redhead's sour face.

"Stop moping", he told the redhead. Gaara grunted.

"Yeah, yeah", the man muttered.

Naruto waited anxiously to get some alcohol into his system. It was seriously troublesome to interact with Gaara while sober. Thankfully it didn't take long for the woman to return with two glasses of sweet, sweet vodka.

"Thanks, beauty", Naruto said, making the woman blush.

Naruto wasn't interested in her in the least, but it was a nice to flirt to a woman instead of Gaara. It'd been happening way too much lately. To be honest, he was actually missing his wife's feminine touches and kisses. That hadn't happened in a long time.

Naruto took a generous gulp of his drink and then turned back towards the redhead again.

"We should talk about the trial", Naruto said. Gaara raised a brow.

"What's there to talk about?" he asked.

"Well, with you being a stubborn son of a bitch and refusing to tell me shit, I need to make sure we are on the same level", Naruto explained.

Gaara didn't seem thrilled, but shrugged as a sign of agreeing.

"Right. So, Sasuke told me that the DNA matched. The facial reconstruction is in process and will probably go just fine. Since the witness remains in the process, we're gonna need that. The man we dug up looks so much like you, it's gonna be impossible for the witness to give an honest statement of whether it was you or him. And 'cause that's pretty much the only reason you'd end up back in jail, there's a good chance we'll win", Naruto spoke.

Gaara took a minute to take it all in.

"What about the shotgun?" he then asked.

"It's been proven that the reporting of a stolen weapon was done under your alias. Unless the prosecution finds a way to shoot that fact down, you're fine", Naruto assured.

Gaara nodded. He was content enough. The man seemed thoughtful. Naruto waited for a question.

"What happens after that?" he finally voiced. Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" he wondered.

"What happens after the trial? If I don't go back to jail", he tried to clarify.

Naruto realized what he meant. What would happen to the two of them? Naruto hadn't even thought about it.

"I don't know", he said honestly.

Gaara turned his gaze away and nodded. Naruto furrowed his brow. Gaara had nowhere to go. He had nobody. Naruto couldn't imagine what it was like to be in prison for seven years and having absolutely nobody to go to when released. But the blonde really didn't know how to answer his question. Not yet. The possibility that they might go their own ways and never meet again passed his mind. It made him oddly uncomfortable.

He didn't want to think about it, so he downed the rest of his drink and ordered another one right away. The flirtatious woman happily agreed to his demands and arrived with his drink in record time. Naruto thanked her and took a sip. It seemed Gaara had had the same unexpectedly uncomfortable thought as he drank his drink in one sitting and asked for another one. The two men drank in silence for a while.

"Are you gonna tell me what happened?" Gaara asked after some time.

Naruto sighed deeply. He didn't really know why telling the redhead was an issue. Perhaps it was because he hadn't come to terms with the odd reaction the event had gotten out of him. He didn't want to admit to being a monster, not to himself and not to Gaara. But he also knew the man would keep on asking 'till he'd tell.

"They sent another one. I took care of him", Naruto said simply.

Gaara glanced at the blonde. He was a damn smart guy and knew there was more to it. It seemed that occasionally Naruto forgot that.

"That ain't all, is it?" Gaara said knowingly. Naruto grunted and gave a nod.

"Something…strange happened", he said with a sigh.

Gaara's mind went through all possible scenarios. It wasn't hard to profile the man's most likely actions. He knew the blonde was more of the type to detach himself of the situation. Minimal physical contact, preferably none. Using a weapon that enabled that. Usually a gun. But taking into consideration the fact that he'd come back soaked in blood and possessing the eyes of a lunatic, it most likely hadn't really happened the usual way.

"You ripped him to pieces", Gaara stated after a while. A smirk formed onto Naruto's lips. He let out a light chuckle.

"And I fucking loved it", he said shaking his head.

Gaara couldn't help but to feel a little bit pleased about it. He'd known it would come to this at some point. The minute he'd realized that the blonde was not like the others, he'd known the man carried the potential to be a complete lunatic. Those with skilled and intellectual minds often lived with the risk of being more or less insane. Gaara knew that better than anybody else. Everything comes with a price. High intelligence usually took away a slice of sanity. It took time to come to terms with that. The blonde most likely felt confused and maybe even frightened. Finding suddenly new aspects of oneself wasn't the easiest thing to accept.

Every single person on the planet thinks they know themselves inside and out. The truth is that most of them have no fucking idea who they really are. And when they realize that, everything they thought they knew, becomes a big, fat lie. But it's not the end of the world. Eventually, it becomes a new world.

"You'll get used to it", Gaara said. Naruto turned to see him. He didn't seem convinced.

"I don't want to get used to it", he said. Gaara smirked.

"Sorry, but I don't think you get a choice in the matter. You don't just run away from things like that", the redhead told him.

Naruto groaned in frustration. He knew that was true. He'd learned not long ago that running away from the inevitable was a complete waste of time. It always caught up. He'd spent years to get away from his past, only to learn it was already a step ahead of him. His past wasn't just the past, but also his present and his future. As much as he would've liked it not to be, there was no denying that hopeless dreaming of starting over was a load of shit. All those who claimed they'd rid themselves of the past and built a new life, were liars. It was possible to create a new life around the shit that is hoped to be forgotten, but the past always remains as the groundwork of everything. And unfortunately, the groundwork is always stronger than the elements built around it. That was simply the ugly truth.

"I hate it when you're right", Naruto mumbled and took sip from his drink.

Gaara chuckled. "I know."

"But just 'cause you're right, doesn't mean I have to like it", the blonde declared. Gaara shrugged.

"True. But if you wanna find something good about this; going crazy will probably help ya survive a lot longer. Weak bastards with morals and a conscience are the first to go when natural selection comes around", Gaara said.

If his intention was to cheer Naruto up, it was a pathetic attempt. But a true statement, nonetheless.

"That's true. But I don't wanna think about anymore. I'm just gonna get drunk and pretend it didn't happen", Naruto decided and downed the rest of his drink. He signed the bartender for another one.

"Not a bad plan", Gaara admitted and followed his example.

Naruto got handed his drink by the woman behind the counter.

"Thanks, beautiful", Naruto said and took the drink offered. The woman smiled the most charming smile she could master.

"You are way too good to be true, blondie", the woman purred.

Naruto chuckled. The woman's eyes traveled to glance at his left hand. She immediately spotted the wedding ring on his finger. The woman gasped and grabbed the blonde's hand.

"I knew it. Something had to be wrong with you. You're married", the woman said and made a sulking face. Naruto smirked.

"Yeah, I am", he admitted. The woman kept on holding his hand and moped.

"That's a damn shame. I would've had a lot of use for you", the woman said, not really hiding the meaning behind her words.

Naruto was about to say something, but got cut off by a familiar voice behind him.

"Oi. Get your hands off my man."

The woman let go of his hand and turned to look over Naruto's shoulder. Naruto turned around to meet the one speaking. A genuine smile appeared onto the blonde's face.

"Sai", he stated.

The dark-haired man flashed a handsome smile. It was the same charming, but rehearsed smile he always had.

The man looked different than usually. He wasn't wearing working clothes, but instead was dressed in black from head to toe, making his pale complexion even more evident. Naruto hadn't noticed before how good of a shape he was in. He was lean, but muscular. He also had stretched piercings on his both ears, decorated by flesh tunnels. Naruto concluded he didn't use them on the job, since he'd never seen them before. And it would've been pretty damn hard to miss those gaping holes.

"Haven't you showered since last time or did you just get into another fight?" Sai asked after studying Naruto's face for a while. The blonde smirked.

"I've showered", he assured. Sai sighed.

"You certainly know how to piss people off. I'm gonna go change. I'll be right back", the man informed and disappeared to the office behind the counter.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. The man drank silently and gave no sign of acknowledgement. Naruto shrugged and turned back to his drink. The blonde stopped to stare at the counter, not really thinking about anything worth sharing. He got shaken awake from his thoughts as another drink was placed in front of him. Naruto lifted his gaze to see Sai stand behind the counter. Naruto gave him a smile and happily took the drink given to him.

"You know what I like", the blonde chuckled and took a sip. Sai smirked.

"Of course, cutie. So, why are ya back in town?" the man pried.

"I actually came to see you", Naruto informed. Sai raised an eyebrow.

"I know I'm hard to stay away from, but don't you live like hundreds of miles away?" he said and leaned against the counter.

"Yep. But I need your help. I'm in really deep shit", Naruto muttered. Sai tilted his head curiously. "How deep?"

Naruto sighed and lowered his voice to make sure no outsiders would hear.

"Yakuza deep", he them muttered. Sai frowned.

"What the fuck happened?" he asked.

Naruto glanced at Gaara again. The man remained silent. Naruto wasn't sure how to even start telling their ridiculous situation.

"Remember when I told you about that client of mine?" Naruto cautiously began.

He noticed Gaara glance at him from the corner of his eye. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted the redhead to come along. It could only lead to trouble.

"Yeah. What about it?" Sai asked.

"Yeah, well…the link to yakuza ended up being a lot more relevant than I'd expected. They want me and my client dead", Naruto revealed. Sai visibly flinched. He knew exactly how bad that was.

"That's extremely deep shit", the man muttered. Naruto nodded.

"But your client's in prison right?" Sai asked while remembering back to their previous conversations. Naruto shook his head and then nodded in Gaara's direction.

"Actually, he sits right there", Naruto informed.

Sai turned his gaze towards Gaara. To be honest, Sai hadn't even noticed him. The man had been so still and quiet, he'd been nearly invisible. Sai stared at the redhead for a while. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he then moved his eyes back to the blonde.

"What is it that ya need from me?" he asked. Naruto tried to find the best way to phrase his request.

"What's your relationship with yakuza these days?" the blonde asked.

Gaara finally seemed to get interested as he turned to look at the two of them. Sai's posture changed and his face darkened slightly.

"I've rid myself of them the best I can. But my ability to do that is only to certain extent", the man said after a while of pondering. Naruto frowned.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Sai glanced at Gaara. He evidently hesitated to speak. After a while of silence, Sai beckoned Naruto to get to the other side of the counter. Naruto left his seat and did as told. The dark-haired man dragged him further away from the people. The blonde laid a questioning look on him.

"What did you mean?" Naruto asked again. Sai grunted before speaking.

"I am the son of a powerful yakuza drug lord", he finally revealed.

Naruto made a face of utter surprise. He got no chance to reply as Sai continued talking.

"His name is Shimura Danzo. He's not my biological father. But he took me in when I was a child and raised me as his own. The only reason I am still alive after turning my back on yakuza, is because of him", he told. Naruto seemed thoughtful.

"I've heard of him. He is the man responsible for half of the country's drug traffic", Naruto remembered.

Sai nodded. He looked grim. Naruto concluded the man wasn't ecstatic about being in that position. He didn't blame him.

"I turned my back on yakuza, but I can't turn my back on family. So, I no longer work for them, but I'll never get rid of it entirely", the man continued.

Naruto tilted his head. He felt kind of bad for him. But then again, as he'd said; running away from the past was impossible. Actually Naruto was kind of happy to hear the man hadn't completely cut off his affiliations with yakuza. It'd come in handy, if he'd get Sai to agree to his request.

"How would you feel about doing a job for me?" Naruto suddenly asked. Sai glanced at him with questioning eyes.

"I don't know…I'm trying to stay on the straight and narrow. I have a feeling you won't be offering a job like that", he said with uncertainty. Naruto gave him a crooked smile.

"I pay good", he said to tempt him. Sai raised a brow.

"Is this why you came here? To get me to work for you?" the man asked. Naruto nodded. Sai grunted.

"What is it you want?" he eventually wanted to know.

"I just need eyes and ears on this end. This is where my client's trial will be held. That means the word will be strong around here. And since he is the reason I'm being hunted, I need to know what goes on", Naruto explained and nodded in Gaara's direction.

It sounded like a simple request, but it was none of the kind. In order to get reliable information, he needed someone yakuza would trust. But being a spy for him could be potentially dangerous. Naruto knew that and he also knew Sai wouldn't like it.

"As much as I like you, cutie, I can't do that. Even if I was the son of God, I'd still get in deep shit if they catch me", Sai said.

Naruto understood his point very well. But that didn't mean he would give up. He really needed the man's help.

"I will give you one million yen", the blonde said very straight forward.

Sai's jaw dropped. That was a shitload of money. He tried hard to find words to speak, but failed miserably. Naruto gave him a smirk.

"And I'll shove my tongue down your throat as much as you want", he half joked. Sai finally got back his ability to speak and laughed out loud.

"You make me sound desperate", he chuckled. Naruto smiled.

"But you'd like it, wouldn't you?" he teased. The man rolled his eyes.

"Who wouldn't?" he muttered, but gave the blonde a smile.

Naruto moved slightly closer to him and placed his hand onto the man's waist.

"So, what do ya say?" Naruto asked and pulled him slightly closer. Sai narrowed his eyes and thought silently for a while.

"A million yen, huh?" the man muttered to himself.

Naruto nodded and flashed a charming smile. Sai hesitated for a while longer, but eventually let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I'll do it. But if I get in trouble, I'm coming after you", Sai assured with a playful smile on his lips. Naruto was beyond pleased.

"Deal."

Gaara still sat on his seat and watched the two men who'd retreated further away to talk. Not knowing what they were talking about irked him. He could clearly see it was a discussion that held relevance. Gaara actually had no idea why they were there and who the man with the blonde was. But he had a feeling he didn't like him. There was something extremely irritating about him. Gaara didn't exactly know what it was, but he really wasn't happy about the man at all.

Their conversation lasted for some time. It'd started off more or less distressed, both of their faces stern and stoic. Somewhere along the line the blonde had made the other one visibly taken aback and eventually got him laughing. Gaara had already learned that the blonde had that kind of effect on people. He wouldn't have been surprised if Naruto was able to raise the dead with that smile of his. So, Gaara wasn't really surprised to see them eventually on a much better mood then they'd started off on. But what Gaara had not expected, was to see the blonde place a hand on the dark-haired man's waist and pull him against his body.

Something tightened inside Gaara's chest. He got startled by the odd feeling. He also got startled when he saw Naruto slide his hand a bit lower on the man's side. Gaara immediately found himself liking the man even less. An almost uncontrollable urge to rip the guy's head off started to rise inside him. He didn't know what caused it, but certainly was aware it wouldn't go away as long as the blonde wouldn't let go of him. It took his everything to stay put and not go crazy. Gaara didn't want to watch the scene happening in front of him.

Even though he turned to look away, the feeling inside him wouldn't fade. It was strangling.

Naruto was extremely happy to get Sai to agree to his offer. He didn't want to get the man in trouble, but reasoned that paying him well might make up for at least some of the risk he'd placed on his shoulders to carry.

"I'm really thankful, you know", Naruto wanted to point out. Sai gave him a smile.

"Yeah, well…my life's been so boring for the past two years, maybe it's time to do something risky for a change", he concluded. Naruto chuckled.

"And of course the money won't hurt", Sai continued.

Naruto had to agree. Even though it was a lot of money, he was happy to pay it. He liked Sai. He had a personality worth a lot more than a million, so it was no issue to pay him well. The smile on Sai's face indicated he was pleased as well.

The smile soon changed into a frown. Naruto tilted his head as a question. Sai pulled away from his grip, took the towel hanging on his waist and wetted it. He moved back to the blonde and pressed the cloth against his face.

"I ain't gonna have bloody dudes hang around here", Sai chuckled as he started wiping the blood away.

Naruto gave him a smirk and let the man clean his face up.

"I should've married you instead of my wife", the blonde joked and placed his hands on the other's waist again. Sai let out a light laugh.

"I'm pretty sure that's still illegal", he pointed out. Naruto shrugged.

"I'm obviously not a fan of legal activities, so why the hell not?" Naruto said. Sai shook his head in amusement.

"For a lawyer, you're way too free spirited", he said.

"Haven't you heard? Lawyers are the worst when it comes to moral issues", Naruto reminded. Sai got done cleaning away the blood and threw the now bloody towel away.

"Yeah, I remember hearing something like that", he admitted.

Naruto pulled the man a bit closer and gave him a crooked smile.

"Seems like I owe you again", he said. Sai huffed.

"You still owe me for last time, you know", he reminded and gave Naruto a playful flick on the forehead. Naruto curled his lips into a sly smirk.

"Is that so?" he hummed in a low voice. "Yeah", Sai assured.

The woman who'd been serving Naruto earlier, walked by them and stopped to glare at Sai with a bitter face.

"How do you always end up stealing the good ones from me?" the woman hissed, but then flashed a smile. Sai gave a simple shrug.

"I'm hard to resist", the man said. The woman snorted.

"Plus, cutie here owes me plenty, so he really has to be a suck up", Sai continued. Naruto chuckled.

"Bullshit. If I weren't straight, I'd leave my wife for you in a heartbeat", Naruto joked and flashed a grin. The woman burst out laughing.

"Oh dear lord…only Sai has the ability to get straight men bow down to him", the woman cackled. Sai gave her a smug smile.

"Oi, everybody! Sai has once again succeeded to lure in one from the other side", the woman yelled out in a loud voice.

The full bar turned to look in their direction. Naruto wasn't sure what to expect, but as the whole room burst out laughing and cheering, it became evident Sai's charisma was well known around here. Him being a gay as a rainbow seemed not to be a problem at all. Slightly surprising, Naruto had to admit.

"Whatcha waitin' for? Kiss that pretty thing", a drunken man shouted from the crowd.

Naruto couldn't help but let out an amused laugh. A sleazy bar full of criminals was the last place on earth Naruto had expected to get encouraged to kiss another man. But it seemed that Sai was loved by everybody. Not that Naruto had doubted that at all.

"Time to pay for my debts, luv", Naruto whispered to Sai and grabbed the back of his neck.

Before Sai got the chance to reply, the blonde pulled him closer and pressed his lips against the other's. A roomful of badass robbers and killers broke into a loud roar of encouragement. Naruto smirked against the other man's lips and in a very extravagant manner, bent the other man backwards. To make sure the kiss was as clichéd as possible, Naruto placed his hand on the side of his face and slipped his tongue inside the man's mouth. Somebody actually whistled. Sai grabbed a fistful of the blonde's hair and very happily let him kiss the breath out of him.

Gaara's jaw dropped open and the tight feeling in his chest turned into a stabbing pain. He didn't understand what was happening inside him, but he knew that every fiber in his body screamed killer intent. He watched Naruto smash his lips against the man's he had grown to hate in the split of a second. The animalistic noises of encouragement around him stirred awake a feeling of rage like never before. He was just a step away from pulling out his gun and shooting off a head after another.

The blonde kissed the man in a way he'd quite possibly had never been kissed before. It seemed to last forever. And Gaara's rage grew by the second. The longer he watched, the more he wanted to give in to the homicidal voice screaming inside his head. The sight before him made him angrier than anything else ever had. He was so close to casting away all sanity, it was ridiculous.

Naruto took his time to break the kiss. He enjoyed it more than he'd expected. It wasn't long ago he'd been happy about flirting to a woman and this is what he ended up doing, anyway. But it didn't really bother him. This was a lot more fun, to be honest. When he finally pulled away from the other man and helped him back on his feet, the people around them still continued being noisy.

"Why can't you just be gay? You being straight is the biggest crime in the world", Sai muttered slightly out of breath. Naruto chuckled.

"Sorry, luv", he said and smiled.

The noisy people started to calm down and go back to their own business. Naruto kept his gaze on the man still in his arms. The blonde was about to say something, but got cut off by the sound of glass breaking. Naruto frowned, as did Sai. They both turned to see the cause of the sound. Naruto's eyes locked to Gaara's. The redhead's gaze was murdering. His jaw was clenched and he shivered with anger. Naruto's eyes traveled lower and caught something disturbing. The glass in Gaara's hand had shattered into pieces. The shards of glass had cut his hand badly and blood dripped onto the wooden counter, staining the surface.

"What the fuck?" Naruto blurted.

Gaara said nothing, just kept on staring with a piercing glare. If looks could kill, he would've been dead a long time ago. The blonde let go of Sai and went to grab the towel that'd been used to clean his face. Naruto let out a frustrated grunt and grabbed the redhead's bleeding hand. Naruto had expected Gaara to pull the hand away and then possibly hit him, but the man did none of it. He remained seated, shivered with rage and had his body tense as a steel pillar. Naruto gave him a questioning look and hastily pulled out the pieces of glass stuck in his hand. He then wrapped the towel around the injured hand and glanced at the still fuming redhead.

Naruto then realized that the killer stare hadn't been directed to him, but instead the dark-haired man curiously watching the angered man behind the counter. Naruto had no clue as of what'd gotten into him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Naruto hissed as he tied the towel around the man's hand.

Gaara let out a strange noise. Like he was growling. Naruto knew that couldn't be a good thing. The blonde laid Sai a meaningful look and received a nod. Naruto then rushed to the other side of the counter, yanked Gaara away from his seat and dragged the man to the bar's office. They had to walk past the counter and Sai in order to get there and Naruto actually had to physically keep Gaara from instinctively lunging at the dark-haired man. Naruto shoved the man inside the room behind the counter and slammed the door shut behind them.

"What are you, a fucking animal?" Naruto hissed as soon as they were alone.

Gaara shut his eyes and continued twitching with rage. Naruto knew he had to get the man to calm down. He hastily shoved Gaara onto a chair and crouched down before him.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he asked the man, still unable to control his mood.

"Shut up", the redhead hissed and clenched his hand into a fist.

Naruto wasn't sure if it was to hit him or to calm down, so he took a cautious step backwards.

"Seriously. What the hell got into you? You smashed a glass with your bare hand", he hissed. Gaara struggled to find words that made any sense.

"I don't fuckin' know", he eventually growled. Naruto made a face, clearly indicating it was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard.

"You don't know? That's so fucking stupid I can't even put it into words", Naruto said, clearly beyond frustration. Gaara jolted up from his seat, making Naruto flinch.

"_I just don't fucking know_", he repeated.

The blonde quickly stood up. He honestly had absolutely nothing to say. They stared at each other for a while. Gaara's impulsive state of mind wouldn't fade away. He tried hard to stay still and calm down, but eventually just ended up snapping all over again and shoved the blonde against the wall. Gaara held him hard against the concrete surface and pressed himself as close as possible. Naruto was too pissed to care. He just focused on not going on a rampage.

"I don't know what happened in my twisted fuckin' mind, but I know that I have a serious damn urge to kill something", the redhead spoke through gritted teeth.

Naruto glared into his burning eyes. Gaara found himself captured in the blonde's eyes again. He didn't know what it was, but the twisted change in those endless pools of blue had made it impossible for him to look away from them. The hollowness that'd appeared behind them seemed to be endless and it sucked him deep into a trance like state. Gaara didn't even register his hands moving to take the man by the waist and then pull the blonde hard against himself. Naruto immediately realized what would happen. Had he not grabbed the redhead by the throat, another deeply regrettable moment would've happened.

"No. You ain't doing that again", Naruto said sternly and tightened his grip on the man's neck.

Gaara shut his eyes and let out a frustrated growl. Naruto felt like he was holding down a wild animal, ready to maul him. Gaara relaxed slightly and Naruto let go of him. The redhead pressed his face against the nape of the other's neck. The hands on Naruto's waist grabbed him even tighter. Gaara battled hard against the emotional mess inside him. He wasn't able to get away from the roaring anger. He wanted to chain the blonde down and make sure nobody got to touch him again. He didn't know what drove him to think that way, but the image stayed in his head, not leaving.

But he couldn't do that and it raged him to the point of no return. Gaara wasn't sure what exactly went on in his head, but something snapped and without further thought, he bit down to the blonde's shoulder. Naruto let out a muffled cry of pain and surprise. He was too taken aback to do anything. Feeling like he'd been in a cage with a wild animal seemed to be more accurate than he'd expected. His ability to function took it's time to return, but eventually it did and Naruto shoved the man away.

"What the fuck are you doing?" the blonde asked horrified.

Gaara said nothing, just stared at him and tried to get a hold of himself. It obviously didn't work. After a while of intense staring, he turned around and rushed to the door.

"Where the hell are you going?" Naruto hissed as the man opened the door.

Gaara shot him a cold glare.

"To get fuckin' laid", he said simply and disappeared from the room.

Naruto was left to stand alone. He just stared at the door Gaara had slammed shut behind him. There was no word to describe the confused state he was in. It took a good five minutes for Naruto to get back to reality. He slowly reached to touch his shoulder. Holy shit he'd bitten hard.

The door got pushed open. Sai stepped into the room and stopped to stare at Naruto. The expression on his face made it very clear to the man that something had gone wrong.

"What's wrong?" Sai asked after a while. Naruto sighed and slumped against the wall.

"I don't know", he muttered. It was true. He actually had no fucking idea what'd made Gaara act like an idiot.

"Did he leave?" Naruto soon asked. Sai nodded.

"Yeah. He dragged some easy ho with him", the man clarified.

Naruto frowned. So he really went to get laid, huh?

"God what a moron", the blonde said to himself. Sai took a step closer and tilted his head curiously.

"Who is he, really?" he asked.

Naruto glanced at him and pondered whether or not to tell. He concluded that if Sai was going to give him information on yakuza's plans, he'd find out eventually anyway, so there was no point in hiding it.

"Sabaku Gaara", Naruto said simply.

To Sai it didn't seem to be such a simple matter. His eyes widened and jaw dropped. He let out a weird noise.

"What the hell? That's the guy who ripped apart seven Akatsuki hitmen", the dark-haired man hissed and finally closed the office door.

Naruto didn't say anything to confirm or deny that statement.

"Do you have any idea what you've gotten into?" Sai continued with a disbelieving expression. Naruto sighed. He was so tired of this subject.

"Yes. I fuckin' know how stupid I am to be even near him. But I don't have much choice anymore. I'm no longer just his lawyer, I'm now a partner in crime", the blonde muttered, but wouldn't look at Sai.

To be honest, every time he admitted to being stuck with Gaara, he felt a little bit ashamed. Mainly for being stupid enough to ever agree to the job as his attorney. He'd been warned, but he decided not to listen. So yes, he was an idiot.

Sai rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Do you even know him?" he asked. Naruto wanted to slap himself.

"No. Not really", he admitted and lowered his gaze to the floor. Sai had the urge to smack him across the face.

"Do you even know about his past with yakuza?" Sai asked. Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

Sai didn't seem too convinced. Naruto reached under the collar of his shirt, grabbed the army tag still hanging around his neck and yanked it off.

"I'm not gonna lie. Apart from the tattoos on his back and a similar tag to this he carries around, I have no idea what his past is like", Naruto said and tossed the tag to Sai.

The man caught it midair. He didn't have to look at it for long to let out a groan of frustration.

"Sweetie, you have no idea. Sit down", he ordered.

Naruto did as told. Sai took a seat next to him and took a while before speaking.

"I don't actually know Sabaku. I only know what's spoken about him. Trust me, among yakuza, he's a huge name. What of it is true and what's false, I have no clue", he began talking.

Naruto took a deep breath to concentrate. He had a feeling that it would be crucial to take in whatever Sai had to say.

"But if he carries around a tag like this…" Sai said and took a break. Naruto waited patiently for him to continue.

"In that case, he used to be a hitman", the man eventually finished the sentence.

Naruto stared at him blankly. He tried to be surprised, but didn't really succeed. Actually, it should've been an easy conclusion to come to, considering that every single hitman so far had carried one as well. He'd suspected for some time already that might've been the case. After all, the way he was able to kill a man without hesitation was obviously professional.

Sai took a breath to continue his telling.

"You know, like I said, a lot of rumors of him exists. I have no idea how much of it is true. But there is one thing that's most likely a fact", he said. Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow.

"And what's that?"

Sai turned towards him and tilted his head. The look on his face told that what he was about to say, was not something to dismiss.

"He wasn't just any hitman. He was a part of Akatsuki."

* * *

**Ooh. Exciting. **

**I'd like to point out to those who do not know the value of Japanese currency; a million yen is less than 10 000 US dollars. So yeah, Sai ain't getting a million dollars. But I wouldn't say no to ten thousand, either.**


	19. Pretty, Dirty Please

**A new chapter for ya beautiful people. Please enjoy, please review. *hugs'n'kisses***

* * *

It was noon the following day. Naruto hadn't slept at all. The all-nighter mixed with mild intoxication had left him exhausted, but the inexplicable anger and confusion had kept him from sleeping. The things Sai had told him the night before had left him clueless as of what to think or do. He felt like an idiot for not realizing the most obvious part of Gaara's past himself. Perhaps it'd been too evident. Or maybe he was just a complete moron.

Naruto sat on the floor, throwing pieces of clothing into his bag. The flight back home would leave in two hours. Gaara hadn't come back. To be honest, Naruto didn't give a flying fuck whether the man made it to the flight or not. The blonde was beyond pissed when it came to the redhead. He'd spent the whole night thinking about him. The way he'd acted the night before and especially the way he'd left to fuck some filthy slut. As much as Naruto hated to admit, the thought of Gaara thrusting into some cheap excuse for a woman made him furious.

He'd spent hours trying to kick that image away, but hadn't succeeded in the least. He'd ended up picturing the entire scenario from start to end and every way possible. The more he thought of it, the more he wished Gaara would end up with an STD that'd eventually kill him, slowly and painfully. Naruto wasn't sure why he felt the way he did. Whatever or whoever the man fucked and how long shouldn't have been an issue for him. But it was. And he had no way of explaining it reasonably.

He was actually hoping Gaara wouldn't come back at all. He didn't know if he'd be able to face him after spending the whole night picturing him in disturbing ways.

Naruto let out a frustrated growl. He threw the packed bag against the wall. Childish, but necessary. He had to toss things around in order to keep himself sane. Naruto took out a pack of cigarettes. He'd smoked more than probably was even remotely healthy, but did not obtain the slightest will to give a shit. The blonde took one and lit up. He blew out a breath of smoke and let himself fall down to lie on the cold floor. The cigarette no longer tasted like anything. He'd smoked too many of them. But it didn't stop him from smoking it anyway. He just wanted to go home.

He was pleased that the trip had filled its purpose, but all other aspects of it had been a nightmare. And he wanted to wake up. That wouldn't happen before getting home.

Naruto took his time smoking. When he eventually put the cigarette out, he let out a tired sigh and got up, even though his brain screamed to just stay there and die. It was a tempting option. But he didn't want to dwell in any sort of self-pity, so the thought got dismissed. Lazily the blonde started to put on clothes and make an effort to seem presentable. It wasn't a success to the extent he'd hoped, but what eventually stared back from the mirror was better than what he'd started off with. With a slightly displeased grunt, he picked up his possessions, left a tip for the cleaners on the nightstand and went to put on shoes. He should've left earlier, but maybe he'd make it in time.

Once Naruto had gotten fully dressed and ready, he moved to leave the room. As soon as he opened the door, he wanted to slam it back shut.

He met a set of unpleasantly familiar eyes. Gaara stood in the doorway, staring at him. Naruto's jaw clenched and he instantly felt angry all over again. His blue eyes studied the redhead. As his eyes detected an ugly, blue hickey on the man's pale neck, the disturbing images that'd tortured him all night came running back. Naruto gritted his teeth violently. He didn't say a word, didn't even look at him, just walked past and slammed the door shut. In a fast pace, Naruto marched down the corridor and took the stairs instead of the elevator. Just to avoid being in the presence of the redhead.

It was a few hours later and the flight was over. The ride to the airport, the waiting for boarding and the flight itself had all been dead silent. Naruto had refused to spare even a glance in Gaara's direction. He found it extremely convenient to just pretend he didn't even exist. Gaara of course was irritated by his behavior, but hadn't said anything either. He had a feeling that even the smallest word would make the blonde snap and kill everything in the radius of a hundred feet. So, he kept quiet.

By the time they were sitting in a cab on their way to Naruto's house, the blonde had pretty much reached his limit of hanging onto his sanity. Every time Gaara moved even an inch, every time he fucking breathed, Naruto had a flash of the images that'd haunted him for hours. It made him so raged, so homicidal and so…fucking horny. He wanted to hit himself. How exactly he'd ended up in a state like that was beyond him, but it was evident he wouldn't be able to rid himself of it. He couldn't wait to get home. He had some use for his wife.

The instant the cab pulled onto his driveway, Naruto had already opened the door. He hastily threw money to the driver and rushed out of the car. He didn't care whether or not Gaara dared to follow him inside, he just needed to get home. The door wasn't locked, so Naruto knew Sakura was home. He opened the door with force, tossed the bag in his hand to the floor and practically ran to the living room. He found his wife lying on the couch. She noticed Naruto stand behind her and turned to face him. She was about to greet him, but the blonde gave her no chance to speak. Without a word, he lifted her into his arms. The woman let out a weak squeal.

"What are you doing?" she asked confused, but giggled lightly.

Naruto didn't answer. He simply turned around and carried her out of the room. Naruto took them to the stairs. From the corner of his eye, he could see Gaara standing in the doorway, watching him. The blonde gave him no sign of acknowledgment. Instead, he took his wife upstairs, into their bedroom and threw her onto the bed. The woman let out a cry of surprise. She was about to voice a question, but Naruto cut her off by yanking open his belt.

"I really, really need to fuck you", he stated.

Sakura watched him eyes wide. She couldn't remember hearing the blonde say those words in years. It took her less than a second throw her underwear away and lift the helm of her skirt up. Naruto stared at her for a short while.

"Turn around", he ordered. The woman did as told.

The blonde wasted no time to take what he wanted. He performed his part in a way the pink-haired woman had never thought he even could. He was rough, he was demanding and he made her scream louder than ever. But the entire time, Naruto kept his eyes shut. He didn't want to see her, he didn't want to know it was her. He'd asked her to turn around so she wouldn't realize his mind wasn't really even in the room. He didn't really want to hear her scream either, but wanted to make sure that Gaara would. He wanted him to hear all of it, to imagine all the same things he had. He wanted to make the man know exactly what he would never get.

Sakura had lost all sense and had no idea what actually went through Naruto's mind. Naruto wanted to drag it out as long as possible, just to make it as horrible as possible for Gaara. In fact, he probably would've spent the entire day slamming into his wife, because he wasn't able to finish as long as he thought about her. There was exactly one thing that gave him the release he wanted.

And that thing was sitting downstairs, hearing every single fucking noise.

Gaara sat on the couch, staring blankly ahead. His mind had escaped to a place where this wasn't actually happening. He had been listening to that bitch moan and scream for twenty minutes now. He'd grown numb to it. Every single time the woman let out a noise, it felt like a slap across the face. But because he'd been slapped by that noise for about million times, he no longer felt shit. His brain had stuck on a mode that consisted mainly of murder and malice. He wanted to tear that bitch apart.

His mind went back to the night before. Back to the rage and anger that'd made him pick up the easiest slut in the bar and fuck the ugly thing outside it. It'd been exactly as boring and useless as he'd imagined. Jerking off would've been more marvelous than that. In the end, he'd just wanted to get away from the situation and only succeeded in that by filling his mind with a certain angel faced prick. It'd taken approximately a second for him to be finished as soon as he'd imagined the blonde in her place. That man had gripped both his body and soul. It was ridiculous.

After thirty minutes and a shitload of teeth gritting, the sounds stopped. Gaara was shivering with something inexplicable. He had no word for the feeling roaring inside him. All he knew was that never again did he want to listen to that. The urge to burn the whole place down was almost uncontrollable. He didn't know what would happen once the blonde got back downstairs. He didn't know how either of them would react.

The first one to come down was the pink-haired piece of shit. She got startled upon seeing the redhead. Her face went red.

"Oh my god, I didn't know you were here", she said horrified. Gaara forced himself to stay put and not tear her throat out with his bare hands.

"Yeah. Here I am", he muttered through gritted teeth.

The woman didn't seem to notice his anger. She let out a giggle.

"I'd like to say I'm really sorry, but that'd be a lie", she purred.

Gaara's eyes probably flashed red. He was that mad. But he couldn't show it to her. He gave his everything and succeeded in twisting a fake smile onto his face.

"So it seems, by the sound of it", he said.

The voice inside his head screaming her to be a fucking whore was so close to getting out. But somehow he managed to keep the voice internal. The voice soon got replaced by another one as the blonde showed up downstairs, as well. This time, his head was screaming bloody murder and the need to both hit and fuck that irritating moron. The blonde man stopped to stare at him. Gaara made sure the anger and hatred he felt at the moment became evident to the blonde. Naruto seemed way too pleased about it. Even though he stood almost a foot away, the reek of sex reached the redhead. It made him want to gag.

Naruto stared at the redhead slumped down on the couch. Sakura remained slightly embarrassed and flustered. She did notice the tense atmosphere around them. And the piercing looks the two men were giving each other. She wasn't sure what to think of it.

"Sweetie, would you kindly make something to eat?" Naruto asked his wife, barely glancing at her.

Since the woman had just got the ride of her life, she didn't have to even think about it. Naruto waited for her to disappear from the room, before focusing on Gaara. He didn't seem as much angry as he did just plain crazy. His hand twitched in an odd way every few seconds. Naruto concluded he was either gonna get hit or sulked at. Maybe both. But at least the intent to kill something was practically radiating from him. Naruto couldn't help but to feel satisfied.

His satisfaction soon turned into something more serious and the obnoxious smirk on his face faded away. The discussion with Sai came to his mind. Naruto knew he'd have to take up the subject at some point, but had absolutely no idea when. At the moment, both of them hated each other to no end. Talking about anything too volatile could be fatal.

"We'll beat each other up later. I don't have the fuckin' energy for that now", Naruto said after a while of silence.

Gaara said nothing to comply, but didn't refuse either. The blonde was content enough. He seated himself next to the redhead, not caring about the risk of getting chopped to pieces. Gaara glanced at him from the corner of his eye, but didn't bother facing him. They both sat there silently for a long time. Just stared blankly ahead, not giving any sign of intellectual communicating.

It was kind of comical, to be honest. Two grown men sulking at each other. The situation could've been ripped off a sitcom had it not been as shitty as it was. The fact that both of them were thinking about the other one banging some piece of irrelevant shit, made it even more funny. In a twisted way, of course.

Since neither man knew what the other one was thinking, they both just ended up sitting silently with sour faces. The moping would've gone on forever if Sakura hadn't appeared to the doorway and asked them to move their asses to the kitchen. It was the world's most awkward dinner, ever. Even Sakura noticed it. She tried hard to make conversation, but failed time after time. Eventually, she couldn't bother anymore.

"I'm gonna go out tonight", she informed after a while of tense silence. Naruto glanced at her.

"I'm going with the girls. Not alone, this time. But yeah, Ino obviously won't be there", she said.

Naruto questioned her need to explain, but shrugged and nodded. "Okay."

As soon as Naruto had gotten done with eating, he stood up and took his dishes away. He stopped at the kitchen doorway.

"I'm going to sleep. I'm fucking exhausted", he muttered, mainly directed to his wife.

Sakura might've said something, but Naruto never heard her response, since he'd already left the room. The blonde made his way to the stairs to go to the upper floor. He'd gotten midway the stairs, when he stopped to think. He really didn't feel like sleeping on the bed where he'd just fucked his wife, all the while thinking of someone entirely else. Instead, he turned back around and walked towards the guestroom. He concluded it'd be better to conquer the bed there.

He'd opened the door to the room, when he felt a gaze directed at him. He didn't have to turn around to know Gaara was standing a small distance behind him. Naruto considered turning around to face him, but eventually decided against it. He opened the door, stepped inside and left Gaara outside.

It was around 1 am, when Naruto woke up. He didn't know what exactly had stirred him awake, but he couldn't go back to sleep. After a few minutes of trying, he gave up and lifted himself to a sitting position. The room was dark and the house was quiet. Naruto figured that Sakura had left hours ago and probably hadn't come back yet. Whenever she went out, she had a habit of staying 'till the morning. So, she probably wouldn't be home for several hours.

Naruto lazily got up from the bed. He was surprisingly alert, taking into consideration he hadn't slept that much in the past 48 hours. He felt like having coffee and a cigarette. And that's what he decided to get. The blonde made his way out of the guestroom and into the kitchen. The entire house was dark. The question of Gaara's whereabouts became relevant. He was nowhere to be seen. Naruto wondered if he'd taken off. It wouldn't have been a surprise. And not necessarily a bad thing, either.

Naruto loaded the coffee machine and left it to drip, while he took a seat at the kitchen table. He sat there waiting and trying to wake up properly. His mind wandered all over the place. He thought about the night before. It had been disturbing in so many ways. The only good thing that came out of it, was the information that Sai had to give. And the kiss he had to give. The man was pretty good at that shit. The thought made Naruto chuckle in amusement. He'd been acting way too gay for a straight man, lately. He wasn't really sure if he any longer obtained the right to call himself a heterosexual, to be honest. Probably not.

He didn't really know what to call himself, so he decided not to have a word for it. It was easier that way.

Naruto pressed a hand against his chest. He could feel the army tag through his shirt, still hanging around his neck. The blonde took it into his hand. He studied the item silently for a while. He wondered if he'd even get the chance to ask Gaara about it. If the redhead really had taken off, he probably wouldn't. Naruto still felt like an idiot for not realizing the newly attained information about Gaara himself. It should've been obvious. It explained so much. The ridiculous wealth the man had, the professional way of killing. Naruto wanted to ask about it, even though he probably wouldn't be answered. But he wanted to know the purpose of the tags. And of course, the truth about the man's past. It was likely that Naruto would have to find that out by himself, without any help from Gaara.

Coffee was done. Naruto hid the tag under his shirt again and stood up. He went to pour himself a cup. He didn't feel like sitting down again, so instead he remained standing and lit up a cigarette. He took his time drinking the coffee and smoking the cigarette. He enjoyed listening to the silence around him. Apart from the clock ticking, it was dead quiet. It'd been a while since that had last happened. He could've stayed there forever, but soon realized something troublesome. There was something he needed to check.

The blonde let out a deep sigh, drank up rest of his coffee and put out the smoke. He then pulled on a hoodie, a pair of shoes and made his way outside. It was a chilly night again. He wasn't ecstatic about wandering around in the yard, but had to get the task done.

Naruto turned around the corner of his house, hopped down a few steps and found himself in the backyard. It was almost too dark to see ahead. It took a while for his eyes to get used to the lack of light. When he finally got adjusted enough to the darkness, he started to walk towards the furthest corner of the yard. Right beside the fence, there was an old, sturdy tree. It stood tall above Naruto. The blonde stopped to stand next to it and then moved his gaze under the tree. His eyes could make out an area of turned soil. Naruto eyed the ground. For a shallow grave, it was surprisingly undetectable. The tree beside it laid its shadow on top of it, hiding it quite well. It seemed to be the same way they'd left it. Hopefully, it'd gone unnoticed.

Feeling satisfied to see it untouched, Naruto turned around to go back inside. But as he turned, a familiar pair of green eyes met his blue ones. He nearly had a heart attack.

"Oh my fucking god. You need to stop doing that", Naruto said through gritted teeth and shot a glare at the redhead standing before him.

The man said nothing. Naruto narrowed his eyes. He didn't know what Gaara wanted, but since he had nothing to say, the blonde moved to get past him. He was stopped by a hand grabbing his. Naruto stopped, but didn't turn back around. He waited a while for Gaara to speak.

"What?" he eventually asked, when no word came out.

The redhead looked like he had something to say, but not the intention to voice it. Naruto pondered whether or not he was interested enough to get it out of him. In the end, he wasn't, so he yanked himself free and walked back inside. He knew Gaara was following him. The man always carried that heavy, dark presence that Naruto always felt around him. He'd gotten used to it, but it was ever present. Once the blonde had gotten inside, he turned around to face the redhead. There was something he needed to get done with, no matter how much he wanted to avoid it.

"We need to talk about something", he said. Gaara narrowed his eyes. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Sit down", Naruto continued and made a gesture towards the kitchen chairs.

Gaara seemed suspicious, but did as told. Naruto followed him and they both took a seat at the table. The redhead waited for Naruto to speak. But he didn't. Instead, the blonde drew his seat closer to Gaara's. The redhead remained confused as of what was going on. Naruto gave him no clarification. The blonde reached out a hand to pull down the man's shirt collar. The army tag hanging around his neck got revealed. Before Gaara had a chance to protest, Naruto yanked the chained tag off him. The redhead opened his mouth to yell profanities at him, but kept quiet as the blonde revealed a similar army tag around his neck. Naruto took it off and took both of the tags into his hand. He studied the pieces of metal for a while, comparing them. Gaara was becoming impatient and frustrated. The situation wasn't the least bit appealing to him.

"What the fuck are you doin'?" he eventually had to ask. Naruto gave him a glance. It took him a while longer to finally speak up.

"I know you're a hitman", he stated.

Gaara's face remained expressionless. He liked the situation even less. He didn't know how to respond, so he didn't. Naruto continued fiddling the tags. He seriously hesitated to voice his next thought.

"I also know you were a part of Akatsuki", he said, ignoring the possible consequences.

Gaara turned his gaze away and clenched his jaw. A slightly awkward silence followed. It was awkward mostly because they'd both known this discussion would come up sooner or later, and neither of them had been too ecstatic about it. But the awkwardness soon turned into something more ominous as Gaara's frustration grew into anger.

"You don't know shit", he said. Naruto couldn't help but to snort.

"And who do I have to thank for that?" he muttered.

His implication wasn't appreciated. Gaara suddenly stood up. Naruto was left sitting, watching the redhead stand tall before him.

"It doesn't concern you", the redhead soon spoke, trying his best to keep calm.

It wasn't easy, to say the least. Naruto laughed a strained chuckle.

"That's bullshit. I'm being hunted because of you and your fucking past. So don't go tellin' me it ain't my business", he said.

Gaara didn't feel the same way. He was finding it hard to filter all the nasty words he felt like blurting out.

"It's your own fault. You know it would've been better to decline my offer in the first place. But I knew your ego wouldn't be able to do that. You fell for my trap all on your own. You got yourself into this game and if you lose, it ain't my fault", he hissed.

It took Naruto about two seconds to get outrageously pissed off. But he'd decided not to stoop as low as Gaara, and for once keep his cool. Surprisingly enough, he succeeded. At least for now. Gaara on the other hand, not so much.

"Don't spread your curiosity onto dangerous territories. There are lines you cross and don't get away with it. Trust me", Gaara continued his growling.

Naruto couldn't say he was impressed by his threats. The blonde kept his face blank, waiting for Gaara to get done. The redhead noticed the blonde's lack of interest in his words. He hated to not get a reaction out of him. It made him even more motivated to keep on lashing out on him.

Gaara lowered himself slightly, so that he was face to face with the blonde. He looked deep into his blue eyes.

"I don't care if you are the only fucking thing in the universe that makes me lose all control over myself. I don't care if you're my biggest fucking weakness. But I promise you, if you ever cross those lines, it'll be the last thing you do", he stated in a low, hissing voice.

Naruto had lowered his gaze to the floor. Not because he felt intimidated, not because he was in any way afraid. He'd had to look away in order to keep himself from rolling his eyes at the other man. Naruto didn't understand how Gaara could possibly think he gave a shit about anything anymore? He didn't care if he was to suffer consequences. He didn't care if it was the worst idea in the world. There was an 80% chance he'd get killed within the next few months. Maybe weeks. And he'd made the decision to absolutely find out why he would get shot dead in the first place. He couldn't give a shit if it meant it'd just fuck things up even worse. What Gaara thought of it, was entirely irrelevant to him. And it didn't matter how much the man resisted telling him, he would find a way to get him talking.

Naruto chuckled. He slowly raised his gaze back up. Gaara flinched at what he saw. The blonde's eyes had once again hollowed into empty pools of icy blue. Gaara had never thought that anything in the world could give him chills, but those eyes absolutely did. The way it made Naruto seem truly dangerous almost outshone Gaara's naturally intimidating gaze. The redhead found himself once again mesmerized by the blonde's stare. It made him feel so many strange things, he didn't know how to react. His anger suddenly seemed to slip away, getting replaced by something else equally as overpowering.

Naruto stood up. Gaara took a firmer footing. He didn't know what would happen. He had no idea what the blonde would do. To be honest, Naruto himself wasn't sure. He could see Gaara tense up. Naruto gave him a twisted smirk. Gaara's jaw clenched. After a while of plain staring, Naruto moved forward. His movements were slow enough to not alert the redhead. The blonde gently pressed his hand against the other's chest and then pushed him against the wall. Gaara's tense body wouldn't relax, but he also didn't resist.

Naruto tilted his head slightly and continued smiling his crooked smirk. It wasn't the good kind. At all. It was the unpredictable, sinister kind. And Gaara was smart enough to be aware of it. For a while, nothing happened. Gaara waited for the blonde to say something. He didn't. Instead, Naruto moved even closer and eventually, pressed himself against the redhead. The man flinched in surprise. Naruto pressed his face against his neck. His breath hit the pale skin, making Gaara's heart skip a beat.

"You say funny things", Naruto eventually said.

Gaara remained quiet. The blonde moved his hands to place them on the other's waist. He then slid them lower to get under his shirt.

"It's as if you think I won't get my way", Naruto continued, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Gaara stopped breathing. He knew what this would lead to and wasn't at all keen on getting manipulated by the blonde. He grabbed one of Naruto's hands to get it off him, but as he did that, the other hand had slid up under his shirt. Cold fingers trailed his muscular chest and brushed over the awkwardly sensitive spot above his collar bone. Gaara closed his eyes frustrated, but couldn't deny that his sensibility was on its way out the window once again.

"You know…having only one weakness is worse than multiple", Naruto spoke.

His voice was low and raspy. Gaara didn't know what he meant, but wasn't keen on learning either, as the hand he'd yanked away got placed back on him. As much as he hated to admit it, staying angry while getting touched by an angel created by Satan himself, was extremely difficult. Gaara didn't really even register the blonde pulling off his shirt before it was already gone. A hand grabbed a fistful of his hair. Cold lips got placed onto his bare chest.

"Ask me why", Naruto ordered.

Gaara didn't want to comply, but as he felt a set of nails dig into his back, he let out a shaky breath.

"Why?" he asked soon. Naruto smirked contently.

"When you only have one weakness, it is more powerful than a thousand lesser ones combined", he whispered into the redhead's ear.

Gaara shivered violently. Naruto let the nails latched onto the man's back move lower, leaving burning marks on the white skin. Gaara closed his eyes and let his head tilt backwards to lean against the wall. The blonde chuckled at his fight to not lose all control again.

"You said you'd never do this again", Gaara said, not really able to breathe evenly anymore.

Naruto enjoyed the slight shivering of his body. He moved his leg between Gaara's and pressed it against the area that absolutely shouldn't have been touched in any way.

"I never will. Not for the want of it. But this is a different issue. This is to get what I fucking want", the blonde said with a chuckle and then did something that Gaara had not expected.

While letting his sharp teeth nip the soft skin of the redhead's neck, he used his other hand to take off his own belt. Naruto yanked the belt loose from his jeans. Gaara slightly opened up his eyes to see the other man. The blonde simply gave him the same irritating smirk he'd carried for the last few minutes. Naruto pressed himself against Gaara to get as close as possible, grabbed both of the man's hands by the wrist and moved them behind the redhead. To make sure he got no resistance, he slightly shifted the leg pressed against Gaara's crotch, making him let out a groan. Naruto felt the man was distracted enough and did what he'd intended to do.

Before he knew it, Gaara found his hands tied behind him with a studded leather belt. The studs pressed painfully against his wrists. Why the blonde knew how to make emergency handcuffs out of a leather belt, he didn't want to know.

Naruto very much liked what he saw. He'd forgotten how much he liked Gaara restrained. Shirtless, it was even better. The blonde let out a pleased noise, before grabbing the other man by his hair and forced him to sit down onto a chair. Naruto moved to stand behind him. Having his hands tied up and being under the blonde's extremely disturbing affect, there wasn't much Gaara could do. His body tensed up again, but relaxed as soon as Naruto's hands came to touch his bare chest from behind. The blonde hunched over enough to place his lips on the redhead's neck.

"Ready to talk?" he asked, the sly smirk evident in his voice.

"Fuck off", Gaara growled, trying hard to ignore the uncomfortable tightening of his jeans.

Naruto of course noticed it right away. His hands moved lower down and stopped at the waistline. He trailed a finger along the redhead's lower abdomen. Gaara couldn't stop himself from squirming just slightly.

"You won't win this one", a determined and dark-toned voice slipped through the blonde's lips.

The words Gaara heard were extremely enraging, but the low voice next to his ear made strange things happen inside him, and he hated it. Naruto, on the other hand, was happy to have the man exactly where he wanted.

Naruto was determined to get what he wanted. He let one of his hands grip Gaara by his hair, while the other one slid down the front of the redhead's jeans. As his hand came to touch the man's very evident hard-on, Gaara couldn't stop himself from making a noise. Te thin fabric stopping him from feeling the other's touch directly on him didn't matter, it was still enough to make him as hard as humanly possible.

"Tell me. Were you a part of Akatsuki?" Naruto asked and let his hand slide over the other's member.

Gaara closed his eyes and tilted his head backwards, to lean against the other man. He hated himself for it, but if the blonde kept on doing that, he'd tell him whatever the hell he wanted to know.

"Sort of", Gaara said and groaned as he felt the blonde's fingers wrap around him.

He wasn't really even concentrating on anything anymore. Apart from the obvious, of course.

"Sort of?" Naruto questioned and let his breath tingle against the other's ear.

Gaara was remotely aware of the situation's manipulative state. But he wasn't aware enough to care. He'd regret telling anything later on, he knew that. But that regret compared to the feeling he felt at the moment was so fucking irrelevant.

"I was trained by them", he revealed after a while of battling to find his ability to speak.

Naruto was very happy to discover his methods of interrogation to be so efficient. The fact that he might've enjoyed it a bit too much himself wasn't worth mentioning, if it meant he'd get what he wanted.

The blonde continued touching the redhead. He let his hand move along the man's hard-on, until he could no longer sit still. Gaara would've happily killed anything and anybody to get the blonde to take care of his uncomfortable state properly. But it seemed to be a hopeless wish, as Naruto kept on talking.

"I want you to tell me a story about how the fuck you ended up an Akatsuki hitman", he demanded.

Gaara was sensible enough to understand the demand and let out a low chuckle.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me, I won't talk about that", he said, trying to sound confident about that statement. He failed miserably.

Naruto laughed out loud. He took his hands off the redhead. Gaara immediately wanted them back. Naruto moved to face the redhead. He stopped to stare into his green eyes that were fiery with anger and lust. The blonde just gave him a piercing glare. It was a shame he didn't even know how badly that stare made Gaara's state only worsen.

The blonde suddenly grabbed the helm of his own shirt and pulled it off. He let the piece of clothing fall to the floor. Gaara turned to look away. But no matter how hard he tried, eventually his gaze always traveled back to the man standing before him. By the time he no longer could look away, he knew losing this game was a real possibility.

"Shit", Gaara muttered and let his eyes eat up the shirtless man still glaring at him.

Gaara wanted to slap himself. When he'd realized he'd severely underestimated the blonde's skill to mess with one's mind, it seemed he'd even then kept on underestimating it.

Naruto let a smirk appear onto his lips. He moved his hand to the front of his jeans and opened up the button. Gaara watched the blonde slide a hand down his jeans to touch himself. The redhead let out a frustrated growl.

"Too bad your hands are all tied up. Just imagine the things you could do", Naruto sneered and moved closer.

Gaara's eyes flashed with rage. Not because he was tied up and in an extremely submissive state, but because being tied up meant he couldn't grab the blonde and fuck him till he no longer had any sense left.

Gaara rose to stand up. He gave Naruto a cold, piercing glare. The stare soon turned less cold and more desperate. Gaara let out a low growl and despite being restrained, he succeeded to get the blonde against the wall. Naruto didn't even try to get away. He knew the other man was only digging an even deeper grave for himself. So instead of protesting, he reached his free hand out, placed it on the other man's waist and pulled him closer. His other hand still remained down his own jeans, touching himself. Naruto very much liked to think that the arousal he was starting to feel had absolutely nothing to do with the rock hard redhead pressed against him, but that most likely was a huge lie.

Gaara couldn't stop watching the blonde stroke himself. He wanted to see all of it. He wanted to torture himself to the point of falling apart. Naruto was beyond pleased to see the look on Gaara's face, desperate to get his hands free.

"I will make you fucking beg", Naruto growled.

Gaara said nothing. He just kept on staring, his lips slightly parted. After a while, he could no longer stand there and do nothing. He moved closer and bit down to the blonde's shoulder. Naruto hissed in pain, but didn't stop the movement of his hand down his jeans. Gaara wasn't really on the sane side anymore. He couldn't remember ever being so near to simply coming into his pants. And Naruto noticed it, of course. He curled his lips into a twisted smile, shut his eyes and let out a moan. Gaara jolted against him. The blonde knew exactly what his noises did to him. And that's why he kept on letting them escape his lips.

The redhead got to a point where he would've rather shot himself than kept on listening. He laid desperate eyes on the blonde. Naruto gave no sign of being interested in his discomfort. Gaara didn't want to give in to the other's demands. He was determined to keep his mouth shut, no matter what the blonde would do. But that didn't mean he wasn't desperate for Naruto to give him what he wanted. Or more like needed, by that point.

Gaara surprised Naruto by lowering himself down to kneel before the blonde. He didn't hesitate to press his lips against the tanned skin of the blonde's stomach. He trailed along the man's waistline, not hiding his intentions in the least. Naruto watched the man. He couldn't deny that the idea of a tied up Gaara kneeling before him, sucking him off wasn't something he'd very much wanted. For a while, he enjoyed the feel of the redhead's lips against his skin and continued making himself extremely happy below the waistline. He got to the point of almost giving in to the redhead's offer, but shook the idea away. He got pissed off at himself for getting distracted. Getting head from the man was not what he was supposed to be after.

Naruto violently gripped Gaara by his hair.

"Turn around", he said.

At the moment, Gaara would've gotten him the moon from the sky, so he obeyed. Naruto crouched down behind him. He pulled his hand out of his jeans, and instead shoved it down Gaara's. The man let out a groan.

"I'm still waiting for you to speak", Naruto reminded him.

Gaara wasn't able to reply. Nor did he want to. The blonde let out a huff. He pulled his hand away, making the redhead let out a displeased noise. His discontent faded away, as Naruto gently bit down to his shoulder and used the now free hand to hastily open the redhead's jeans. He wasted no time to move his hand back down. But this time, he slid his hand along the man's bare member and took a proper hold of it. Gaara let out a shivery breath. Once the blonde started stroking him, his legs nearly gave out and he had to fall backwards to lean against the other one.

"Well?" Naruto asked.

Gaara still refused to answer. Naruto hadn't run out of ideas yet, so he didn't really mind it. But what he hadn't taken into calculation was the fact that Gaara had his hands tied behind him, which meant it was easy for him to touch the blonde in places that really shouldn't have been touched at the moment. Not if he wanted to keep his concentration on the issue at hand. So to speak.

Naruto couldn't deny that having Gaara in a submissive state like this turned him on. But he really shouldn't have been focusing on that. The heavy breaths and strained moans escaping the redhead's lips made it hard for his thoughts not to stray.

"You really don't wanna tell me, huh?" Naruto muttered. He loosened his hold around the man's member and slowed the pace. Gaara groaned displeased.

"I could leave you like this, you know", Naruto told him, his voice low and husky. And very deliberately so.

Gaara actually squirmed against him. The man's tied hands got pressed against the bulge in the blonde's jeans. Naruto let out a slight groan as the redhead slid a hand along the hard-on he no longer could deny existed. It took Naruto approximately 30 seconds of getting touched to forget what he'd supposed to do. With a grunt, he placed a hand around Gaara's neck to clarify that he remained the one in charge. He then started to move his hand again. The man in his grip didn't seem to mind the chokehold around his neck. If anything, he liked it. Judging by the way he moved his hips against the blonde's hand, he wasn't complaining at all.

Naruto went to nip the pale skin of his neck, before biting down hard. It made Gaara's body tense up, but also his breath even heavier. Naruto's teeth pierced the skin. It drew blood. The redhead got to a point where he no longer could keep strained groans from escaping his lips. Naruto realized it wouldn't take long for the man to go over the edge. The blonde stopped his hand and got an angry growl in return.

"Don't you fucking stop", Gaara hissed out of breath. Naruto licked away the small amount of blood running down his neck.

"Say please", he then whispered into the man's ear and gave him a swift stroke.

Gaara bit his lower lip to keep from making a noise. He wasn't ecstatic about the blonde's command, but sure as hell wasn't going to be left the way he was.

"Please, don't fuckin' stop", he breathed out.

Naruto smirked and gave another stroke. If teasing the man wasn't the most fun he'd ever had, he didn't know what was.

"Now ask me nicely what it is you want", he purred and stroked him again. He got a moan in return.

"Make me fucking come", Gaara groaned without hesitation. Naruto frowned and grunted.

"I said nicely", he reminded.

Naruto tightened his grip both around the man's neck and hard-on. Gaara was ready to simply drop the fuck dead if the blonde didn't finish what he'd started.

"Please make me come", Gaara pleaded, his voice strained.

He wasn't used to being completely under the will of someone else. And he certainly had no idea it made him this needy. But there was nowhere else he'd rather been. He wanted to be there, tied up and in the chokehold of the blonde. It was ridiculous. And at the same time, it was better than anything else in the world.

Naruto let out a pleased hum and began moving his hand again. It didn't take longer than a minute for Gaara to reach a point of discovering a whole new range of sounds he apparently could make. Naruto had to admit that feeling the man squirm under his touch, against him, made him want to press himself closer. And he did. Eventually Naruto got breathless enough himself to be forced to lean against the wall behind him. Gaara moved against his hand and Naruto moved against him. The blonde no longer cared about anything he'd set out to do. The whole capacity of his brain was filled with nothing but the other man.

"Fuck", Gaara hissed through gritted teeth.

"Choke me harder", he then told the blonde.

Naruto let out a light chuckle between his heavy breaths and did as the man wished. He was rewarded with a loud, strained groan.

"You really are a sicko", Naruto said smirking. "I like it", he then continued.

Gaara wasn't really listening to shit he said. The fact that he was so near to nirvana made it extremely hard to concentrate on anything else. But he did notice Naruto press his lips next to his ear.

"Come for me, will ya?" he whispered with a smirk on his lips.

And he did. Hard enough to hurt. Gaara bit his lip till it bled. His body jolted violently and his feet simply gave way. In the end, he couldn't stop the loud growl that escaped his lips. He let his body fall against the blonde's and made the other one slump down to the floor as well. The redhead fell against the man behind him. Though he tried to stop, his body was shaking. It made him feel ridiculous.

They stayed like that, leaning against the wall. Gaara shut his eyes and tried to catch his breath. Naruto was just as out of breath, despite not being the receiver of anything. Unfortunately.

Both men stayed silent. Neither one knew what to say. Neither one really knew what the fuck just happened. All Naruto was aware of, was that he remained hard as hell and had a hand sticky with cum. Gaara was aware that he'd just had the best handjob of his life and that he'd never come as hard before. Intellectual thoughts beyond that were impossible at the moment.

Naruto let the hand that'd choked the other man slide lower, to rest on his chest. The blonde could feel the redhead's heartbeat. It was unreal to know that he was the cause of its fast pace. He wondered where along the line he'd forgotten the whole point of torturing Gaara and just given in to his primitive urges. He was satisfied that he'd gotten some information, but there were still questions he'd not been answered to. At the moment, he didn't really care.

They both still struggled to catch their breaths. Gaara wasn't hesitant to lean against the blonde. Naruto willingly pulled him closer against his chest. The redhead wasn't in the mood to protest. Naruto's still awkwardly evident hard-on remained in its glory and Gaara was well aware of it. It was pressed against his back, after all. Naruto was kind of hoping for it to just go away.

"You really are a masochist, ain't ya", Naruto suddenly said with a chuckle. Gaara still breathed a bit heavily.

"For you I am", he said after a while.

Naruto huffed. He remembered them having the same conversation once before. He had a memory of it ending in kind of an awkward note. This time they were wildly beyond that already. Sitting on the floor, pressed against each other and covered in cum kind of took the edge away. But Naruto had to admit he would probably come to regret this just as much as every other slip up so far.

Gaara shifted slightly against the blonde. Naruto unintentionally tightened the grip around him. He soon realized that he was holding the redhead in a disturbingly intimate way, but didn't break away. Gaara gave no sign of resistance, either. The blonde suddenly let out a strained laugh.

"I'm hard as fuck. This is ridiculous", he muttered and shook his head. Gaara huffed.

"You think that's ridiculous? I'm the one still tied up, with my dick hangin' out and covered in my own cum. That's ridiculous", the man growled, but followed it with a chuckle.

Naruto couldn't help but to laugh just a little. After a while of amusement, the blonde kindly went on to zip up the redhead's jeans. He then took the same tight hold around him. Gaara pressed himself as close against Naruto as possible. He let his head fall backwards to rest against the man's shoulder. There they sat on the floor, Gaara between Naruto's legs and the blonde holding him. They stayed there for a long time, completely silent. For that while, both of them let go of the rules and guidelines they'd built and just stopped caring about all the levels of wrong this situation was built upon. For that while, both of them pretended they had the right to think it was okay. For that while, they weren't alone.

But like everything else, it came to an end. At some point reality became evident once again.

"This has to stop happening. It ain't good", Naruto said and buried his face in Gaara's soft hair. The redhead grunted.

"Yeah", he said simply.

Naruto knew it was his fault. He'd been the one to even take that kind of approach. But he hadn't expected himself to be so weak and just get carried away. He'd thought too much of himself, once again. Gaara on the other hand had already accepted the fact he wasn't able to say no to the blonde. As long as Naruto kept his hands to himself, he was mostly okay. But whenever the blue-eyed moron got great ideas like the one just now, the game was over on his part. He hated it, but couldn't deny it. Neither one really understood what drove them to do these things to each other. And to themselves. It felt unworldly. There was just no way of explaining it. But they both knew it had to stop, that they would have to learn to keep away from those situations. It was just easier said than done.

"I hate you. I hate you for making me this weak", Gaara suddenly spoke. Naruto smirked against the man's cherry red strands.

"I hate you too. So fucking much", the blonde said, almost whispered.

They were silent for a while. After a minute or two, Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but the silence got abruptly broken by something entirely else.

By the sound of the front door opening.

Naruto eyes widened in horror. Gaara flinched. Neither dared to move, but really didn't want to stay there, either.

"Shit. I actually hope that is yakuza and not my wife", Naruto hissed as quietly as he could.

Gaara didn't answer, just pulled away from the blonde and scanned around to get an idea of where to go. Naruto signed for the man to get behind the kitchen counter that blocked the view to the front door. Since Gaara's hands remained tied, he had to pretty much crawl to the pointed way. The blonde followed him and had nearly gotten himself seated on the floor, when he accidentally kicked a chair next to him. It made a loud noise. Naruto shut his eyes and gritted his teeth at his own idiocy.

The kitchen light got turned on. That was Naruto's sign to get the hell up. The blonde hastily pulled himself up from the floor, leaving Gaara hidden behind the counter. Naruto hoped he'd stay quiet as a dead man, because he had absolutely no way of explaining the situation.

Naruto met a familiar pair of green eyes and a mess of pink hair. Sakura stood in the kitchen doorway, frowning at the blonde. Naruto looked like a moron and was still hard as hell. Thankfully, the counter hid his lower half. Had this not been the worst situation in the world ever, it would've been the most comical situation in the world, ever.

"Hey", he blurted as nothing more intellectual came to mind. Sakura raised a brow.

"Why are you standing shirtless in a dark kitchen in the middle of the night?" she asked.

Naruto's brain dropped dead. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Even though he probably could've come up with a million acceptable excuses, not one would come out. So, he just stood there, his jaw dropped, not saying a word. The silence went on for way too long in Gaara's opinion. The redhead rolled his eyes and let out a grunt. The horror that formed onto Naruto's face as the redhead stood up, was priceless. Gaara fought back a smirk. He got up and gave the pink haired one more thing to wonder about.

"Hey", Gaara said and flashed her quite a convincing fake smile.

The woman stopped concentrating the very second she realized that the redhead had no shirt on. At that moment, Naruto was glad his wife couldn't resist a shirtless Gaara.

"Well, hello", the woman said after a while of intense glaring.

Her tone of voice wasn't hiding the admiration of the half-naked man before her. Naruto didn't know if he should be offended that she didn't seem to even notice his lack of clothes anymore.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say I interrupted something", Sakura said soon. Naruto was too mortified to speak, so Gaara took that role instead.

"Don't worry, beauty. As handsome as your husband is, he was just here to wake me up. You see, I have a tendency to sleepwalk", the redhead said, as if it wasn't a big, fat lie.

Even Naruto would've believed, hadn't he known the truth. But since he did, the blonde just marveled at the most ridiculous things Gaara was able to come up with. He fought to not let out a burst of laughter. Sakura bought the lie eyes bright. Gaara being bare-chested might've helped the cause. Naruto hoped she wouldn't notice that the man's hands were tied. No sleepwalking would explain that.

"Oh. That's…unfortunate", Sakura muttered, still boldly staring.

Had Naruto not just had his hands all over the redhead, he probably would've been wildly jealous.

"You go to bed already. I'll be right there, sweetie", Naruto said.

The woman nodded slowly and walked away, her gaze lingering on the taller man. The blonde made sure she'd gone upstairs, before turning towards Gaara. Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Gaara gave him a smirk. Naruto raised a brow in amusement.

"Sleepwalking? You don't even sleep", he said and chuckled lightly. Gaara shrugged.

"I am very convincing, you know. And hard to resist, it seems", the redhead replied, referring to the woman's bold staring. Naruto shook his head and smiled a crooked smile.

"That you are", he then muttered to himself.

Gaara heard him, but concluded he probably was meant to. The redhead gave the other man something resembling a smile and took a step closer. Naruto glanced at him. Gaara tilted his head slightly.

"Untie me, will ya?" the man requested.

Naruto took his time, but then reached his hands behind the other one. He got pressed against the other as he freed his hands from the leather belt's tight grip. As soon as he got his hands free, Gaara reached to take the blonde by the waist. He got pushed against the counter. A hand slid down his stomach and ended up to touch the bulge in his jeans. Naruto let out a surprised moan. The redhead's lips were decorated with a sly smirk.

"Never again, right?" he then said and pressed his hand harder against the very uncomfortable situation Naruto had going on.

The blonde shut his eyes and let out a shaky breath. He knew very well the man wanted to make it as hard as possible for him to say what he intended to.

"Never again", he eventually stuttered.

Gaara started sliding his hand back and forth, forcing Naruto to bite down to his lower lip. He was afraid he'd let out a noise otherwise.

"What are you doing?" the blonde asked after a while of getting groped. Gaara gave him a gloating smile.

"Just giving ya something to think about", he answered and continued touching him in inappropriate, but extremely arousing ways.

Naruto had been quite successful so far when it came to ignoring the screaming urge to just get fucked against the wall by the other man, but it was becoming gradually harder by the second. In several different ways.

Suddenly, Gaara pulled his hands away. Naruto opened his eyes and shot him a glare of anger and utter sexual frustration. He was given a sneering smile in return. The taller man brought himself a little closer and then pressed his lips against the blonde's neck.

"G'night, blondie", he said with that low voice of his, making Naruto shiver slightly.

He didn't reply. Just stood there, lips parted and watched the other man walk away. He got left alone and remained there, looking like an idiot.

It took about fifteen seconds for Naruto to lose the fight against his hard-on, rush to the bathroom and take care of the problem Gaara had left him to suffer with.

He hated him, so fucking much.

* * *

**Ooh, dirty. Finally, eh? Kinda makes up for the unfortunate het moments of this chapter. For those who aren't that into Gaara being tied up like a bitch; my stories rarely have a strict seme/uke thing going on, so it'll go the other way around as well. Patience, darlings, patience. **

**Anyway, please, please review, me luvs. It'll make me truly happy.**


	20. Magnetic

**Hello, darlings. A new chapter, as you can see.**

**A teeny tiny side note about the previous chapter. If anybody is expecting some sort of continuous 50 Shades of Grey sort of S/M shit; don't. Just don't. I ain't that into it. Tying Gaara up wasn't as much of a kinky thing as it was about the relationship I'm building between those two. So, more like a metaphor, than anything.**

**Anyways, please enjoy. Luv ya.**

* * *

Naruto woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. The blonde glanced at the digital alarm clock placed on the nightstand. It was 7.30 am. With a tired grunt, he reached to the front pocket of his jeans and took out his phone. A familiar name flashed on the screen.

"Hey Kakashi", Naruto answered the call with a drowsy voice.

"Hey. Did I wake you up?" the man asked. Naruto lowered himself back down to lie.

"Yeah", he admitted. Kakashi let out an amused chuckle.

"You sound tired", he stated. Naruto rubbed his tired eyes to rid him of sleep.

"I am tired. I didn't sleep that good", he muttered as his mind went back to the events of yesterday.

"Hn. Well, try to wake up. I got the information you requested", Kakashi informed. Naruto was wide awake in a flash.

"You did?" he asked as he rushed to sit up.

"Yeah. I thought that maybe you could come by my office today. Around noon?" the man suggested.

"Yeah, sure", Naruto replied right away.

How he'd get Gaara to not come with him would be an issue. But he'd work it out.

"Okay. See ya then."

"Yeah, bye."

Naruto hung up. He would have to make sure Gaara wouldn't tag along. Not only would it be a disaster if Kakashi learned he was being way too friendly with the man, but also the whole point of meeting him was something he needed to be kept a secret from Gaara. He hoped that the redhead wouldn't get a fit when told Naruto would be going alone.

The blonde snorted. He really didn't know how he'd ended up in a situation where he actually had to consider the feelings of that lunatic. What a twisted world it is.

Naruto glanced to his left. Sakura was still fast asleep. She'd come home late enough to stay in bed 'till noon, at least. It was a good thing, he supposed. They hadn't been spending much time together lately and Naruto knew there were a million things his wife would want to discuss about. But he very much preferred if those issues could be postponed for a while. He was having enough troubles the way things were now.

Naruto's mind went back to what happened at night. It felt sort of surreal. Like it'd been a dream. Naruto had literally woken up in the middle of night just to fight with Gaara and then end up covered in his cum. The blonde had been expecting to feel a familiar pang of regret and guilt slap him across the face, but it never came. At least not in the scale he'd expected.

After he'd rushed to the bathroom to wank the living soul out of himself, Naruto had made the absolute decision to keep his hands the fuck away from Gaara. Naruto's lack of self-control in those situations had become all too clear and he was now convinced the only way to not end up like that again, was to entirely deny any desire for it existed. But if Gaara suddenly decided to start feeling him up, it'd be a problem. That's why Naruto would have to make the rules so fucking clear to the man, he'd remember them 'till the end of time.

Naruto flung his feet to the floor and got out of the bed. He was still dressed in the same jeans as yesterday and had no shirt on. Most likely the piece of clothing remained on the kitchen floor. The blonde concluded he'd just put it on after getting downstairs. Naruto let out a long sigh, before walking out of the room and down the stairs. He made his way straight to the kitchen. There he instantly spotted the first problem with his plan of keeping away from awkward situations.

Gaara sat at the kitchen table, still shirtless. His hair was messy, indicating he'd actually slept. Red strands pointed in every direction possible and the rest of it covered part of his face. He was smoking a cigarette, drinking coffee and taking apart his gun. Naruto didn't really know why, but at the moment, that man was the most fuckable thing he'd ever seen. The blonde didn't notice his lips slightly part. He stopped at the doorway to stare at him. Gaara eventually lifted his gaze to meet his. There was an odd, just a second long moment where time seemed to stop. But it was gone as soon as it came.

"Hey", Naruto said after a while.

Gaara nodded in acknowledgment, but gave nothing beyond that. Naruto frowned. He didn't know how to interpret the lack of attention.

Shrugging it off, the blonde moved to get himself a cup of coffee. He then walked over to the table and took a seat across Gaara. The man just kept on taking his gun apart and eventually went on to clean it. Naruto sipped his coffee and smoked a cigarette, keeping quiet. So did Gaara. The blonde ended up staring at him again. Gaara eventually got irked by it and turned to face him.

"What?" he asked with growl. Naruto raised a brow.

"What the fuck's with you?" he asked. Gaara let out a grunt and sighed.

"Nothing", he answered simply.

Naruto rolled his eyes, but let it be. He watched the man clean his gun for a while, before speaking again.

"There's somewhere I need to be later on. And you're staying here", he informed. Gaara lifted his gaze to meet a set of blue eyes.

"And why is that?" he demanded to know.

"It's work related", Naruto stated. Gaara narrowed his eyes and huffed.

"Yeah, whatever", he then muttered and went back to cleaning the gun.

Naruto frowned. He hadn't expected it to be that easy. The redhead seemed to be in a seriously bad mood. Unfortunately, his stoic face was something Naruto didn't find unattractive. But he kept that information to himself.

Gaara felt the demanding gaze on him. He could feel the judgement caused by his mood. He didn't really blame the blonde. He knew he was being an asshole. Once again. But there was an actual reason for that.

The events that'd taken place last night were so damn hard to forget about. Gaara had in fact slept for an hour or so, only to wake up mad as hell. Somewhere along his sleep, he had realized just how much of a mistake last night had been. He didn't regret it. He hadn't hated it. But he had lost the game. He had lost to that aggravating, blonde bastard and that irritated him to no end.

"Seriously, what's with the mood?" Naruto asked again, demanding to be answered.

Gaara grunted again and put down the gun in his hands. He could've just told the truth, but decided not to. He refused to admit losing, not caring that it was obvious.

"I don't know. I'm just pissed off", he said. Naruto chuckled.

"Oh. That time of the month", he muttered amused.

Gaara shot him an icy glare, indicating he didn't find it funny at all. Naruto stopped laughing, but a smirk remained on his lips. The redhead wasn't ecstatic about it.

"Stop grinning. I feel like shooting something and that smirk of yours would make a great target", Gaara hissed and lit another cigarette. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Well, that'd be an easy way out for me", he then said with a shrug. Gaara's glare only grew colder.

"Stop talking shit like that", he demanded.

Naruto couldn't help but to snicker at his sour face just a little. He found the man's tantrums somewhat amusing.

"Well aren't ya cute today?" the blonde sneered. Gaara gritted his teeth.

"You are the most annoying thing walking on earth", he growled and refused to meet his gaze.

"Flattering", Naruto said and stuck out his tongue.

Gaara made a face and flipped him off. It took a while, but eventually a slight smirk appeared on the redhead's lips. Naruto knew he'd get one out of him. The blonde chuckled. Gaara simply shook his head and gave a roll of his eyes. It was impossible to stay mad at that face for long. He hated that too, by the way.

"Fuck you", he muttered, but couldn't stop a weak smile from appearing.

"That's better", Naruto said approvingly.

Gaara put his gun back together and then laid it down onto the table.

"If the wife sees that, she'll go crazy", Naruto said and nodded at the gun. Gaara raised a brow.

"Judging by the level of last night's drunkenness, she won't be around to see it for a while", the man stated, but did put the gun away.

"True", Naruto agreed.

The redhead glanced at him. He pondered whether or not to voice his thoughts. He ended up doing it anyway.

"I ain't ecstatic about you wandering around on your own", he muttered.

"I can handle myself. I think that was well proven", Naruto replied and glanced at the wound on his left hand. Gaara tilted his head slightly.

"How's your hand?" he asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

Gaara's gaze lingered on him for a while. He soon let out a grunt, stood up and walked to the other side of the kitchen. There he opened up the medicine cabinet, took out a bottle of alcohol and bandages. He made his way back to the blonde and took a seat next to him. He then pulled the chair closer. Naruto raised a questioning brow. Gaara reached out his hand.

"C'mon. Gimme your hand", he demanded.

Naruto watched him suspiciously for a moment, but then did as told. He placed his wounded hand in Gaara's extended one and let the man trace a finger along the open cut. Naruto flinched and hissed in pain. Gaara frowned.

"Wow. You certainly know how to neglect yourself", he said, referring to the state of the wound.

It wasn't pretty. It hadn't been properly washed, let alone disinfected. Naruto just snorted.

"You're one to talk. When did you last take care of your wound?" he asked with a knowing look. Gaara simply shot him a glare.

The redhead opened up the bottle of alcohol and didn't even bother to warn, before he poured the liquid onto the blonde's hand. Naruto let out a surprised hiss of pain. Gaara smirked.

"How the tables have turned…", he stated.

He was undeniably very pleased by the fact that he was the one pouring that evil liquid into places where it by all logic shouldn't have been, and not the other way around. Naruto would've smacked him, but was in too much pain to do that.

"Holy motherfucking shit that hurts", Naruto said through gritted teeth.

"I am well aware", Gaara muttered, slightly bitter.

The redhead went on to wrap the bandage around the injured hand. Gaara was oddly gentle with that part. He was careful not to hurt the blonde, and took his time putting it on. Naruto found himself staring at Gaara once again. It was hard not to. Having the man treat him like glass, unavoidably gave Naruto chills. But he decided to ignore them.

Gaara got done patching him up. Naruto's hand remained in his. The redhead stared at it for a while, tilted his head and then brought the hand upwards. He pressed his lips against the skin covered by the bandage. Naruto flinched slightly. Gaara let go of his hand and turned his gaze to meet blue eyes.

"Just to make it better. No need to lose your shit, blondie", Gaara said, before Naruto had the chance to start protesting.

Naruto realized there was no need to discuss the happenings of last night. Gaara already knew what he had to say. To be honest, the blonde was relieved. He hadn't been looking forward to an awkward situation like that. So if they were on the same page, a discussion like that wasn't necessary. In all honesty, it would've just made it horrible. Naruto was relieved that he wasn't dwelling in deep, dark regret like usually. On some weird, twisted level, he wanted to remember it the way it was. A mistake, but an oddly good mistake.

Naruto gave the other man a weak smile. Gaara found himself tattooing it into his memory. He'd come to the conclusion that the blonde's smile was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He'd decided to never forget it. Even if they were to go their own ways, even if the blonde was to die, he wouldn't forget it. He didn't find it a bad thing. It was simply a way to remember that maybe there was something good in life after all. Because most of the time, life wasn't generous enough to hand out that better side. Not to him, at least. Gaara hadn't really ever been one to appreciate the nicer aspects of life, but this one was something he couldn't deny being a reason to fight for his life. Of course, he wouldn't voice that thought out loud.

"Did you get rid of the bloody carpet?" Naruto asked, breaking the redhead's train of thought.

"Yeah. I just threw it away", he said. Naruto gave him a nod.

"Good. I hope the wife won't bitch about it missing", he muttered.

Gaara didn't really know what to say to that, so he said nothing. They kept quiet for a while.

"So, where are ya going?" Gaara asked soon.

Naruto glanced at him. He couldn't tell the truth behind his visit to Kakashi.

"To see a criminal profiler", he admitted. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"Why?" he wanted to know. Naruto tried to come up with an excuse. He didn't succeed all that well.

"Is this about me?" the redhead continued prying. Naruto immediately shook his head.

"No. It's about another client", he said, impressing even himself with the convincing tone of voice.

Gaara seemed happy enough with the answer. It was a good one. Naruto knew Gaara was aware he couldn't talk about other clients and the man had no reason to doubt him, really. The blonde wanted to change the subject.

"I'm probably gonna see Sasuke tonight", he informed.

The dark, grim cloud of dissatisfaction that shadowed the redhead's face in less than a second, screamed killer intent.

"I don't like him", Gaara growled. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. I know. You've said that", he mumbled and shook his head.

The other man showed no sign of being any more content. Naruto couldn't help but to be just slightly amused by his reaction.

"Yeah, what fucking ever. I'm coming with you, then", Gaara stated. Naruto made a face.

"You're going totally overboard with this worrying over me", the blonde sighed.

"No I'm not. I don't trust that guy", Gaara said.

Naruto simply chuckled. "You don't have to. But I do and that's my business, exclusively."

The redhead clenched his jaw, but said nothing. He knew that was true, so there was no point in protesting.

Naruto suddenly remembered something. He reached to the back pocket of his jeans and took out an army tag, the one belonging to Gaara. The redhead glanced at the piece of metal. Naruto reached out his hand to offer it to him. The man just stared at it for a while. He then stood up, grabbed the tag and walked to stand behind the blonde. Naruto turned his head to see what Gaara was up to.

He then flinched as he felt cold metal fall against his chest. Naruto glanced down. The tag had been placed around his neck. He said nothing, just stared at it. Gaara hunched over just enough to rest his head on the blonde's shoulder. He then placed a hand on Naruto's chest and pressed his face against the nape of his neck.

"Don't lose it."

Naruto stayed silent, but nodded slowly. Gaara let go of him. The blonde reached to touch the tag. Even though it wasn't any different from the one he'd been carrying around, it didn't feel the same. As if it was heavier. More significant.

Gaara seated himself back down. Naruto turned to see him. Their eyes met to watch each other silently. Naruto didn't know what to say. He was taken aback by the other's unexpected gesture. He didn't really know what it meant. But it meant something. He had a hunch that even if he asked about it, Gaara wouldn't know how to answer. So, he didn't ask.

The blonde eventually turned his gaze away. Gaara's stare remained on him and he could feel it. Just as Naruto was about to speak, he came to a stop as the sound of footsteps reached his ears. Naruto turned his head to see Sakura appear in the doorway. She looked so hangover, it was ridiculous.

"Mornin'", she muttered, her voice raspy.

The woman was still half asleep. Naruto raised a brow. He hadn't expected to see her up for hours.

"Morning", he replied. Gaara muttered a greeting as well.

Sakura poured herself a cup of coffee, grabbed a couple of painkillers from the medicine cabinet and took a seat at the table.

"How the hell are you up already?" Naruto marveled. Sakura closed her eyes and let out a groan.

"I have no fucking idea. I'm so hangover it's a miracle I'm even standing", she mumbled and swallowed the painkillers with a gulp of coffee.

She then turned to glance at her husband.

"We need to talk, sweetie", she said. The look of nausea on her face made the word 'sweetie' kind of lose its meaning.

So much for hoping to postpone an awkward discussion, it seemed.

Naruto gave a glance to Gaara. The man nodded, got up and walked away. Once he'd disappeared from their view, Sakura spoke again.

"How long is he staying?" she asked. Her voice wasn't judging, but perhaps slightly displeased. Naruto had to come up with a good excuse as of why he was still here.

"He's in town for business. I'm not sure how long, but I told him he could stay with us 'till he gets done with work here. I didn't wanna shove him into a hotel after…being hit by a car", Naruto said.

He couldn't believe the ridiculous made up accident that Gaara had come up with. Dear god it sounded stupid when said out loud.

"Okay. I don't really mind. But what I do mind, are the weird trips you've been taking lately. Care to share?" Sakura changed the subject.

Naruto felt like digging a hole to lie down in. He really didn't wanna have this discussion. But he obviously couldn't avoid it any longer.

"I, uh…-", he began,but stopped to think.

There was really no way of explaining this properly, without giving away the truth. The blonde let out a deep sigh. He had no choice but to tell her the truth, at least a part of it.

"You know how I told you that things went wrong with one of my clients?" he said. The woman nodded and waited for him to continue.

"Yeah, well…it seems it went more wrong than I expected. I'm kind of in trouble", he explained.

He saw that Sakura was ready to start yelling, but the blonde cut her off before she had the chance to even begin.

"Just listen", he demanded. Sakura didn't seem happy, but kept quiet.

"So yeah, I'm trouble. Because of that client. And also because of my less glamourous past", he said, and made a face at the words coming out of his mouth. He couldn't believe he was saying this.

"I know I've been reluctant to tell about my life before you. And there's a reason to that. I don't want to mix that life with this one. And I hope you can respect that decision", Naruto said.

Sakura concluded it was best to just keep silent and wait 'till the blonde was done speaking.

"What comes to the current…problem, I can't be too specific. You know I can't talk about work. I'm trying my best to sort things out, okay? Just trust me", he spoke, hoping Sakura would understand.

The woman narrowed her eyes at him. She stared silently for a while, before finally speaking.

"I hate the fact that you won't tell me about your past. I really, truly despise it", she began.

Naruto let out a sigh and prepared himself for a shitstorm of yelling.

"But I do respect your decision. I won't ask about it. What good is it to me, if I force it out of you? If you won't talk about it, then that's the way it is. But you have to understand that my trust in you isn't absolute, if I don't even know you. I'm sorry, but that's the truth", she said, with a meaningful look on her face.

Naruto frowned.

"I know. But I'm just trying to protect you from unnecessary harm", he muttered. It wasn't a complete lie.

"Yeah. I'm sure you are. I won't stick my nose into your business, so don't worry. But if it starts effecting our life too much, I have to start thinking about myself, as well", Sakura stated.

Naruto probably should've been scared about her implication of leaving him, but didn't really feel impacted by it. Maybe he didn't find it a real possibility. Or perhaps he just had bigger problems to worry about at the moment.

"Yeah, I get that", Naruto agreed.

Sakura seemed content with the understanding he gave her. Her face darkened slightly after a while of thinking in silence.

"Are you still in touch with that client?" she then asked.

Naruto bit his tongue in order to keep on looking into her eyes. If he was going to lie, he couldn't be too obvious about it.

"No, I'm not", he slipped out the lie, more convincingly than he'd expected.

Sakura believed him. Naruto was relieved.

"Good. So that means there won't be any more trips to Fuchu then?" she wanted to know.

"Right", the blonde assured.

He'd said that, even though he had a nagging in the back of his head, telling him that lie would come back to bite him in the ass. But it wasn't a problem he had to worry about at the moment.

Sakura's gaze traveled lower from the blonde's eyelevel and got glued to the tag around his neck.

"What's that? I don't remember seeing it before", she said. Naruto frowned. He couldn't really tell truth, now could he?

"Sasuke got it for me. A late birthday present, according to him", Naruto blurted out another lie. The woman simply nodded.

"A pretty damn late. It's been months since your birthday", the woman wondered.

"Yeah well, you know him. He's really bad at caring about those kinda things", Naruto said. The woman rolled her eyes.

"Tell me about it", she mumbled.

It seemed she remained sour about the fact that Sasuke failed to remember her birthday every single year, even though they'd known each other for a long time.

Actually, Sakura had crushed over Sasuke before ending up with Naruto. She had been sickly in love with him. Naruto had, of course, been jealous as hell. But he got his way eventually. And as it'd become evident that Sasuke was in fact gay, it wouldn't have happened between them anyway. Naruto smiled a sly smirk.

"Wanna know a secret?" he then asked Sakura. The woman raised a brow.

"Is this something horrible?" she asked suspiciously.

"It'll destroy the remains of an old dream of yours", Naruto chuckled. The woman gave him a look. The blonde leaned closer to her.

"Sasuke's gay", he then whispered to her.

It took a short moment of silence, before Sakura burst out laughing.

"Oh god…Why didn't I realize that? It's so obvious, isn't it?" she snickered between fits of laughter.

Naruto found her reaction quite amusing and couldn't help but to laugh along.

"It is, isn't it? Don't tell him I told you. I doubt he'd appreciate it", Naruto requested as his wife finally calmed her laughter.

"Yeah, sure. Although, I have a few friends that would be perfect for him", she said and tilted her head. Naruto shook his head.

"Seriously…he'd never go along with something like that", Naruto chuckled.

"True", Sakura agreed.

Naruto gave her a gentle smile. He received one in return. It was moment they hadn't had in a long time. Oddly peaceful and content. The feeling was most likely just passing, but Naruto was fond of it nonetheless. For a second, it felt like things were okay. It was a nice illusion.

The moment came to an end as Gaara appeared in the kitchen. He gave Naruto a questioning look.

"Yeah, come in", the blonde said. The redhead nodded and took a seat next to him.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked. Naruto was almost sure he could hear a bitter undertone in that question.

"Not at all", Sakura said before Naruto had the chance to reply.

It seemed she was once again under the shirtless redhead's spell. Naruto had to roll his eyes at the woman's obvious weakness. Not that he didn't appreciate a bare-chested Gaara himself. But at least he wasn't visibly drooling. Not constantly.

Naruto shook his disturbing thoughts away and glanced at the clock to learn the time. It wasn't more than a few minutes past eight.

"I'm gonna take a shower", Naruto informed.

"I need one too", Gaara muttered.

The reason was quite obvious. Sakura didn't seem to notice the passing glance the two men laid on each other. That passing look held a million words. Mainly words of confusion. Perhaps a bit of longing, as well. But they both ignored it. The issue of that subject had been taken care of and mostly forgotten. It had to be.

"Well, for your information, I was the first one to say it, so I'll be the first one to take that shower", Naruto informed and gulped down the rest of his coffee.

Gaara rolled his eyes, but didn't protest. The blonde stood up and left the kitchen, leaving Sakura and Gaara alone. The atmosphere was slightly awkward. Mainly because the pink-haired woman wouldn't stop staring at Gaara's bare upper body.

"It seems I should put a shirt on", Gaara stated. Sakura blushed slightly and turned her gaze away.

"Sorry", she muttered embarrassed. Gaara raised a brow.

"You're quite blunt, aren't ya?" he said with a smirk.

Sakura melted just a bit at that pretty face of his. Gaara obviously noticed it. He didn't exactly appreciate the way she acted, considering the fact that she was married to the blonde man. To be honest, he'd started to get a strange, suspicious feeling when it came to the woman. Like there was something wrong about her. But once again, it was none of his business.

Sakura didn't answer to his remark. She couldn't have said anything that didn't make her sound like a twat. Gaara hadn't really expected an answer, either. He reached to grab his shirt from the chair next to him and pulled it on to cover himself. It seemed that Sakura's interest in him didn't really drop as much as it just changed location. But Gaara wouldn't be putting on a bag over his head to keep the woman from watching his face.

"So, I heard you're in town for business", Sakura said trying to make conversation. Gaara raised a brow, but then nodded slowly. What had the blonde said to her?

"Yeah. There's a week long convention here", he said, hoping it'd make sense. It did, thankfully.

"Oh. That's interesting. Where do you live then?" she pried.

Gaara wasn't ecstatic about her prying, but he couldn't really give the truth away, either.

"I live in Tokyo", he said. He had absolutely no plan when it came to his storytelling.

"It's a nice city. I've been there a few times", Sakura told.

Gaara simply nodded and gave her one of his charming fake smiles. He'd forced so many smiles lately, it was becoming a physical pain. He wasn't used to faking kindness and other shit like that. But the woman didn't seem to notice his struggle. It was better that way.

Gaara had to listen to the woman's chatting for way too long, before Naruto came back. As soon as the blonde appeared in the room, Gaara stood up and rushed out of the kitchen. Calmly enough to not seem rude, but fast enough to keep himself from going crazy. It was as if that pink-haired chatterbox didn't know what comfortable silence meant.

Naruto watched Gaara walk out the door. He concluded that Sakura had been way too friendly with him again. Poor guy.

"I have a meeting at noon", Naruto informed his wife.

Sakura nodded and picked up the day's paper from the table. She opened it up and proceeded to read the current news. Naruto took a seat across her and lit up a cigarette. He received an unsatisfied glance from his wife, but ignored it. They sat silently for some time, before Sakura let out a huff.

"Some mass murderer got a re-trial in Fuchu. And they even let him out. Can you believe that?" she suddenly said.

Naruto choked on the cigarette smoke he'd just filled his lungs with. The blonde coughed violently and got a questioning look from Sakura. Naruto did his best to get back is ability to breathe.

"Oh really? That's horrible", he wheezed between a series of coughs.

Naruto hoped from the bottom of his heart that the article did not have a picture of Gaara. No lie in the world would be good enough to explain why he'd taken home a felon. A felon of his caliber, to make matters worse.

"Yeah. There's no name or picture, though. There really should be. I mean people would like to know who to look out for, right?" Sakura chattered away, while Naruto fought against the panic dwelling up inside him.

He knew that with cases as bad as Gaara's, censorship was often used in the news reports. Too much information usually meant unnecessary panic and keeping info from the public was a protocol Naruto very much appreciated at the moment.

"Yeah, absolutely", Naruto agreed, still letting out a few coughs.

Why, just why did that piece of news had to be something that caught her eye? Naruto thanked the heavens for the lack of picture and name.

"There's something about his lawyer here, too. They're saying that it'll be a tight fight between the prosecution and defense", Sakura just kept on making Naruto even more horrified.

He couldn't help but to wonder who the fuck had given these statements. 'Cause he sure as hell hadn't.

"Quite an interesting case actually. Do you know about this one?" Sakura asked Naruto and turned her gaze towards him.

The horror on the blonde's face was kind of hard to dismiss. She gave him a questioning look.

"Uh, yeah. I heard about it. You know, just in passing", the blonde tried to explain as convincingly as possible.

Sakura remained weirded out by his reaction, but simply nodded. She then turned back to the paper.

"Oh, look at that. Hyuuga Neji is the prosecution's attorney. Didn't you go to school with him?" Sakura asked.

The question of who had given these statements no longer remained a question. That son of a bitch.

"Yeah. Never liked him, though", Naruto said bitterly.

He just might strangle the man. Didn't matter if that took place in the courtroom, he would strangle him.

"Yeah, he always seemed a bit obnoxious, didn't he?" Sakura kept on babbling.

Naruto didn't really listen anymore. He just feared for the moment Gaara would walk back into the room and end up listening to his wife's wonderment about the case. He had no idea how that would end.

At that exact moment, the redhead appeared in the doorway. Sakura turned to see him.

"That was quick", she stated.

Gaara let out a noise of agreement and then took a seat. For once, he was clothed after taking a shower. Naruto guessed it was to keep Sakura from drooling all over him.

"I was just telling Naruto about this re-trial they're writing about in the paper. It seems some mass murderer got a re-trial in Fuchu. He even got out on bail", the woman said.

She didn't see the color drain from both of the men's faces upon hearing her words. Naruto glanced at Gaara. He didn't know what to expect. The redhead was quick to compose himself.

"That's horrible. Perhaps he isn't guilty", he said, not even flinching. Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Could be. But the prosecution sounds very certain with their statement. Apparently there is quite compelling evidence against the defendant", she muttered.

Gaara's eye twitched just slightly. Naruto was prepared for some sort of fit of insanity.

"I see. I'm sure they'll make the right call in trial", he then said through gritted teeth. Sakura didn't notice his irritation.

"Yes, I'm sure they will", Sakura chirped and folded the paper up.

She laid it on the table and then rose from her seat.

"I think I'll be taking a shower, too", she stated and with a smile, strutted off.

The two men got left alone. Naruto was afraid to face Gaara. Just because he was able to keep his calm a second ago, it didn't mean it'd last forever. But as he turned to face him, the redhead was surprisingly stoic and controlled.

"You ain't bothered by it?" Naruto asked cautiously. Gaara shrugged.

"It's not the worst they've written about me. And they've kept from publishing my name and picture. I guess I should be happy about that", the man concluded.

Naruto was surprised by his oddly positive approach on the subject, but didn't complain. Less trouble for him.

"Right. I need to make a call", Naruto said, quickly getting rid of the subject.

Gaara nodded and Naruto stood up to leave the room. Once he'd closed himself behind the guestroom's door, he took out his phone and dialed a certain brunette's number.

"Hey, moron", answered a drowsy voice.

"Hey, dickhead. Did I wake you up?" Naruto asked Sasuke.

"Yeah. I was working a late shift last night. So thanks", the man muttered irritated.

"Yeah well, suck it up. I just called to inform that you are going to meet up with me tonight", Naruto stated.

There was a short silence, before Sasuke spoke again.

"Sure, why not. I've got a day off tomorrow anyway. The Place?" the man questioned.

"Yeah. Around eight", Naruto said. A longer silence then followed.

"Please tell me you're leaving that lunatic at your place", Sasuke then said. Naruto rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I doubt that's gonna happen. I could tie him to the radiator and he'd still come after me. So you'll just have to live with it."

Sasuke wasn't pleased.

"What's his problem, really? You don't need babysitting. Why would he do that in the first place?" the man couldn't help but to wonder.

Naruto didn't want to tell him too much of the whole truth, so he simply dismissed the question with a vague answer.

"Dunno. He's crazy, remember?" he muttered. Sasuke let out a grunt.

"That's way too true", the man mumbled.

"Yeah. I'll let you get up in peace. See ya at eight", Naruto then said, trying to get out of the call.

Sasuke let out a noise of agreement before hanging up. The blonde put his phone away and let out a long sigh. He had no idea what expect from tonight.

It was a few hours later and Naruto was on his way to the police station. He had about thirty minutes before the meeting. It was a miracle he was that early, considering that leaving the house had been hell. As if a sulking Gaara trying to fill his pockets with guns and other weaponry wasn't enough, his wife had started to write a shopping list at the last minute. For a moment there, it'd felt like he had more than just one spouse. Naruto came to the conclusion that he would never be able to pull off a polyamorous relationship. Way too much whining and worrying going on.

Naruto was sort of taken aback by the fact that he no longer found Gaara's urge to protect him as much strange as he did simply irritating. He'd gotten used to it. And that was a potential problem. But an even bigger problem was that he'd found himself having the same kind of protective attitude towards the redhead. Even though it was probably just an instinctive reaction, he did find it unexpected and odd.

Naruto found himself in front of the station. He made his way inside and to the upper floor. There he took a seat outside a familiar office door. He was handed a cup of coffee by a polite female secretary. The blonde gave her thanks and grabbed a magazine to pass time. He was early once again. But just like last time, he'd just gotten done with the first page, when the door across him opened up. A familiar mess of silvery hair caught his eye.

"You're early again", Kakashi stated and smiled behind his mask.

Naruto gave him a grin. The man then signed him to get inside. The blonde did as told and then took a seat by the man's desk. He waited for Kakashi to get seated as well, before speaking.

"So you found out an address?" Naruto asked, going straight to the point. Kakashi chuckled at his urgency.

"Yeah. It was surprisingly difficult. This case is so damned secretive", the man said as he took out a pile of papers.

He handed it to Naruto. The blonde glanced at what he'd been handed.

"This is all the information I could find on his family. Even though there's a load of paper, the information is minimal. I don't know if the lack of info on his family members is to protect them, or to hide something, but it sure as hell was hard to find", Kakashi explained.

Naruto nodded and eyed the information vaguely. It seriously wasn't much.

"Both of his parents are deceased. But I did find the address of his sister. He also has a brother, but it seems he doesn't live in the country anymore", the older man continued speaking.

Naruto turned his gaze to meet him.

"His father is dead as well? Why wasn't it mentioned in the case file?" Naruto asked.

"It seems his death is recent. And on top of that, classified information. Apparently, the death happened under shady circumstances. I don't think Sabaku has or even will be informed about it. The man hasn't been in contact with his family in years. At least that's the impression", Kakashi explained.

Naruto could've verified that assumption to be true, but didn't say anything. He couldn't let Kakashi know the reality of their relationship.

"I have to ask you. Why are you interested? I thought you gave up on that case", Kakashi said, startling Naruto back to reality. He pondered how to answer that.

"I'm probably gonna take the job back", he said.

Kakashi flinched slightly. Naruto wasn't entirely lying.

"I really need the money. I can't afford to lose such a high-paying job", the blonde continued.

It seemed Kakashi bought his excuse. Or maybe he just didn't care that much.

"Hn. Well, it's none of my business, really", he admitted.

They were silent for a while. Kakashi noticed a hesitating look on the blonde's face. The man tilted his head slightly, waiting for Naruto to speak. Eventually, the blonde let out a sigh.

"You've studied psychology, right? I mean, that's what your job is about", Naruto said.

Kakashi seemed slightly confused, but nodded.

"It's not actually required in this job, but I have, yeah. But I'm also an ex-cop and army lieutenant", the man revealed. Naruto seemed surprised.

"Wow. You certainly have been busy", the blonde marveled.

Kakashi gave him a grin, but then went serious again. "Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with something. It's personal", Naruto then said.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Naruto sighed.

"You know, I realize that this is your work environment and all that, but I really need both your personal and professional opinion on something", he continued.

"How personal is this matter of yours?" Kakashi wanted to know. Naruto pondered how to phrase his next words.

"Whatever level of personal one's sanity is", he then settled as an answer.

Kakashi raised a questioning eyebrow. He obviously pondered whether or not it would be good to get involved with anything personal, but eventually gave the blonde a nod of agreement.

"Okay. Fire away."

Naruto took a deep breath and tried to figure out where to start.

"I've been having some kind of…anger management problems", he then muttered.

Kakashi didn't seem surprised, which made Naruto slightly uncomfortable.

"Do you mean the violent kind?" the man pried. Naruto hesitated, but then nodded. Kakashi seemed thoughtful.

"Tell me more about it. I can't really go by so little information. There's so many kinds of self-control issues, that you need to be more specific", the silvery-haired man requested. Naruto nodded.

"It's new to me. I haven't had this problem before. But I'm also experiencing changes in life at the moment. Perhaps they triggered off something. I don't really know why any of it is happening, but I do know that it makes me feel like another person. Like it's not me going crazy, but somebody else", Naruto tried to explain.

Kakashi slumped against the backrest of his office chair and closed his eyes to think. Naruto waited patiently for him to speak up again. It too quite a while, but finally, the man opened his eyes and turned to face him.

"I'm pretty sure you've always had a habit of that kind of behavior. And I don't necessarily mean violence, I mean that you've always detached yourself from uncomfortable situations. This is just a new type of detachment. A way to separate yourself from something you don't want to be a part of", the man said.

Naruto stopped to think. It didn't sound like utter bullshit. The man was right; he'd always had a habit of somehow staying away from unpleasant situations. He'd never been afraid of them, he'd never run away from them, but he had created another personality in order to not be forced to face those moments full on.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it's good you have a separate mind processing the changes in your life, so to speak. It's easier that way. The blow won't be so harsh. But I wouldn't advise you to get too comfortable with it. At some point, you need to rid yourself from it and start thinking on your own again. As of right now, I don't see any harm in your way of handling difficult things. Of course, if it ends up hurting other people, it does become a problem", the man continued.

Naruto huffed. Hurting others was inevitable. But Naruto felt he had the right to take it out on people who wanted him dead, so he didn't really find it a problem. Kakashi obviously didn't know what kind of detachment Naruto was talking about. The fact that he formed a separate monster inside him to do the killing, probably wouldn't have gotten such a good reception. But Naruto felt like the advice he'd gotten worked just fine with that scenario as well.

"Yeah. I guess that makes sense", the blonde said with a smile.

Kakashi gave one in return. The blonde then tilted his head curiously.

"It seems as if you're not too surprised by my request for help", he pointed out. Kakashi chuckled lightly.

"That's true", he admitted. Naruto gave him a knowing look.

"You profiled me, didn't you?"

"Maybe."

Naruto shook his head and smirked. That sneaky bastard.

"Why?" he wanted to know.

"You're an interesting person. I tend to like that kind", the man answered simply.

He then opened a drawer of his desk and took out a file. Naruto immediately noticed his name written on it.

"So what's the verdict?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi watched him silently for a while, as if pondering whether or not to tell him. Eventually, he let out a sigh of defeat and opened the file.

"Let's see", the man mumbled and went through the text.

"Oh. Right. I have classed you as emotionally unstable, but also emotionally handicapped from time to time. An interesting combination", the man began.

Naruto made a face. Interesting indeed. And oh, so flattering.

"Most likely had an unstable childhood, has difficulties making decisions under intense pressure, but is intellectually trained. Driven by the need to succeed on a personal and professional level. Lacks the ability to keep control in certain situations. Possesses the mind and logic of someone militarily trained, but hasn't served in the army. Most likely has a past in crime", the man kept on talking.

Naruto stared at him eyes wide. That man seriously knew his shit. It made him kind of uncomfortable.

"Hn. Not bad", the blonde admitted.

Naruto didn't have to see behind the man's mask to know he was wearing a smug smile. Naruto gave him one in return.

"It can't be that hard to make a profile. I could easily make one of you", he said, quite certain of himself. Kakashi chuckled.

"Oh, really? Please do", he said.

It was obvious he didn't hold high hopes. Naruto was determined to prove him wrong. The smug smirk on his face was a promise of that.

"Let's see. I'd say I see a man of determination. Has strong self-confidence. Not that interested in keeping up his social life, more of a workaholic than anything. Popular with the ladies and quite happy about it. Judging by the lack of testosterone driven attitude, lived a fatherless childhood. Fought an addiction in his teens."

The smug smile on Kakashi's face faded away slowly. Naruto kept on going.

"Has a strong sense of justice and tries his best to live up to his morals. Not an egoist, but proud. Also, a man who has seen death. An ex-ganger", Naruto said and was finally done.

Kakashi simply stared at him silently for a long time. It was Naruto's turn to smile smugly.

"Maybe you should've been a profiler", the man eventually spoke. Naruto chuckled. "Maybe."

Kakashi shook his head in amusement.

"You really are something else", he muttered, somewhat amazed.

"It doesn't take a genius to realize your past in crime. Only a ganger or a moron would tattoo half of their face, and I know you ain't a moron", Naruto stated.

"Yeah, well...you're right about that. But I am also well aware of what you've been up to. You were just as much of a ganger as I was. More actually. I know you were the founder of the gang that still runs this town", the man said.

Naruto was slightly taken aback. It was true, but how the man had come to know about it, he didn't know.

"I checked your background as soon as I met you. I'm quite impressed you've had such a successful career in law with a past like that", Kakashi said. Naruto shrugged.

"So have you", he stated. The man nodded.

"Yeah. I guess we got lucky", he concluded. Naruto shook his head.

"Luck's got nothing to do with it. You don't get this far without talent", the blonde argued. Kakashi smiled.

"I guess you're right", he then agreed and rose from his seat.

"Please do take the documents with you", he said referring to the information about Gaara's relatives.

Naruto nodded and stood up as well. He shook the older man's hand and turned around to leave.

"Oh, by the way", Kakashi spoke, making Naruto turn back around.

"I also know you are a damn liar", he then continued with a smile on his face, that didn't really fit in the situation. Naruto raised a brow.

"I know you lied about Sabaku."

Naruto's face went blank. How the hell could he know that?

"There would be no reason for you to ask for information about his family, if you weren't involved with him on a more personal level. That man has had no interaction with his relatives in years. They would be no help with the case. So, obviously your motive is personal", Kakashi explained his accusation.

Naruto remained silent. He didn't want to confirm it to be true, but also knew that denying it would be useless. Kakashi's face became more serious.

"Just don't be stupid", he then said.

Naruto stared at him for a while, but then nodded slowly, as he had no idea what else to do. The blonde turned around and left the room. Once outside, he let his face overcome with shock.

"What the fuck?" he whispered to himself.

He got a few wondering glances. Naruto hadn't even considered that Kakashi would figure it out. What bothered him the most, was that the man obviously always wanted, and would get, the last word.

About two hours later, Naruto was back home. He'd gone by the store and gotten Sakura the things she'd requested. The blonde was still taken aback by the meeting with Kakashi. He knew that the man wouldn't go telling about his current situation, but it made him uneasy nonetheless. Too many people were catching on. It was becoming risky.

Naruto took out his keys and fit them to the lock of the front door of his house. Before he had the chance to unlock it, somebody yanked the door open. The blonde turned his gaze up to meet a pair of pale green eyes. Gaara stood in the doorway and stared at him intently. Naruto stared back confused.

"What?" he asked after a while of getting glared at.

Gaara said nothing, just grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him inside. The blonde nearly tripped. He turned to face the man standing next to him.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

The redhead still wouldn't talk, simply eyed the blonde from head to toes, while quite boldly running his hands down the man's chest and back.

"You're fine", the man stated the obvious. Naruto huffed and rolled his eyes upon realizing what he was after.

"Yes. I am. Now get your shit together", he muttered and made his way to the kitchen.

He then started unpacking the groceries he'd bought, while Gaara leaned against the doorframe and stared at him. His gaze became irritating and Naruto shot him a glare.

"Can I fuckin' help you?" he asked annoyed.

"You have no right to get bitchy. Last time you went out on your own, you came back stabbed and bloodied", Gaara reminded.

Naruto shot him another glare and signed him to shut up.

"Don't talk about that here. Sakura doesn't need to know", he then said his voice low.

Actually it was a miracle she hadn't asked about his patched up hand. But even if she did, it wouldn't be too hard to dismiss it with an excuse.

"She ain't home", Gaara informed. Naruto stopped for a second.

"Where is she then?" he wanted to know.

"Said she was going for a walk", the redhead said. Naruto just nodded.

"Frankly I'm pretty damn happy she left. Do you understand how horrible it was to be left alone with that woman?" Gaara muttered bitterly. Naruto chuckled.

"She tried to hit on you again?" he asked with a smirk. Gaara gave him a piercing glare.

"Yes. I am not exactly happy about it. And you shouldn't really be, either. How does it not bother you?" the man wondered. Naruto shrugged.

"Dunno. She's always been like that. And it's not like you'll fall for it", he said and finally got done putting away the shopping.

He turned to face Gaara. The man actually was visibly exhausted. His time with Sakura had obviously been pure hell.

"Yeah well, there's not much to fall for. Seriously, how can you find that person in any way attractive or pleasant?" he mumbled.

"Hey, she's my wife. So watch your mouth", the blonde said. Gaara rolled his eyes quite dramatically.

"Whatever. Even though I'm a pretty damn evil human being, I still don't deserve that kind of torture", he whined.

Naruto dismissed the man's supposed emotional agony and made his way to the living room. He seated himself on the couch and turned on the TV. Gaara took a seat next to him. They both let out a grunt as they came to a unanimous conclusion that the device was full of shit and nothing else.

"I'm meeting Sasuke at eight", Naruto said after a while of staring at some entirely pointless program. Gaara's normally dark energy became murdering.

"Hn. Fantastic", he growled as a reply.

"Oi. If you're planning on coming along, you will wipe that bitter look off your face", Naruto stated.

The redhead just gave him a bored, even less exited expression. The blonde tried to not get amused by it, but failed and let out a chuckle.

"Stop sulking. You look like a moron", he sneered. Gaara raised a brow and tilted his head.

"I'm insulted", he declared.

"That's the intention", Naruto said with a smirk.

It took about a minute of spitting out childish insults, before they were wrestling each other on the floor. Again.

"If you fucking tickle me again, I'll kick you in the face", Naruto warned and tried to get the man into a headlock.

His attempt wasn't very successful.

"I'd tickle you to death before you had the chance", Gaara said succeeded in turning the blonde around, then slumping down to lie on him with all his weight. The blonde let out a grunt.

"Oh my god, you are so heavy", he wheezed. The redhead simply chuckled.

"I'd like to see you get out of that", he challenged the man trapped under him.

As much as it was just kidding around, Naruto had to admit that having that lump of muscle on top of him was seriously uncomfortable. The blonde squirmed to get free, but learned that the man's grip was way too tight for him to even stand a chance. Naruto eventually got himself on his knees, even though it felt like he had an elephant on his back. He then threw the man over his head and watched him land on his back. Before Gaara could move, Naruto lunged himself on top of him and pinned his hands against the floor. He pushed his knee against the man's stomach, forcing him to stay put. A smug grin formed onto the blonde's lips.

"Ha. Don't think too highly of yourself", he scoffed, making the redhead frown. He wasn't as content as a second ago.

"Asshole", he muttered. Naruto let out a laugh.

"Don't start cryin'", the blonde joked.

Gaara rolled his eyes, but stopped resisting the other's grip. Naruto stopped to stare at the man under him. He got stared back. They stayed like that for some time. Once Gaara realized Naruto was no longer concentrating on keeping him down, he got the chance to yank himself free. He took the blonde by the waist and shoved him to the floor. Naruto's reflexes were quick enough to get a grip around the other man. They both tried to get the other one pinned down against the floor, but neither succeeded. So they just ended up lying on their side, breathless and desperate to win the fight.

"Just give up, pretty boy", Naruto hissed as he tried to make the redhead turn onto his back. Gaara fought to do the same to him.

"I don't think so, angelface", he growled.

The potentially cute sounding words got a completely new meaning when used as an insult while wrestling in an animalistic manner.

"You are so annoying", Naruto informed the redhead.

"You're one to talk", Gaara replied.

After ten minutes of not really making any process, both of them were out of breath and more or less sweaty. What a great idea to do this right after having a shower. It became quite evident that there would be no winner this time. And it just made them more irritated. Naruto knew that had Gaara not been recently shot, he would've been tied into a knot long ago, but since he had, the blonde actually was a match for him. But he still wasn't able to get him pinned down and stay that way. Naruto suddenly liked Gaara tied up even more.

"Are we gonna do this 'till we pass out?" Naruto asked through gritted teeth.

Gaara didn't reply right away. Instead, he took a deep breath, tensed up his body and with ridiculous force, pushed Naruto on his back. The redhead hissed in pain. The blonde was amazed that Gaara's determination to win was strong enough to make him fight back so hard, even though it risked opening his wound all over again. Talk about competitive.

"No. We're not", Gaara said between heavy breaths as he pinned the blonde down.

Naruto just gave up and tried to catch his breath. He chuckled at the redhead's ridiculous urge to win.

"You're crazy", he stated.

"Yeah. I am", Gaara admitted, still breathless.

They stayed like that, both panting like they'd run a marathon. Even Gaara eventually let his body relax and just collapsed onto the other one.

"You're still heavy", Naruto reminded him as he nearly had the wind knocked out of him.

Gaara grunted and swiftly rolled onto his back, pulling the blonde to lie on top of him instead.

"Now you can pretend you weren't just horribly defeated", Gaara smirked and finally started to catch his breath. Naruto let out a laugh.

"Horribly, huh? It did take you twenty minutes to get me down, you know", he pointed out.

"Irrelevant", Gaara decided.

Naruto rolled his eyes. He was able to breathe evenly again, but since his limbs felt like cooked noodles, he decided not to move away. So he remained lying on top of Gaara. The man didn't seem to mind. The hand resting on the small of his back soon came to stroke his blonde hair. Naruto concluded Gaara wasn't aware of what his hand was up to, so he didn't comment. The man seemed to be deep in his thoughts.

"What're ya thinking 'bout?" Naruto asked after a while.

Gaara startled away from his own little world. He became aware of his hand being buried in the other's messy hair, but didn't stop running his fingers through it.

"Dunno really. Mainly just staring at the ceiling", he muttered.

Naruto unintendedly shut his eyes. He was enjoying the redhead's touch a bit too much once again. But he wouldn't let it lead to anything, so he didn't tell the man to stop. It felt like if they didn't talk about it, it wasn't really happening. Naruto couldn't help but to wonder if that logic applied to other things as well.

"So where exactly do you need to be at eight?" Gaara asked.

"Downtown", Naruto replied.

His hand had traveled to hold the redhead by the waist. Without even thinking about it, he let his fingers trace the skin below the man's shirt. Gaara didn't seem to take any particular notice of it.

"Do you want me to stay away?" the redhead asked after a while of silence.

Naruto stopped to think about it. He hadn't expected to get a choice in the matter. The hand in buried in his hair had moved to hold him closer. He could feel Gaara rest his head against his.

"Doesn't matter", the blonde eventually replied.

Gaara didn't say anything, but slightly nuzzled against him. Naruto wondered if the man was aware of it. At the same time, his hand brushing against the redhead's stomach slid up under his shirt and came to rest on his chest.

"I guess I'll stay behind", Gaara informed.

Naruto was surprised. And oddly enough, maybe a bit displeased.

"Okay", he complied.

Gaara yanked free the hand he'd had under his head and came to place it on top of the one Naruto had laid to rest against the man's chest. The blonde shivered just slightly.

"I'm kinda hungry", Gaara said. Naruto chuckled.

"Me too", he admitted.

He shifted his body a bit, only to almost end up on the floor. Gaara tightened the grip he had around him to prevent him from falling. Now, Naruto wasn't used to being held in a strong, manly embrace, but he couldn't say he didn't like it. It also seemed that his logic of 'don't speak of it and it doesn't exist', seemed to work very well.

The blonde tilted his head upwards to face Gaara. He lowered his gaze to see him. Naruto immediately realized that if they hadn't been swimming on dangerous waters before, they sure were now. His newly attained logic probably wouldn't apply to kissing him. He'd made the decision to keep his hands off the other man. He hadn't really followed it through, but the way he was being held at the moment, wasn't sexual. Kissing the living shit out of the other one would be. That was a crucial line that couldn't be crossed. Gaara seemed to notice that too. The expression on the blonde's face indicated he hadn't really thought this through.

"So, food?" Gaara asked to make the situation less 'gay' and more 'attorney and client'.

"Yeah, food", Naruto agreed and broke himself free from the redhead's grip.

They got up from the floor and after a passing glance at each other, they walked out of the room.

It was a few hours later and Naruto concluded it was time for him to leave to meet Sasuke. He'd decided to walk to the town. He'd noticed that all the fighting with Gaara and also those bitch ass yakuzas had started to have an affect on his physique. He was on his way to the ridiculously fit shape he'd always been in. And walking instead of taking a cab was always a good decision.

Naruto was already on his way out, when he remembered something and turned around at the door.

"Oi. Could you get me my gun?" Naruto asked the redhead. Gaara rose from his seat at the kitchen table and put out his cigarette.

"Where is it?"

"In the bedroom", Naruto said.

Gaara let out a sigh as if he'd have to walk miles to get it, but went upstairs as requested. He soon came back with the weapon and came to hand it to Naruto. He took it and shoved it down the front of his jeans.

"Thanks", the blonde muttered and turned to leave.

He'd opened the door and was about to step outside, when a strong grip took him by the wrist. Naruto turned back around again. Gaara wouldn't let go of him. Naruto waited for him to say something. He didn't. Instead the man pulled Naruto back inside and close to him. His other hand came to touch the side of his face, just briefly, but still.

"If you die, I'll kill ya", Gaara then said, in a more gentle way than his words indicated.

Naruto watched him for a long time, before nodding. The redhead let go of his hand. Naruto's gaze lingered on him for a while longer, before turning away. He then stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

Naruto walked along the sidewalk and thought about the way Gaara had reacted. First of all, he was shocked that the man hadn't insisted on coming along, but actually stayed behind out of his own, free will. Another thing was how afraid he really was that Naruto would be killed. The blonde hadn't even realized how much the man actually cared about it. Did he really have some kind of codependency issue? And if so, why did it have to directed at Naruto?

In a way he understood. Had he been in prison for seven years, with no human relationships, he probably would've been the same way. Even if it didn't always seem that way, Gaara was only human. He wasn't a sociopath, which meant he did have the need for social interactions, as well. Naruto just happened to be the first one to come along. That was his best guess when it came to the subject of Gaara's possessive attitude over him.

Naruto suddenly realized something. He stopped walking and stared blankly at the pavement.

Gaara's fear of him getting assaulted and killed wasn't actually ridiculous. It was entirely possible. It had been the whole time. And only now did Naruto truly assimilate that fact. The thought of being under the constant risk of being violently killed had seemed somehow ridiculous. He'd been used to that feeling years ago, but hadn't realized how much more of a probability it was this time. The odds of it happening were actually nearly certain. And he had no idea when it would happen.

Did he really want to be alone when the time to fight for his life came around again? Not really. So why did he make an issue out of Gaara going along with him? He was most likely just being a stubborn bastard, like usual. As much as he hated admitting it, he wouldn't survive this alone. And even less he liked to admit, that he was slightly worried what would happen to Gaara if he was to die tonight. He'd either go crazy, or not care as much as he'd thought. Either way, he didn't want to do that to him.

The fear of leaving behind unfinished business suddenly washed over Naruto. He wasn't ready to leave this world just yet. Not ready to leave all those who mattered. Not ready to leave Gaara alone, either.

Naruto shook himself awake from his thoughts. He no longer wanted to go alone. The blonde hastily turned around to rush back home. He took a few fast-paced steps towards the direction he'd come from. His hurry came to a halt as he saw someone stand before him. His blue eyes locked with familiar, pale green ones. A weak smile crept onto the blonde's face and he could feel a warm feeling of contentment stir awake inside him. A calm silence followed.

"I tried, you know", the red-haired man finally spoke. Naruto chuckled.

"That's good enough", he assured.

Naruto turned back around and started walking again. He could feel Gaara's hand brush against his for just a passing second. He wasn't alone. He was happy about that.

He was happy Gaara lacked determination when it came to leaving him be.

* * *

**Something I wanna say; a huge, massive, _gigantic _thank you to all readers and reviewers. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to get feedback and to know that there are people who actually appreciate my scribbles. Feels kinda funny to say this about a story that isn't created entirely by me, from scratch, characters and all. But nonetheless, writing is something that makes life worth living for me, whether it is fan fiction, original fiction...anything. So thank you.**

**It also dawned on me that I haven't really replied to that many of the reviews. Would you like me to do that? 'Cause I'll do it. I just haven't been sure if anybody really gives a shit. Please tell me, luvs.**


	21. White Lies

The Place was surprisingly busy that evening. Naruto had taken a seat at a table in the quietest corner of the bar. Gaara sat across him. The blonde was halfway through a beer, while the redhead had decided not to have anything. Sasuke was late, as usual. Naruto hated that habit of his. It was as if the world had to stop to wait for him. Naruto let out a deep sigh. Gaara tilted his head curiously.

"What?" he then asked. The blonde scowled.

"That moron is always late. It's fucking annoying", he muttered.

Gaara almost regretted asking. It was bad enough he had to spend hours watching a man he despised, he had no desire to talk of him if not necessary. Naruto noticed the bitter look on his face.

"What did I say about that bitchy face of yours?" he asked and raised a brow. Gaara let out a frustrated huff.

"Yeah, yeah", he muttered, yet looked no more content.

"Smile, twat, or I'll leave you to sit here alone", Naruto threatened.

The redhead shot him a glare, but to amuse the other one, twisted his lips into a fake smile. Naruto frowned. Only Gaara could make smiling seem like such a task.

"Never mind", the blonde grunted.

Gaara's face dulled down to its usual stoic self in less than a second. Naruto was forced to admit it outshone the fake grin. Before he had a chance to comment any further, a sudden grip on his shoulder took him aback. He flinched and turned around to meet the one doing the unexpected touching. Sasuke stood behind him, an irritating smirk plastered on his face. Naruto's immediate reaction was to flip him off. Gaara's was to let his face fall grim again.

"Hey, moron", the brunette said as he seated himself down.

"Hey, idiot", Naruto returned the insult.

A passing cold glare happened between Sasuke and Gaara. Naruto noticed it, of course, resulting in a tired sigh.

"No bitching is allowed tonight", he declared, making the two turn away from each other.

The childish glaring came to an end, but the tension probably made hell freeze over. Claiming they despised one another was a severe understatement. The immaturity easily overshadowed the actual threat of it. Yet it still was generally unpleasant enough for Naruto to rush a conversation with the intention to cut the unneeded tension.

"Any news 'bout the investigation?" he questioned Sasuke. The man remained stoic, but had the decency to turn his gaze towards the blonde.

"The facial reconstruction got done today", he informed.

Naruto reflected a look of pleasant surprise. He'd expected it to take longer.

"And?" he pried further.

"It matched the photo", Sasuke revealed.

Naruto turned towards Gaara. Even though still visibly irritated, the man seemed somewhat pleased to hear the news.

"Is the investigation still in process?" the blonde continued to question. Sasuke gave him a brief nod.

"Yeah. They've worked through the most crucial shit, but I'd say it'll take at least a week more. Unless something new comes up", he clarified.

Naruto could say he was yet again pleasantly surprised. Considering that these processes could take anything from weeks to years, the estimated timeline made him optimistic. Though nothing of course was certain just yet, he let himself feel just the slightest bit relaxed. Sasuke was pleased the blonde seemed happy for the news. But as he turned to glance at Gaara, his face fell sour.

"Is this information any good to you or just him?" he muttered to Naruto. The blonde rolled his eyes at the man's bitter tone.

"Both. I need him to win this case. I need him to not be in prison in order to stay alive. Just try to bear with the situation", he told him.

Sasuke gave a reluctant nod. Gaara's lips were quickly decorated with a smug smirk. Naruto shot him a glare, telling him to stop the immature gloating. The childish bickering between the two was ridiculous. They certainly were prime examples of boys who never grew to be men.

"I need a drink", Sasuke soon informed. He rose from his seat and was about to leave the table, when Gaara's low voice spoke up.

"Get me one too, won't you," he stated more, than asked.

The outrageously arrogant smirk on his face caused even Naruto's eye to twitch in irritation. Sasuke went beyond that. Or would have, had the blonde not stood up and cut him off before he even had the chance to start.

"Or maybe I'll do it. You both sit your asses down. Neither one moves, speaks or even looks at the other, or I _will_ shoot your kneecaps to shit", the blonde growled, keen on making his point extremely clear.

Sasuke looked as displeased as one would imagine. Gritting his teeth in anger, he slowly sat down again. Gaara turned to stare at him blankly. His lack of expression made the brunette further tempted to kick some life into his face. Deeply unimpressed by the now silent bickering, Naruto gave both of them a smack on the back of their heads. Both men flinched.

"You wanna fuckin' crawl home?" he hissed, before turning around and walking away with an angry step.

The two men watched him go. Once the blonde had disappeared from the view, they wasted no time to continue glaring at one another. Despite Naruto telling them not to. They were quite the rebels, now weren't they. To anybody else but them, their hostility was simply laughable. To them of course, it was an issue of pride and ridiculous, testosterone driven rivalry. A meaningless war based on nothing even remotely reasonable.

"I could rip your eyes out", Sasuke hissed at the redhead. Gaara's vapid face remained the same.

"I would gladly tear your head off", he returned the pretty words.

Their stubborn glaring went on and on. The potential for it to never end certainly was there. By the time Naruto finally returned, they'd mentally mauled each other to death multiple times. Had the blonde taken much longer, that mentality might've turned into actuality. Once back, Naruto didn't as much lower as he did slam down two glasses of the most efficient medicine to cure a case of assholeness he could think of. Clear vodka, accompanied by shots of absinthe. Though neither Gaara or Sasuke was bad at holding their liquor, both of them widened their eyes at the green liquid waiting for its taker.

"Drink up, dickheads. I already had two, just to keep myself sane", Naruto stated.

He narrowed his eyes at the men, his stare demanding to be obeyed. Until they did as told, he refused to even blink. If only to avoid a long evening of Naruto whining, they eventually complied. The bitter aftertaste caused Sasuke to gag. Subtly, to the extent it could be done.

"You give me another shot of that shit, and I'll slap your head off", he assured.

He didn't feel too keen on breathing through his nose. It made the taste worse. Sasuke vaguely hated the fact that Gaara felt no need to make faces at the terrible taste. But then again, he was dead as a stone inside. According to Sasuke's beliefs he was.

"Then get your shit together. Either one acts like an idiot, and I'll pour another one down both of your throats", Naruto declared.

Not the most compelling of thoughts. Since neither of the sulking men really found each other worth another taste, they decided to attempt to behave. Whether or not they would succeed, was a different issue.

"That green shit is the stuff of nightmares. And I ain't reliving them", Gaara announced. Naruto shrugged.

"Then don't act like a five year old", he said simply.

His statement lured an amused smirk out of Sasuke. Naruto could not comprehend why every time he directed an insult at one of them, the other one would get some sick pleasure out of it. He eventually couldn't bother bitching about it any longer, and gave up on even trying. For the next two hours or so, he was forced to endure supposedly subtle glaring between the two. Though they did muster a few conversations that vaguely resembled adult behavior, sooner or later it sunk back to a level of immaturity. It left the blonde wondering exactly why had he ever agreed to look after these two.

Naruto came to notice that the more intoxicated the two men got, the less they bothered to pay attention to one another anymore. Or perhaps he'd simply become too drunk himself to notice their bickering any longer. It didn't really matter, the change was welcomed nevertheless. While engaged in a more detailed discussion about the investigation, the brunette eventually had to excuse himself.

"I need to take a piss", Sasuke informed and rose from his seat. What a charmer.

Naruto gave him a nod and with that, the man abandoned the table. Not bothering to watch him go, the blonde turned towards Gaara and gave him a glare of disbelief.

"How is it possible you turn into a fucking moron whenever you have to interact with pretty much _anybody_?" he questioned. The other one merely shrugged.

"Dunno. I don't like people."

"Yeah, I've noticed", Naruto said, rolling his eyes. Gaara chuckled lightly.

"Now who's sulking?" he asked amused.

Naruto flipped him off. The gesture was returned.

"If you start moping, I'll tickle you", Gaara threatened.

Despite the blonde's best attempts to remain annoyed by the man, he couldn't ignore how uncharacteristic it was for Gaara to care about other people's mood, let alone try to cheer them up. In the end, he abandoned the intention of a bitter mood and ended up smirking. The redhead seemed pleased with himself. A comfortable silence followed. It was taking an awfully long time for Sasuke to return. Relying on past experiences, Naruto figured he'd gotten stuck in front of the mirror once again. That vain bastard.

Naruto found himself fumbling the tag Gaara had placed around his neck earlier that day. The said man took notice of it, yet said nothing. Naruto clenched his fist gently around the tag and turned to face the redhead. They stared at one another for a brief while. Eventually, the blonde could no longer stop himself from voicing his curiosity.

"If I ask you about it, will ya tell me?" he asked, referring to the tag. Gaara tilted his head to the side.

"Depends on what you ask", he replied.

Naruto lowered his gaze to the floor to think carefully how to phrase his question. Straight up asking why the man still had it would've been rude and left unanswered, he knew that. He'd have to ask something of a more general nature. A thoughtful draped over his features, he lifted his gaze up again.

"The carvings. What do they mean?"

The expression on Gaara's face was one Naruto didn't know how to interpret. It told nothing of intention to answer, but neither did it predict declining. Not knowing what to expect, the blonde could only wait. After a while of silence, Gaara sighed. Without a word, he reached to grab the edge of Naruto's chair and pulled the seat closer to his. Only a few inches was left between them anymore. Gaara then brought his hand forward to take a hold of the tag. The blonde let go of it as the other's hand came to replace his. The redhead took his time to speak.

"These tags are carried by yakuza hitmen", he began talking.

Though Naruto already knew that, he listened as if he was hearing it for the first time. Sincerely surprised that Gaara actually seemed to agree to telling, he wouldn't have dared to miss a single word. The roomful of people present barely was worth noting. None of them would hear a thing anyway.

"The serial number…it's a code. Holds information of the tag's owner. Their rank, identity, organization and so on", the man continued speaking.

Naruto didn't realize he was beginning to feel somewhat mesmerized by Gaara's low voice. Though he was unable to explain it, hearing the man tell him things he'd never tell anybody else somehow was the most attractive thing ever. Thus he carried on staring and listening.

"Anybody working for the mafia uses them. Akatsuki included. The codes are meant for identification among yakuza, in case a hitman gets killed. That way they are identified and crossed off the list of usable men", Gaara said.

Naruto frowned at the way he spoke of these hitmen. It seemed that yakuza thought of them as nothing more than nameless soldiers. The blonde suddenly started to understand the behavior Gaara was known for. His mechanical way of interacting, the hollowness behind his eyes and the perfectly rehearsed speeches he'd given the interrogators…it was all due to training under Akatsuki's watching eye.

That organization didn't create hitmen, it created machines.

Gaara took notice the slightly disturbed look on Naruto's face, but carried on talking anyway.

"A dead hitman is always useless. A nuisance. The tag is used to identify them, and they are then disposed of as quickly as possible. They get replaced immediately."

The way Gaara spoke as if he'd been reading a shopping list out loud made Naruto mildly uncomfortable. But he tried to understand that the man was trained to hold no emotion towards this subject. The blonde suddenly thought of something that might've added yet another disturbing element to the discussion.

"Did you know any of the hitmen we've killed so far?" he asked.

The chances of that were slim, considering there probably was thousands of them, but the improbability didn't make it impossible.

"Yeah, one. The one whose throat I slit", Gaara revealed, not even blinking.

Naruto didn't know what to say, so he said nothing at all. He tried so hard to reason that the man wasn't supposed to care about his familiars, but it made him shiver with something unpleasant nonetheless. On the other hand though, the fact that Gaara was able to kill people he personally knew without hesitation, but still seemed to care about Naruto on some level, made the blonde's trust in him just the slightest bit less nonexistent.

Gaara turned his gaze back towards the tag. Naruto waited him to carry on speaking.

"If you were to decode the serial number on that tag, you'd find more information than most tag's hold. The higher the rank of a hitman is, the more relevant they are and the more information is put into the tag. My rank is high. The highest. That tag holds all the information that is possible to code into it", Gaara told.

Naruto remained baffled by all the entirely new things he was learning, from Gaara himself, nonetheless.

"And the letters…that's my blood type", he then said. Gaara lifted his gaze to meet Naruto's. "But I guess you already knew that."

Naruto was silent and still for a while. He felt so unusually close to the other man, it was scary. But he couldn't claim it to be unpleasant. The blonde slowly lifted his hand to touch Gaara's, who was still holding the tag. The redhead's lips parted, surprised by the gentle touch of the blonde.

"Yeah", Naruto then spoke unintendedly softly.

Everything surrounding them had become irrelevant. Unfazed by the life around them, they stopped to stare into each other's eyes, silently and still. Unnoticed by them, they had drifted as close to each other as they could, without falling off their seats. Their hands remained touching one another. That moment right there, it was something that'd never happened between them before. It was a moment of some kind of understanding. An understanding of the other person and appreciation for the other one being just the way they were. No matter how much of a coldblooded killer they might've been. No matter how they initially might've felt about the other one. It was odd, really. To have a connection of that kind as a result of a discussion that involved mainly murder and inhumane behavior. But it was the two of them, after all. Not much else could have been expected.

Anything sick and twisted seemed to be the way for them to go.

Their silent pause in time came to an end when Naruto detected a familiar figure from the corner of his eye. He hastily let go of Gaara and backed away. The redhead did the same. Naruto turned to see Sasuke walk towards the table. Though it could've been explained, he hoped the man hadn't seen the unusual situation between him and Gaara.

"That took forever. Let me guess, the mirror?" Naruto asked with a smirk. Sasuke seated himself down, not forgetting to make a face at the blonde.

"None of your business", he then muttered.

It seemed he hadn't noticed anything unusual.

"I'll take that as a yes", the blonde chuckled, making Sasuke give him the finger.

"You're an asshole", the man declared and took a sip from his drink.

"I guess that makes us even, dickhead", the blonde pointed out.

Sasuke made a face, but let the matter drop. He soon turned towards Gaara. He watched him for a while in silence, before eventually speaking.

"You. I need to talk to you. Outside", he informed. Naruto was quick to protest.

"I don't think so", he said hastily. Both Sasuke and Gaara dismissed him.

"Why?" the redhead asked. Sasuke tilted his head, as if challenging the man.

"You'll know if you come outside", he said, not really clarifying anything. Naruto still felt strongly against that idea.

"Not a good idea. At all", he attempted to reason. He remained ignored.

"Fine", Gaara complied after a while of pondering.

They both stood up, while Naruto watched them eyes wide. This couldn't end well.

"Seriously, you two alone is a horrible fucking idea", he carried on protesting.

Neither man replied to him. Rudely shutting his complaints down, they turned around and walked away, leaving Naruto to sit alone, his jaw dropped in disbelief. He watched the two men disappear outside and wondered if he should go after them. But the longer he considered doing so, the less tempted he was anymore. Eventually his worry turned into irritation and he stopped caring. If they were going to treat him like thin air, they might as well kill each other. Pleased enough with his decision, he proceeded to drown the guilt of it in alcohol.

Gaara followed the other man outside. Once there, they stopped to stand not far from the bar's entrance. Gaara was about to question the reason for being there, but abandoned the thought as the dark-haired man offered him a cigarette. He stared at it for a while. He then glanced at Sasuke, before finally reaching to take what he'd been offered. Sasuke took one for himself as well and then lit up for both of them. They smoked silently for a few drags, before the redhead opened his mouth to speak. Sasuke already knew what he was about to say, and cut him off.

"No. No fuckin' each other's faces up. I want to talk to you for real", he muttered.

Gaara narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but was ready to give the man a chance at whatever it was he wanted to say. Sasuke let out a smoky breath, before speaking again.

"Why are you so determined to keep Naruto safe?" he asked bluntly. Gaara frowned.

"What's it to you?" he grunted. The other one gave him a cold stare.

"He's the most important thing in the world to me. That's what. So spit it the fuck out", he demanded.

Gaara experienced an odd feeling upon hearing the man say such, but decided then that he had nothing to lose even if he did tell.

"I need him", Gaara stated.

Sasuke felt a brief sensation of anger wash over him. He found the other's reply insufficient. Though his patience balanced on the thin line of existing at all, he forced himself to keep his calm.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he wanted to know. Gaara took a moment to find an honest answer.

"Just that", he settled as a reply.

Sasuke remained confused, but felt like it was no use pushing it. He sighed.

"I just need to know you really mean it. That you'll do anything to keep him safe. And won't give up", the man said with determination.

Gaara became slightly taken aback by his bold demand. He was forced to stop to think if he really was. Was he? Would he do absolutely anything? Would he risk his own life? He'd been trained to never care about another human being. To never put anyone before himself and the mission he had. That's what he was used to. But if the underlying motive to keep Naruto alive was to survive himself, it wouldn't be much use if he didn't risk his life doing that. He wouldn't survive on his own anyway.

A passing image of life leaving the blonde's sky blue eyes made him flinch.

"Yea. I'd do anything", he said, ridding himself of the disturbing image.

He wasn't quite sure why the idea of Naruto dying caused him feel physically sick, but it did. He concluded it was enough proof he would in fact risk his life to keep him safe.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He studied the redhead in order to find any sign of a lie or hesitation. None was there for him to find. He was surprised, but pleased.

"Good. I have a favor to ask you. I wanna make a deal", he then said. Gaara gave him a suspicious look.

"And why should I help you?" he questioned.

"Because we both want to keep that blonde idiot alive. That's why", was Sasuke's reasoning.

Gaara's gaze remained suspicious, but feeling curious, he allowed the other man to carry on talking. What Sasuke said next, was not what he'd expected to hear.

Suddenly, Gaara had a reason to get along with him.

Naruto still sat by the table. Wasted out of his mind and a bitter look plastered across his face. The two men had been gone for over an hour by then. The blonde had been tempted to get up to check on them a few times, but decided against it every time. He was too stubborn to let himself be that concerned. He was determined to sulk. And sulk he would.

About an hour and a half after they'd left, Gaara and Sasuke finally stepped back inside. Though he refused to show it, Naruto was relieved to know they hadn't killed each other. It wouldn't have been the biggest of shocks, really. But something else was. The two men slowly made their way back towards the table, discussing suspiciously civilized. And as if that wasn't shocking enough, when they reached Naruto, Sasuke gave the taller man a disturbingly friendly pat on the back. Gaara didn't seem to mind it. Naruto's jaw dropped in disblief. He had to blink a few times in order to be sure he wasn't hallucinating. It appeared he wasn't. The two men sat themselves down and Naruto rid himself of his shock. The mode of a moody teenager was back. Gaara glanced at him.

"You sulking again?" he asked with a chuckle.

The blonde made a displeased face to make it clear that, in fact, he was.

"You douchebags left me to sit alone for an hour and a half. The fuck do you think?" he hissed.

The redhead smirked and turned to glance at Sasuke. "Blondie obviously needs a tickle, don't ya think?"

Sasuke's usually exclusively stoic face got decorated by a sadistic smirk. Naruto found himself lacking the concentration to get worried about possibly getting tickled till death. He was busy going crazy over the aggressively uncharacteristic way the two men were acting. As if, dare he say, civilized.

"Seriously. What the fuck? You leave me here alone to drown myself in absinthe and come back not hating each other anymore? I think I deserve some explanation", the blonde demanded. All he got was shrug.

"We just decided to get along", Sasuke stated simply.

Naruto looked like he wanted to kick the man in the face.

"Bullshit", he declared.

Gaara chuckled. He had no intention to start arguing with the blonde. It was pointless. He wouldn't win. That stubborn cretaure never ran out of words.

"Get over it, blondie. Just drink some more so I can have the pleasure of carrying you home again", Gaara said sarcastically. Naruto flipped him off.

"Fuck you. And you've never had to do that, so stop talkin' shit", he growled and then downed the rest of his drink.

"Well, it seems tonight I have to", Gaara stated as he watched Naruto fill himself with even more alcohol. The blonde carried on denying his claims.

"Bullshit", he grunted again.

Sasuke shook his head at the stubborn blonde. It was amusing, if entirely honest. But not amusing enough to distract him from the discussion he'd had with Gaara. As a ridiculously drunken Naruto soon lowered his head to lean against the table face first, Sasuke turned to see the man sitting next to him. Gaara returned his gaze. The redhead gave him a nod. Sasuke let his tense shoulders relax.

He could breathe a little easier again. Even if it were for only a while.

It was 2 am and the three of them were walking along a quiet street. There weren't many cars, only a few people around. Naruto had sobered up slightly after his two companions had cut all his sources of alcohol and thrown a glassful of water in his face. He remained intoxicated, but wasn't shitfaced. That was good. It made it a whole lot easier for the other two to get him home. Not that Gaara and Sasuke were in any better condition. They were just as excellently intoxicated.

"I'm gonna be so hangover tomorrow. I can feel it hurt already", the blonde slurred, attempting his best to walk straight.

He ended up bumping into Sasuke. The brunette shoved him away in order to not fall down himself, leaving Naruto nearly losing his footing and coming quite close to finding himself face first on the pavement. A pair of strong arms stopped his fall and pulled him back up. Naruto turned to see Gaara keep him in an upright position.

"Déjà vu, I'd say", the redhead said and shook his head. The blonde smirked. "Maybe."

The next half a mile after that went surprisingly well. Naruto stayed standing, but in no way did that lessen his need to complain. That's just the kind of drunk he was.

"Somebody wanna carry me? I'm sleepy", he muttered. Gaara chuckled, Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Thought you didn't wanna get carried?" Gaara pointed out.

"I changed my mind", Naruto informed as he searched into his pocket for a cigarette.

Upon finding one, he placed it between his lips and lit it up. He'd barely taken a drag and blown out a puff of smoke, when suddenly the ground disappear from beneath his feet. Letting a surprised yelp escape, he turned his head to find something worth scowling at. Sasuke had decided to carry him bridal style. Naruto considered complaining about it, but in the end felt too comfortable not walking to ruin it. Still, for the reason of principals, he had to comment something.

"This is way too gay, even for you", he mumbled, receiving a glare in return.

Sasuke then let his lips curl into an evil grin and without a warning, he hauled the blonde over his shoulder. Another yelp was quick to escape the blonde.

"Jesus fucking Christ, stop it. Unless you want me throw up all over you", he threatened. Sasuke simply chuckled.

How exactly Sasuke was able to carry him, defied logic. Naruto was heavier than him. But that wasn't really the core of the issue. The real issue was that he felt like a fuckin' princess and that was _not _okay. Naruto heard a snort. He lifted his gaze to see an amused redhead watching the scene before him. The man seemed unusually amused. Almost as if he was about to burst out into a full on laughter.

"Don't just stare like an idiot. Help me", Naruto growled to Gaara.

His beg of for help pushed the redhead over an edge he rarely reached, and caused him to let out a sincere laugh. His sadistic nature well present in his chuckle, he wasn't shy to feel amused on the other's expense. Naruto sulked again. He had every right to.

"This eats away my manliness. Let me the fuck down", he demanded.

"You said you wanted to get carried", Gaara reminded him, while Sasuke cackled in amusement.

"You people need to learn not to take everything so seriously", Naruto said. Sasuke didn't loosen his grip.

"Maybe you should learn to be careful of what you wish for, moron", was Sasuke's solution. The blonde rolled his eyes and sighed.

"If I wasn't drunk, wet and tired, I'd kick your ass", he grumbled. His bitter attitude merely fed the others' amusement.

"What's that princess? Can't hear ya over all this Disney music around us", Sasuke sneered.

The unthinkable happened, as Gaara burst into a laughter he hadn't been aware he could accomplish. While he was forced to stop to lean against a wall, only to laugh out a lung or two, Naruto struggled to get down. He eventually got his feet back on the ground and Sasuke got a punch in the gut. It was no serious hit, but enough to knock the wind out of him. Naruto stuck out his tongue. Sasuke shot him a glare. Gaara carried on laughing.

"There's some princess for ya, fucknut", the blonde muttered and started marching down the road with an angry strut.

Once Gaara finally got a hold of himself, he walked over to the brunette who stood hunched over, trying to recover from Naruto's moody fit. The redhead waited for the man to stand up straight again and watched the blonde do his walk of sulk a few feet away.

"I can't believe I actually live with that drama queen", he muttered.

Sasuke pulled himself up with a grunt. "I don't envy you."

Some time later, they finally arrived at Naruto's house. Sasuke had been forced to come along and the reason to that was half asleep, leaning against both him and Gaara. The last half a mile of the walk had neared hellish. It'd become evident that the blonde had a consistent habit of cranky attitude when drunk enough. Also, only a couple of blocks away from home, he'd literally fallen asleep standing up. The two men had considered just leaving him to sleep on the sidewalk. Yet there they were, somewhat regretting they'd dragged him along after all.

Making it inside the house was no easier. Because of Naruto's desire to wear unlawfully tight jeans, it was quite the mission to get the house keys from his pocket. When they finally did succeed to get inside, the next unpleasant surprise waited for them in the hallway. Sakura had woken up to the noise they'd made. She was tired, displeased and mad as hell. Naruto was fortunate enough to be more or less unconscious. The other two unfortunately weren't, and were blessed with the pleasure of explaining Sakura why her husband was drunk to the point of sacking out. She went back to sleep, eventually. And not a second too early, if the two had any say in it.

Sasuke quickly took the liberty to go home and left the redhead to deal with Naruto alone. Gaara absolutely refused to drag the blonde up the stairs. That left him with only the option of the guestroom. The thought of carrying him even an inch further was worth a scowl. To avoid the act of carrying, Gaara settled upon giving the blonde a slap across the face. Naruto woke up enough to stand on his own. While leaning against the wall and stumbling over his own feet, of course, but still.

Naruto was as tired as he was drunk, which was almost the same as being double as drunk. Gaara gave up on trying to get him to walk on his own and eventually did what Sasuke had. Grabbed the lethargic man and hauled him over his shoulder. It wasn't appreciated.

"I don't like this", the blonde muttered.

Gaara rolled his eyes. "So you're too drunk to walk, but sober enough to whine?"

"Exactly", Naruto agreed.

"Moron", Gaara muttered as he dropped the blonde onto the guestroom bed. Naruto let out a groan and pulled himself to a sitting position.

"Fuck. My head hurts", he complained. Gaara smirked.

"Just wait for tomorrow", he sneered. He conveniently ignored the fact that he had the same exact fate lying ahead.

Naruto flipped him off, then proceeding to struggle to get his jacket off. The sight could be described pathetic. With a sigh, Gaara crouched down and did it for him. The blonde was like a child. Though he did shock by taking his shirt off himself. The jeans he couldn't bother with. Way too difficult.

"Pretty sure it's sleep time for you", Gaara informed.

Naruto let out a strange, growling noise. Gaara took it as a yes. Not bothering to say anything else, he turned and walked to the door.

"I'm sleeping on the couch. G'night", the redhead muttered.

Naruto lifted his gaze to meet the other's. The stare lasted for a while. Eventually the blonde tore his eyes away from the other.

"Yeah. G'night", he replied, somewhat quietly.

Gaara stepped out the door. Naruto was left to sit alone on the edge of the bed. He stared at the now closed door silently. He did that for several minutes. His drunken mind considered actions he knew wouldn't be appreciated by the sober one. In the end, he dismissed any questionable desires he might've had and lowered himself down to lie.

Sleep came with difficulty.

The following morning could only be called pure hell. Naruto was woken up by the sun shining brightly through the window. He didn't care if it was a beautiful day, the light hurt his eyes, his head and the entirety of his existence, and he wanted it to go away. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck and was quite sure an atom bomb had exploded inside his head. His brain might as well have been minced meat.

"Fuck", the blonde muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

He couldn't remember ever having a hangover as terrible. He wasn't sure how he'd even made it home from the bar. He had a vague memory of being carried by Sasuke like a damsel in distress, but that wasn't much of an explanation. Also, it wasn't something he was keen on remembering in the first place.

After a while of senseless whining and self-pitying, Naruto forced himself up. Standing hardly made him feel any better. The idea of collapsing to the floor and going back to sleep was tempting. But since the clock on the wall told him it was already past noon, he forced himself to stay awake. The blonde lazily walked to the door and then out of the room. As he stepped into the hallway, the sweet, sweet smell of coffee reached him.

"Oh thank god", he muttered as he made his way to the kitchen.

Gaara sat by the kitchen table, drinking coffee. His hair was a mess and he once again had no shirt on. It resembled some distant form of adorable. Well, as adorable as a professional murderer could be. Naruto had become used to seeing that very sight first thing every morning. And every time, he stopped to stare at it.

"Mornin'", the blonde said after a while.

Gaara turned to see him. Something resembling a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Hey."

Naruto returned the faint smile. He could've stayed to stare at him for the rest of the day, but concluded it was best to drink some coffee instead. He poured himself a cup and then went to take a seat next to Gaara. The man was reading the morning paper. It wasn't something he'd done before. But it did make him seem strangely...normal. Not like a homicidal maniac at all. It was odd. But nice, in a way. Created the sensation as if nothing was wrong. If entirely honest, Naruto didn't mind the various sides there were to the redhead. Even though he'd never thought he'd say it, he'd even grown to appreciate some of them. He'd started to notice all the small, odd characteristics of him. Little things. The way he clenched his jaw when irritated, the way he crossed his arms when leaning against a wall. And especially the way he almost smiled every morning he saw Naruto.

"You're staring", Gaara's low voice spoke, startling Naruto away from his thoughts.

"Hn. I'm in a coma. I have no idea what I'm staring at", the blonde muttered, taking a sip from his coffee.

"Feelin' good, huh?" Gaara asked with a smirk.

Naruto stared into nothingness and shook his head slowly.

"I hate absinthe", he then croaked in agony.

Gaara chuckled and lit up a cigarette. He offered one to Naruto, but the blonde had to refuse it. Coffee was the one and only thing he could put into his mouth without throwing up.

"This is so wrong. I'm not a bad person, I don't deserve this", Naruto whined unnecessarily loudly. Gaara raised a brow.

"Yes you are", he stated. The blonde shot him a glare.

"Whatever. You're worse. And I don't see you suffering", he growled.

"I'm sure they have a special place in hell for me", Gaara assured.

"Yeah, the throne", Naruto muttered and rolled his eyes.

Gaara let out a small chuckle. "We'll see when we get there."

"I'm there already", Naruto stated and leaned his head against the table.

Gaara wasn't much of a guy to comfort other people's misery, so he just did what he did best; sadistically enjoyed the blonde's agony.

"What day is it?" Naruto soon asked.

"Thursday", Gaara informed.

The blonde nodded, suddenly seeming thoughtful. Gaara gave him a questioning look.

"I'm going by the office today. I've been gone for too long", Naruto said. The redhead frowned.

"Alone, I suppose", he then grunted. Naruto huffed and gave him a smirk.

"Yeah. Alone. I'll be fine", he assured.

The redhead wasn't too convinced. But he was smart enough to keep any opinions to himself. Such would only lead to a useless argument. Naruto drank up the rest of his coffee and stood up. He then went over to the medicine cabinet, took out a couple of painkillers and swallowed them without a drink.

"I'm gonna take a shower and then get going", he informed.

Gaara gave him a simple nod. The blonde then left the room. The redhead remained seated by the table. He put out his cigarette and sighed. Even though he'd let the blonde believe he wasn't hangover, it wasn't exactly true. He had a pounding headache and even blinking hurt. But he sucked it up. He wasn't one to do unnecessary whining. Unlike some people.

A small smirk appeared on Gaara's lips as he thought about a certain constantly complaining blonde. Their relationship had changed from pure hate into something less negatively extreme. They still wound each other up like nothing else, but it no longer was constant. Gaara wondered if what they had was something a friendship would be like. He'd never really experienced relationships of that nature. Or any other, to be honest. When it came to understanding emotions and other people, he was clueless. He had no idea how those were supposed to work. He had no problem making a clear shot from 600 feet away with the right gun, no problem defeating an armed man bare handed, but when it came to interacting with other human beings, he lacked skill altogether.

But he had a faint feeling he was learning about it. He felt like he'd learned from Naruto. Been taught by him. The blonde probably wasn't aware of it himself, but that made it no less true. It was like a new world had opened up. Gaara had never imagined having a connection to someone else would be in any way significant. He'd always thought of others as nuisances. A hindrance. He still felt that way about everybody else but Naruto. What it was about the blonde that made him so different from everybody else, he failed to explain.

Gaara chuckled to himself. The first time he'd met Naruto, he never would've thought they'd end up the way they had. Gaara had been quite sure he'd end up killing him. And that had been the plan ever since he'd been kicked in the face by him. Nobody, absolutely nobody, had ever done something like it and survived. He'd been determined to make the man pay. When he'd bailed himself out of prison, he'd stepped into freedom with only one thought on his mind.

'Kill him.'

He'd gotten his hands on a gun as soon as possible, stolen the car and looked up where the blonde lived. He'd started driving the long road to him. He hadn't cared about speed limits, traffic lights or even the risk of getting arrested and ending up back in jail. He'd been solely driven to find the blonde and shoot him dead. He'd played the act of killing him in his mind a million times, over and over again. Like it'd been stuck on reply. And every time he'd enjoyed the thought just as much.

Then it'd suddenly come to a stop. He'd been halfway through the drive when it'd simply stopped. The memory of getting kicked in the head by the blonde switched into the memory of being touched by him. The feeling it'd stirred had come flooding back and he couldn't get rid of it. He had never been touched that way by anyone. In a way that'd touched him deeper than the surface. Nobody had ever made him feel that way before. It was intoxicating in a way Gaara couldn't understand. It had made him confused and angry. But also allowed him a new way of thinking.

Even after that sudden change of heart, he'd still attempted to keep the mentality of a killer. He'd knocked on the blonde's door, still intending to rip him apart. But as the man then had stepped to stand in front of him, that urge had come to a complete halt. Well, not as much the urge, as the capability of living up to it. He hadn't been able to do it. He'd seen him, and instantly known he couldn't kill him. He still had no idea why that'd happened. But it'd made him completely forget about killing the blonde, and instead made him want to carry on from where they'd left off.

And that's what he'd done. He hadn't come to regret it, either.

Gaara noticed Naruto appear into the room again. He lifted his gaze to face him. He saw a dripping wet, half-naked blonde lean against the doorframe and dry his hair with a towel. The sigh was enough to make Gaara very happy for not having killed him. Even though he'd never get to do the things he wanted to that pretty little thing, it didn't mean he wasn't allowed to stare.

The blonde didn't stay there for long. He soon disappeared from the view again. When he then came back, he'd put on clothes. And not just any old thing, he was clothed in a suit. Looking that sharp almost made Gaara forget the little demon he really was.

"Fancy", the redhead stated. Naruto smirked.

"A guy's gotta try", he said. Gaara couldn't really say the blonde needed much trying to look good, but kept that thought to himself.

Gaara rose up from his seat and walked over to the other man. Naruto was putting on shoes and grabbing his keys. The redhead leaned against the doorframe and waited for the blonde to be done.

"Be nice", Naruto told Gaara once he was ready to leave.

"Don't die", the man said in return.

Naruto let his gaze linger on the redhead for a while longer, before turning around and walking out the door. Gaara was left to stare at the now closed door.

He was bothered by the fact that Naruto hadn't replied to his demand. He was aware the man couldn't promise to stay alive, but just saying it would've made it feel less of a reality. Gaara wasn't sure how exactly he'd ended up worrying about the blonde thing in the first place. He had never hated anyone so fiercely, and he'd hated many in his time. He also had never worried or cared about anyone before. So why did he have to start now? As an unfortunate addition, it had made him discover a whole new level of exhaustion. He hated it.

The redhead tried to think of something to do. It was needed so he wouldn't go and shoot down everything within a ten feet radius of the blonde. He tried watching TV, only to remember it was full of shit. He tried to read a book, only to discover he hated reading. He even considered something as absurd as washing the pile of dishes in the sink. That was his cue to get the hell out of that house and find something better to do.

* * *

Naruto had made it to the other side of the town. He was standing in front of a tall building. It wasn't the office. Naruto had lied to Gaara. He even felt kind of bad for it, but knew it'd been mandatory. He couldn't let the guilt be a bother. And after all, what Gaara didn't know, wouldn't hurt him.

Naruto took a deep breath and entered the building. The hallway was white and plain. The entire building was a standing ovation to mediocrity. To the extent it made Naruto sort of uncomfortable. But he decided not to mind it and went on to get to the elevator. He then stepped inside and pushed a button to get to the 9th floor. Once there, he stepped out and stopped to stand in the hallway. In front of him was the door he'd been looking for. A sudden nervous sensation washed over him. He rid himself of the feeling before it became a problem and built up his courage to ring the doorbell. There was no answer right away. Soon he could hear footsteps. There was a pause and then, the door opened.

A blonde woman in her thirties stood in the doorway. She had a confused look in her eyes. Naruto probably looked like a moron in all his nervousness. He didn't quite know what he felt so anxious for.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

Naruto took a deep breath before answering. He had a question for her. He was afraid of the answer, no matter what it was. The blonde finally spoke out.

"Are you Sabaku Temari?"

* * *

**Hah. Cliffhanger. You're welcome. **

**Luv ya, sweeties.**


	22. Chapters of Hurt, Stories of Pain

**Well hello, hello. Here I am again, with my scribbles. Please do take a minute to learn what my strange mind has once again produced, if it in any way sounds like an appealing option. Thank you for reading, sweeties.**

* * *

Naruto was a nervous wreck. He watched the woman before him put on an expression of suspicion. The look made him even more anxious. He even considered just turning around and running away. Somehow this encounter made him scared. The documents Kakashi had given him, had told him that the supposed address of Gaara's sister was actually located in the same city he lived in. He'd instantly decided to take his chances on it. But now he almost wished he hadn't. The possibility that the woman in front of him might've been Gaara's older sister was intimidating. Also, the possibility that she wasn't, was equally as horrible. But in case she was, he would have to try to have a discussion with her that most likely wouldn't end well. If she wasn't, he'd have to live in oblivion for even longer. Both outcomes were just as terrible.

The woman was silent for a long time. She studied Naruto from head to toes. The fact that he was dressed in a suit perhaps impressed her slightly, but even then, she didn't know him. It took way too long for her to answer, in Naruto's opinion. But eventually, she did.

"Yes, I am. And who might you be?"

Naruto might've made a weird noise. That's how nervous he was. The woman noticed that and it made her seemingly uncomfortable. Naruto forced himself to calm down in order to not scare the woman away. He cleared his throat and did his best to the get a grip of himself.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I am a defense attorney. There something I would like to discuss with you", he stuttered.

The woman seemed no more convinced. It didn't look like she was going to let him in. Naruto couldn't really blame her. Had some strange guy appeared behind his door asking odd questions, he wouldn't have let them in either.

"About what?" the woman questioned.

Naruto tried to find the right words to approach a potentially dangerous subject. It was surprisingly hard to come up with words to avoid telling her he was there to pry about her youngest brother. A man she probably hadn't seen in years. And most likely, had no interest in seeing. Had she been in any way willing to contact him, she probably would've. Naruto came to the conclusion that it was pointless to beat around the bush.

"I need to talk to you about Gaara."

The woman's eyes widened upon hearing that name. She looked shocked. But that shock soon turned into anger.

"Please leave", she demanded and made a move to close the door.

Naruto had anticipated it and was quick to stop her from doing that. The woman lifted her gaze up and shot him a cold glare.

"Leave", she said again. Naruto shook his head.

"I refuse", he said sternly.

The woman was getting even angrier and possibly a bit frightened as well. Naruto didn't want to scare her, but had no choice.

"Please hear me out. I need your help", the blonde pleaded and tried to pull the door properly open.

The woman refused to let go of the door handle, but lifted her gaze to face him.

"Why should I help you?" she asked with venom in her voice. Naruto slightly cringed at the hostile tone.

"Because nobody else can", he then said.

The woman seemed to actually consider it for a second. But then her eyes turned even colder.

"I want nothing to do with him", she hissed.

Naruto couldn't blame her. Why he voluntarily put up with the redhead was beyond logic. It'd become evident he was the only one willing to do that. So, he wasn't really surprised by her reaction. The blonde decided to take a less intimidating approach.

"I understand that. I am not asking you to be in contact with him in any way. I simply need answers to questions nobody else can answer", he said, his voice softening.

He even let go of the door to show her that he wasn't there just to make her uncomfortable.

The woman stared at him silently for a while. Her eyes gave no indication of what was going on inside her head. Naruto waited patiently for her to say something. But she didn't. After a while of silent staring, she shot him a glare and with force, yanked the door shut. The loud sound stayed to echo in the hallway.

Naruto was left to stand alone behind the now closed door. He shut his eyes in frustration and sighed. He'd obviously had too high hopes. He felt stupid for even hoping it'd go well. It should've been obvious the woman wanted nothing to do with Gaara. The man had been locked up for seven years and not once had she or anybody else gone to see him. They must've known he was there. They just hadn't cared.

Naruto eventually turned around and dragged himself back to the elevator. He pushed the button to open the doors. He then stepped inside the lift and pressed another button to get down. Just as the doors started to close, the door that'd just been slammed in his face, opened up again. The elevator doors were nearly shut when Naruto hastily reached his hand out to keep them from closing all the way. He made it just in time. The doors slid back open. Naruto stopped to stand and wait for the woman to say something. After a while of hesitation, she sighed defeated.

"Get in", she commanded. Naruto was more than happy to comply.

Fifteen minutes later Naruto had gotten a cup of tea and had seated himself on the living room couch. The woman had taken a seat across him. The atmosphere was tense and slightly awkward. Even though Naruto knew exactly what he wanted to ask, he couldn't voice any questions. It felt rude and instead he just waited for the woman to begin the discussion.

"So who the hell are you? In all honesty", the woman asked soon. Naruto took a deep breath before answering.

"I am Naruto. And I am a lawyer. Gaara's lawyer", he then told. The woman, Temari, gave him a thoughtful look.

"And why are you here?" she demanded to know. It was a justified question.

"I am here to ask things about him I doubt anybody else knows but you", he admitted truthfully. Temari seemed not to understand why.

"I don't think I can tell you anything that'd help you with your case. I haven't seen him years. I know nothing about him", she muttered.

"I know. I'm not actually here about the case", Naruto revealed.

Temari gave him a questioning look. The blonde sighed as he realized he would have to tell about the situation between him and Gaara.

"It's true that I'm his lawyer. But our…relationship isn't merely professional", Naruto said and immediately realized how horribly wrong he'd phrased that.

The woman noticed it too. The blonde was quick to correct himself.

"That came out wrong", he said with a nervous laugh. He quickly became serious again.

"What I mean is…he's in trouble", he then continued. Temari looked even more done with this discussion.

"Yeah. Being in prison usually means trouble", she said. Naruto realized he would have to be more specific.

"I am in trouble too. Because of him", the blonde told. Temari remained confused.

"I really don't understand why you're here. Are you trying to get payback for something or what's the deal?" the woman asked, getting impatient. Naruto shook his head.

"No. That's not it. We ain't hunting each other. Actually, he lives with me", Naruto said.

Temari nearly chocked on her tea. "Excuse me?"

"Yes. It's a long story. But we are knee-deep in shit and I really need you to answer my questions. I want to understand why I am being hunted by yakuza", Naruto eventually revealed the point behind all the nonsense.

The woman's eyes grew cold upon hearing the mention of yakuza. It seemed she wasn't a big fan. She shook her head slightly and gave Naruto a look of some kind of pity.

"I am sorry my brother dragged you into something like that. Frankly, I don't understand when you say he's living with you. Gaara isn't capable of any human relationships. He simply isn't capable of something like that", Temari said.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her. As much as he tried to understand that to everybody else in the world that was true, to him it wasn't. To him, Gaara wasn't like that. But how could he possibly explain that to her?

"I find it useless to try and explain the situation I have with Gaara. I doubt you'll understand. But I merely came here to get answers. You probably won't be surprised if I say that he isn't much of a talker", the blonde said with a smirk.

Temari didn't really find it that amusing. She really must've hated him.

"I don't know what I could possibly tell you. I don't know that man", she said.

Naruto lowered his gaze to the floor. He had a feeling his next request wouldn't be taken too well.

"I know about his present. I know what he's been doing for the last seven years. That's why I'm not here because of the case. I'm here to learn about his time before prison. Before yakuza. Before disappearing", the blonde eventually said.

Temari's face darkened. Naruto had been expecting that reaction. He truly hoped she would tell him the things she knew. If she didn't, Naruto was out of options.

The woman stared grimly at the wall for a while, before letting out a sigh and a tired chuckle.

"I never thought I'd have to talk about this", she muttered.

Naruto just waited for her to continue. Temari turned to face Naruto and made firm eye contact with him.

"I will tell you about him. I will tell you about the brother I once had. But I am only doing this so I could finally be rid of the nightmare we all went through back then. I am so tired of it haunting me. I truly hope you take my burden with you", she said.

Her eyes had turned desperate. Naruto didn't know what to expect.

"I need to know. Please, do tell", Naruto requested.

Temari nodded slowly, before turning away from him. She seemed to go into another place and time. Naruto concluded the time and place wasn't in any way pleasant, as her face suddenly carried a pained expression.

"I no longer have any attachment to my family. Not a single one of them", Temari began. She huffed.

"I heard that father passed away a while ago. I didn't even go to his funeral. I didn't want to. He didn't deserve me there", she said in a bitter tone.

The woman then paused for a while before continuing. She wasn't hesitating, but seemed like she didn't even know where to begin. In the end, she started from the very beginning.

"Gaara is the youngest of three. I am the oldest. Then there's Kankuro, the middle child. I haven't seen him in years, either. I last saw him before Gaara went to jail. After that, Kankuro vanished. I don't actually know if he's alive anymore. His lifestyle back then doesn't exactly support him being alive. I doubt he ever got away from it. He always was a troublemaker", she eventually started telling.

Naruto had noticed that the info Kakashi had given him didn't have any mention of the middle child's whereabouts. If he too was a part of criminal activities, it wasn't exactly shocking news.

"Gaara wasn't. Not really. He was always different from everybody else. Even as a child. He was a fairly happy kid for the first few years, actually. But it didn't last for long", Temari told.

Naruto wasn't shocked, really. He hadn't expected to hear a story of a happy childhood. Even though Gaara had given a statement after his arrest saying that he'd had a happy family life, Naruto had never really believed it.

"When he was old enough to realize he was different, he no longer was able of being joyful or happy. I don't think another five year old as stoic as him has ever walked this planet. You don't think a child could be that way. But he was", the woman spoke, sadness in her eyes.

It was evident she felt bad for the kid Gaara had once been. To be honest, Naruto couldn't even imagine him ever being a child. It was an odd thought.

"I honestly did love my brother back then. What kind of sister wouldn't? But then things started to go wrong", Temari carried on.

Naruto had never in his life listened as carefully as he was right then.

"The thing about Gaara is that he was always exceptional. He was more intellectual than the majority of people. But he was also emotionally unstable", she said, her voice slightly disturbed.

She then turned to face Naruto for the first time in minutes. She sighed again.

"I think I should tell you about our father at this point", the woman stated. Naruto gave her a nod.

"Our father, Rasa, was a powerful man back in Suna. He was the mayor of the town and was well respected. He was driven to do his best for the town and the people living there. It was a question of honor to him. I guess that was admirable in a way. But his determination to have things run smoothly unfortunately made it easy for the mafia to brainwash him. He needed money and credibility, the mafia needed his power. And that's how he ended up going into criminal business. He became easily corrupted", Temari told, evidently bitter.

Naruto was so fascinated by everything she was telling. He had waited so long to hear the truth behind Gaara's façade. And now it was happening. He was beyond ecstatic.

"Father always loved us. At least, he tried. But I know for a fact that it was extremely difficult for him to love Gaara like a father should. Our mother passed away giving birth to him. Father never stopped blaming Gaara for her death. It was wrong to do that to a child, I think. It made the unstable kid with emotional issues emotionally handicapped instead. He just stopped feeling altogether. No human should be like that", Temari kept on talking.

The more she spoke, the grimmer her eyes became. It was obvious these things were something she had dwelled on for years, never having the chance to let them out.

"Now that's where things got ugly. The disappearing emotion brought forward the extraordinary abilities Gaara possessed. The unbelievably logical way of thinking, the amazing physical control and the ability to shut all emotion down for good. Father decided to take advantage of that and deliberately emphasized those traits. Gaara was only ten years old at the time", she said.

The description she was giving sounded quite familiar. It was Gaara she was talking about, no doubt. Naruto noticed the speaking woman's voice become more desperate by the second.

"Then came the day he turned thirteen. The day I will never forget. Gaara had been distant, cold and unpredictable for years by that time, already. But I still loved him like a sister does. My affection of course wasn't returned. He wasn't able to do that anymore. I learned to accept that. But never in my life, not before, not after, have I felt so hurt and shocked as I did that day."

Naruto was on the edge of his seat, just dying to know what the hell she was trying to say. He was waiting for something horrible, but what she said was way worse than he could've imagined.

"That day, father handed him to yakuza. That day, my father sold his own son to get the mafia's protection for a lifetime."

Naruto's face turned white. It took him several seconds to truly register what she'd just said. He hadn't expected her to tell anything good, but he also hadn't been prepared to hear that Gaara had been given into the hands of hitmen by his own father. A person that every child should be able to trust unconditionally. Naruto no longer wondered why the redhead was so incompetent to have human relationships. If the most vital ones had been destroyed right in the dawn of his life, how could he possibly build new ones?

"Yakuza had been after Gaara ever since it became evident he possessed all the qualities that a quality hitman should have. And father gave them what they wanted. That was the moment I stopped loving my father. I cut off all ties to him, I stopped caring. There was nothing I could do to get Gaara back and I was devastated because of it. But life had to carry on", Temari kept on telling.

Naruto couldn't rid himself of the suffocating tightening inside his chest. It made him restless and uncomfortable.

"I've seen Gaara only two times after that. The first time was a few years after he'd been sent to become a hitman. He was still just a kid. Probably sixteen, seventeen. But he looked and carried himself like a grown man already. I met him just by chance. It was at mother's grave", she told, paused for a while, then continued.

"I went to lay some flowers for her. It was her birthday. And as I got there, I saw Gaara. I was too shocked to say anything. And he didn't speak either. All he gave me was a cold stare, before turning and walking away. But the second I saw those hollow eyes, I knew the brother I loved was long gone", Temari spoke with pain in her eyes.

Naruto felt like he should've said something comforting, but he couldn't. There was nothing he could've told her about Gaara that would've made her feel better. So instead of speaking, he only listened.

"The second and last time I saw him was just before his arrest seven years ago. He came back home. He came to me, voluntarily. He simply appeared behind my door one day. I no longer recognized that man. He had become a monster, a machine. He wasn't humane anymore", the woman spoke, deeply disturbed by that memory.

"I remember being scared and sad. But he did speak that time. He told me he'd done something that would either get him killed or jailed for a long time. And that he wouldn't even try to run away. That was all he said. And then he left again. I don't know why he came to tell me that. I never got the chance to say anything back", Temari said, her voice slightly weakening towards the end.

Naruto could swear he could see tears in her eyes. He took the liberty to finally say something.

"Why didn't you ever go to see him?" he asked gently.

The woman gave him a weak smile and let a single tear run down her cheek.

"I no longer had a brother to see. He was only an empty shell, a soulless soldier", she said with a shaky voice.

Naruto clenched his jaw. He hadn't realized the reality of it all. He hadn't realized that there were people missing the Gaara that no longer existed. The Gaara that would never return. Something once dead can never come back and it felt so unfair right then.

Temari suddenly let out a strained laugh.

"Do you know what the saddest part of it all is?" she asked shaking her head.

Naruto simply waited for her to tell the answer to that. The woman lifted her gaze to meet his eyes.

"The reason grown human beings are able to love and laugh and…feel, is because as children, it comes naturally. We never forget the skill to have emotions", she said.

Her gaze then lowered to the floor. It seemed she had difficulties to voice her next thought.

"But Gaara…he never got to be a child. He never learned those things. And that's why never will. He's lived his entire life as nothing but a soldier. An emotionless machine. That's the saddest part of it all."

Naruto wasn't able to speak. He wasn't able to breathe. The tight feeling inside him became worse by the second. He didn't know if the emotional pain was because of the obvious agony of the woman across him or because of the life Gaara had lived. Maybe it was both. He really, truly felt pain. Pain for Gaara. The man he'd thought he would never learn to understand. But at that moment, he did. He understood why Gaara was the way he was. Why he had eyes so hollow. Why he could take a human life and not give another thought to it. He also immediately appreciated a million times more the side he'd gotten to see of him. A side nobody else ever had. And probably never would. Naruto really was an exception after all.

"When I said I want nothing to do with him, I mean it. I'm not heartless, I just have no heart for the demon that took over my brother. Neither do I have a heart for the man who summoned that demon. And that man is my father", Temari soon spoke again.

Naruto nodded slowly. He still had no idea what to say. What could he possibly say? There was only one thing he could think of, and it wasn't exactly appropriate for the mood.

"You said he was taken away at the age of thirteen. I understood that there were records of him 'till the age of fifteen. How is that possible?" the blonde asked a disturbingly technical question.

The still tear shedding woman didn't seem to mind. It helped her to get a grasp of herself.

"My guess is it was a lie made up to cover his disappearance. People didn't even notice he was gone. And nobody ever reported him missing", she said.

Naruto became thoughtful. The yakuza obviously was even better at twisting and covering up their shit than he'd thought. He realized there wasn't really anything he could trust when it came to the case info. It was plausible that everything in it was complete bullshit.

The blonde had another question to ask. Whether it was a good idea or not, he wasn't sure. But he voiced it anyway.

"Have you heard of Akatsuki?"

Temari lifted her gaze and Naruto could see a flash of recognition in her eyes.

"Yes. I have", she admitted. Naruto nodded.

"Do you know anything about them?" he wanted to know.

The woman shook her head. "No. I don't."

Naruto grunted disappointed. He was both amazed and frustrated how little anybody seemed to know of the organization. The only person who really could tell about it actually lived with him, but just wouldn't talk. It was infuriating.

"But I do know that's where father sent him. I got the impression it was the worst kind of place one could end up in", Temari then said.

Naruto huffed. "In that case we have the same impression."

It was silent for a while. They both seemed to be deep in their thoughts. Eventually, Temari turned to face him and gave a weak smile.

"I'd like to thank you", she said.

Naruto was taken aback. He hadn't expected for her to be thankful to him for begging his way into her apartment and then prying about the most painful things in her life.

"I've never spoke about this with anyone. I don't know you, I don't really even know why you're here, but I thank you. I feel a bit lighter. In a way I haven't in years", she said with a genuine smile.

Naruto simply nodded. His reasons for being there were strictly selfish, but if he'd helped her out, it was good. He wasn't coldhearted, helping others was good karma.

"I thank you for telling me. It's a big help", he said in return.

It became quiet again. Naruto soon rose from his seat. He didn't feel like there was any reason for him to stay longer.

"I better get going. Thank you for your help. And the tea", he said and gave her a smirk.

The woman stood up as well and lead him to the door. Naruto was just about to leave, when he stopped upon hearing Temari's voice once more.

"Wait."

Naruto turned back around to face her.

"Please wait for just a second. I'll be right back", she muttered, turned around and walked into a room on the right.

Naruto stayed to wait patiently. It didn't take long for her to come back. She had something in her hand.

"Take this with you", she said and placed the item into Naruto's hand.

The blonde slowly opened his fist to see what'd been given to him. It was a locket. Naruto glanced at Temari with a questioning look. The woman nodded. Naruto concluded he got permission to open it. He turned his gaze back to the piece of jury and carefully, opened it. Inside were two pictures. On the left was most likely Temari. A few years younger, but easily recognizable. On the right was another woman. She looked much like Temari, but wasn't her. She was beautiful.

A realization hit the blonde. It was their mother. Gaara's mother.

"Please give it to him", Temari pleaded with a soft voice.

Naruto closed the locket and turned back to her. He didn't want to tell her that Gaara would never learn he'd been there. So, instead he simply gave a complying nod. The woman seemed relieved. Naruto decided it was best to leave, gave her a polite smile and then walked out of the apartment.

Not long after leaving, Naruto was sitting in a cab. The driver was talkative, but Naruto was too deep in his thoughts to listen, let alone reply. He was consumed by the visit he'd made to Gaara's sister. He had never imagined it'd be as useful as it ended up being. But it had also made him incredibly sad. He was sad for Gaara. Even though the man himself probably wasn't. Naruto couldn't help but to wonder what he would've been like, had his life not played out the way it had. He most likely would've been a completely different person. It was probably not exactly sane, but Naruto felt like Gaara was just fine the way he was. He didn't want the man to be any different. The man he was today, was what Naruto had learned to know. He was actually pleased to have met that twisted bastard, oddly enough.

"We're here", the driver said, shaking Naruto awake from his blonde glanced out the window.

The office building stood tall before him. Naruto had decided to come by in order to not be a complete liar.

The blonde paid for the ride and then got out. He made his way inside and onto the floor where his office was located. Hinata was by her desk, outside his office. The woman turned her gaze up to see him and was seemingly surprised.

"Oh. I didn't expect to see you", she stated. Naruto gave her a smile.

"I just thought I'd drop by", he explained.

The woman gave a simple nod and went back to working. She was the quiet type, always had been.

Naruto walked past her desk and also his office door. There was another door he was looking for. Upon reaching it, he knocked on the wooden surface. A low grunt reached his ears from behind the door. Naruto took the liberty to step inside.

"Hey, Shika", he greeted the man behind a desk.

Shikamaru turned to face him. A flash of surprise passed his eyes.

"Naruto. What are you doing here? I thought you were taking time off", he said.

"I am. I just thought it'd be good to drop by", the blonde explained and took a seat at the desk, across the other man.

"Not a bad idea. You've gotten a few job offers in the last few days", he informed. Naruto shrugged.

"Not gonna take them. I haven't had time off in ages. Plus, I'm still busy with Sabaku's case", the blonde said.

"I heard talk you dropped it", Shikamaru remembered.

Naruto sighed. "I kinda did. But I need the money. It's a high-paying case. So I ended up keeping it."

Shikamaru gave him an odd look, but didn't comment on his decision. Naruto was pleased for that.

"So, did you work out things with Sakura?" the other man asked. It took Naruto a moment to realize what he was talking about.

"Oh, yeah. It was nothing after all", Naruto muttered.

He still felt like an asshole for breaking into her email account. His temper was a burden from time to time.

"That's good. I actually thought about dropping by your house today", Shikamaru revealed.

Naruto had mini heart attack. He hadn't even thought about the possibility that his friends might just appear at his house. Had that happened, it would've been hard to explain why Gaara was present there. And more importantly, how to give an explanation if Gaara ended up opening the door armed again.

"Oh. Well, I'm here so no need for that", Naruto said and let out a nervous chuckle. Shikamaru raised a brow.

"How nice. I'm not welcome", he said sarcastically. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I meant", he muttered. Shikamaru smirked.

"I know. I just like to tease ya", he snickered.

The man then became more serious. Naruto already anticipated an unpleasant conversation.

"I heard about Sabaku's release. I'm kinda worried about you", the man said. Naruto grunted.

"There's no need for that", he said.

Naruto didn't really understand why Shikamaru would've been worried. He hadn't heard about the conflicts that'd happened between him and Gaara.

"Yeah, you've said that. But I just can't get rid of the feeling that you're making this too personal", Shikamaru stated.

Naruto kind of wanted to laugh out loud. He was way beyond that already. But he couldn't let the other man know that.

"Don't worry. Seriously. I'm fine", he lied quite skillfully.

"Yeah, yeah. I know you probably are. But I'm your friend. I have the right to worry about you", Shikamaru said with a smirk.

Naruto chuckled. "Sure."

The blonde glanced at the clock on the wall. He then turned back towards his friend.

"I gotta get going again. I have to grab a few things from my office and then hurry to the post office", Naruto informed. Shikamaru gave him a nod.

"Okay. I'll come by this weekend", he declared.

Naruto wanted to cringe, but didn't let the other man see that. He would have to make Gaara disappear if Shikamaru turned up.

"Okay. Just gimme a call before you drop by. Sakura talked something about us going to visit her parents this weekend", the blonde came up with a white lie.

Shikamaru complied with a nod. Naruto said his goodbyes and then left the room. He quickly went by his own office to grab some papers and then hurried to get out of the building. He actually did have to go by the post office. He had about an hour before closing time.

The blonde decided it'd be faster to go by foot, so he rushed down the street to make it in time. He did make it and stepped into the building, only to find a queue longer than one to a women's restroom at a nightclub. Naruto let out a sigh, but took his place as the last one in line.

Naruto was determined to get the package waiting for him. Before he and Gaara had left Fuchu, the blonde had packed up the knife he'd taken form the dead guy and sent it to himself. Since weapons weren't allowed on planes, it'd been the only way to keep it. It was perhaps ridiculous to go that far for a simple knife, but Naruto liked it. So, why not?

After twenty five minutes of excruciating waiting, Naruto finally had gotten his package and was once again in a cab, on his way home. Thankfully the traffic wasn't too bad and it didn't take long for him to get home. He paid the driver, got out and walked to the front door. He then unlocked the door and pushed it oped. What Naruto saw in the hallway of his house, nearly made him shit his pants.

There was someone welcoming him. Someone that walked on four legs, had black fur and teeth sharp as razors. A scary fucking Doberman was intently staring at him. Naruto let out the girliest shriek ever. He didn't even know he was capable of letting out a noise like that, before it actually just happened.

Gaara appeared in the hallway. He casually leaned against the wall and smirked at Naruto's reaction.

"Hey, princess. Welcome home", he said, his deep voice decorated with sadistic amusement.

Naruto's jaw dropped and he directed a murderous glare at the redhead.

"_What the fuck is that thing?_" the blonde growled.

Had there not been an intimidating lump of beast separating Naruto from Gaara, he would've beaten the shit out of him. Gaara just tilted his head slightly.

"It's a dog", he said, even though he knew that was not what Naruto had meant. The blonde wished he could've killed the man with an intense glare.

"Yes, I fucking see that. Why is that thing in my house?"

"I got it for us", Gaara said like it was no big deal.

Naruto had thought his jaw couldn't drop any lower, but he proved himself wrong. It took him a while to be able to say anything else than a series of curse words.

"A dog? And more importantly, _us_?" he hissed. Gaara's face remained as blank as ever.

"Yes, a dog. And yes, us", he said simply.

The blonde shook with irritation. "I don't remember requesting one."

Naruto was so ready to rip his head off. The blonde glanced at the beast still staring at him. He wasn't happy at all.

"Oh my fucking god. Is that thing's teeth filed?" he asked with a growl.

Gaara just nodded. Naruto was beyond words. He hadn't ever expected to be in a situation where a homicidal maniac moves into his house and then gets a dog for them. It was too ridiculous to even sound real. But unfortunately, it was all too real.

"Isn't that like animal cruelty? And where did you even get that monster?" Naruto asked and walked past the dog, his back pressed against the wall. He didn't want to go near it.

"From a guy who trains guard dogs", Gaara answered.

"Why?" was the only thing Naruto could come up with.

Gaara looked at him like it should've been the most obvious thing in the world.

"To have someone warn about intruders. Your alarm system obviously doesn't do shit", he stated. Naruto just let out a sigh.

"What the hell, dude? You can't just get _us_ a dog", the blonde muttered.

Gaara shrugged. "I just did."

The most horribly reasoned comeback ever. But a true statement, nevertheless. Naruto sighed again.

"How am I supposed to explain that thing to Sakura?" he whined desperate.

"I'll handle it", Gaara said.

Naruto rolled his eyes. The worst part was that it would probably work.

"Whatever. Just remember to take your shirt off while explaining why that monstrous thing in here", Naruto growled and finally got to take off his shoes and jacket.

He wanted to get out of his suit as quickly as possible. It was the most uncomfortable thing in the world, to be honest. He obviously had chosen the wrong profession when it came to clothing.

"Have you named that thing?" Naruto asked as he yanked off his dress coat and loosened his tie.

He laid a cold glare at the animal. Gaara shook his head.

"No."

Naruto raised a brow. "Well if you're gonna keep it, name it."

Gaara stared at the dog for a while.

"You name it", he then said and turned back towards Naruto.

The blonde was ruffling up his hair to look less 'lawyer' and more 'broke ass homeless person'. Naruto stopped to stare at the dog. He then grunted.

"I'm gonna name it Thing", he decided.

Gaara chuckled, but didn't protest. Naruto doubted he even cared what it was called. Even though Naruto gave it a name, he didn't like the damn thing a bit more.

"I won't be the one to take it out, just so you know", he informed Gaara and moved to get to the kitchen.

Gaara followed him and so did…Thing.

"True. _We_ will", the redhead stated. Naruto shot him a glare.

"I don't think so. I'm gonna get rid of that creature as soon as possible", he muttered and picked up the post package he'd placed on the kitchen counter.

Gaara moved a bit closer to him and went to lean against the counter.

"Don't sulk, blondie", he chuckled and reached to yank the blonde by his tie.

Naruto let out a noise as he was forced to lean closer.

"Just play house with me, eh?" Gaara said, just an inch away from Naruto's face.

Naruto glared at him for a while, but eventually let out a sigh of defeat. He hated that Gaara had a face he just couldn't say no to.

"Fuckin' fine. The dog can stay. Maybe I'll just throw you out instead", he sneered. Gaara chuckled and pulled Naruto even closer.

"You wouldn't do that", he said.

Naruto fought to not press himself closer against the other man. He hated that it got gradually harder day by day. He let out a grunt.

"Stop that. I need to open this", Naruto said and lifted up the post package in his hand.

Gaara glanced at it and then let go of the blonde's tie and waist.

"What is it?" he asked.

"A knife", Naruto told as he ripped open the paper wrapped around the package.

"A knife?" Gaara questioned.

"Yeah. I took it off the guy I killed in Fuchu", Naruto said and opened the cardboard box under the paper.

He pulled out the knife. It was just as sweet as he remembered.

"Why?" Gaara asked.

"I liked it", was Naruto's answer. Gaara huffed. "You're weird."

The blonde chuckled. He studied the knife in his hand, quite fascinated.

"Maybe. I've actually taken something from every guy we've killed", he suddenly revealed. Gaara raised a brow.

"I took all of their tags", Naruto clarified. Gaara made a face.

"Why the hell?" he questioned. Naruto shrugged.

"Dunno. By the way, where's Sakura?" he asked as he realized he hadn't seen her all day.

"No idea. She left early in the morning", the redhead told.

As soon as Gaara had finished that sentence, a rattling of keys could be heard. Naruto flinched. He hastily put the knife back into the box and then shoved it into the cabinet next to him. He then realized there was a much bigger issue. There was still a dog sitting in the kitchen. A dog Naruto had no way of explaining.

The blonde never got the chance to do anything about it, as his wife had already unlocked the door and pushed it open. The dog immediately started barking. The pink haired woman let out a startled cry and rushed back outside, slamming the door shut again. Naruto turned to glare at Gaara.

"How exactly do you suppose we're gonna get away with this?" he hissed.

The redhead just glanced at him. Gaara then let out a simple shush and the animal went silent.

Naruto turned to watch him eyes wide. "Why does that thing obey you?"

"Cause I'm fucking awesome in every possible way", Gaara muttered and then moved towards the front door.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the man's ridiculous response and watched as he opened the door. A panicked Sakura stood outside. Gaara flashed her a charming fake smile. Naruto gagged just a bit.

"No worries, love, he ain't gonna hurt you", the redhead assured. Sakura had an expression Naruto wasn't able to put into words.

"What the hell is that dog doing here?" Sakura stuttered out.

Gaara's eye twitched at the sharp sound that the woman let out, but forced himself to not get irritated.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but a friend of mine in town asked me to look after his dog. I hope you don't mind", the redhead said, his voice sickly sweet.

Sakura's shock and fright melted away in a second. But the unsure look in her eyes remained.

"I..I don't. It's just that I'm sort of scared of dogs that big", she muttered.

Gaara decided it was time to take out the big guns. He reached to touch her arm as if passing. The woman blushed violently.

"Don't worry. I promise you won't even notice it exists", he assured and pulled his hand away.

Sakura was too flushed to reply, so she just nodded and hastily walked past Gaara to get inside. The redhead gave Naruto an obnoxious smirk. Naruto gave him a death glare. Sakura tried her best to stay as far away as possible from the dog. She made her way to the kitchen and stopped to stare at the creature. It was a scary looking thing, nobody could blame her for nearly wetting herself. At least Naruto couldn't.

"Ha…I guess I have to try to get to know this guy then, huh?" Sakura muttered nervously and kneeled down to be on the same level as the dog.

It gave her no sign of acknowledgment. She was sort of relieved for that.

"Oh well, I guess he doesn't like me. Too bad", she then said, obviously not meaning it.

"I'm gonna go take a shower", Sakura said, getting an excuse to leave the room and disappeared in a flash.

Gaara and Naruto got left alone. The blonde shot a cold glare at the other man. Gaara chuckled.

"Don't be jealous. It's only a matter of convenience", he said.

Naruto rolled his eyes and huffed. He wasn't jealous. Not really.

No, actually he was. But the horrible thing was that it wasn't his wife he was jealous of. He wanted to slap himself.

"Do you still have those tags ya talked about?" Gaara suddenly asked. Naruto raised a brow. "Yeah. Why?"

"Go get them", the man demanded. Naruto grunted, but moved to do as said.

"It wouldn't kill ya to ask nicely", the blonde muttered. Gaara gave him a smirk.

"Well excuse me. Would you be kind and get the tags, sweetheart?" the redhead sneered. He got the finger.

Naruto disappeared from his view. Gaara remained leaning against the kitchen counter. He glanced at the dog sitting next to him. Getting that animal had seemed like a good idea. But then again, Gaara might've been a bit too anxious about Naruto's well-being to be fit to make decisions at the time. It didn't really matter anymore. The dog was there already. It seemed like a good one. Gaara liked it. Naruto didn't, but he didn't really give a shit.

The redhead beckoned the dog to him. Thing, as the blonde had kindly named him, did as told and stopped to sit in front of Gaara. The man stared at it for a while, before signing for it to stand up. Thing did as told, again. It rose to stand on two feet and placed its front paws against Gaara's chest. The redhead got a wet, slimy kiss. Kind of disgusting, but he didn't mind.

A weak smile appeared onto his lips. He liked the animal, to be honest. The guy he'd gotten it from, had been a shady man. But apparently knew how to train dogs. It seemed the dog was obedient, when the right commands were used. Gaara doubted he'd ever seen a dog as amenable as this one. Maybe that would help Naruto learn to like the animal.

Gaara noticed that the blonde had appeared back into the kitchen. He stood in the doorway and watched the redhead get uncharacteristically affectionate with the dog. When he noticed Naruto's presence, he turned towards the man and commanded the dog to get down. It did as told. Naruto smirked knowingly. Gaara made a face.

"Ha. Softie", the blonde snickered and stepped closer to the redhead.

Gaara decided not to reply that remark. Naruto then placed a bunch of tags on the counter.

"That's all of them. What do you need them for?" he asked.

Gaara picked one up. He studied it for a while, before moving on to the next one. The man went through all of them.

"Gimme some paper and a pen", he soon requested.

Naruto raised a questioning brow, but gave him what he asked for. The man then started to write down numbers and letters. It took about twenty minutes, before he stopped writing. With a last glance at the writing, Gaara handed the sheet of paper to the blonde. Naruto turned to see it. The thing was filled with scribble he had no way of understanding. It might as well have been complete gibberish; he wouldn't have known the difference. He gave Gaara a strong 'are you serious'-glare. The man sighed and snatched the paper back.

"I broke parts of the codes", he said. Naruto tilted his head curiously and waited for him to continue.

"I was curious as of what kind of hitmen they've sent after us", the man told.

"And?" Naruto asked. Gaara frowned and let out a grunt.

"None of them are high-ranking. They were all mediocre at best", he explained.

Naruto didn't really understand the logic behind this.

"They know that sending shit like that won't stand a chance against me", Gaara clarified. Naruto furrowed his brow.

"So what's the point of it?" he asked. Gaara seemed thoughtful. He took his time to answer that question.

"Most likely it's a distraction. They want to keep us busy to buy time", the redhead reasoned.

"Buy time for what?" Naruto asked. "I don't know", Gaara admitted.

Both men were silent for a while. To be honest, it wasn't good news. Naruto had already known that the guys till then hadn't been the top of their class, so to speak. Killing them had been too easy. And the blonde had anticipated for something like this to happen. But the problem was that they had no way of knowing when, where or how yakuza would finally decide to get serious. Kind of a stressful situation, to say the least.

Naruto let out a huff.

"I'm not in the mood to think about that now. I won't stress it before it's a real problem", he declared. Gaara glanced at him and let out a grunt.

"Yeah. I guess so", he muttered.

Naruto's focus went back to the newly attained "family member". The dog just sat and stared at him.

"He looks like he's about to piss on the fuckin' floor", Naruto said.

Gaara turned to look at…Thing. He still felt like it was an odd name.

"Maybe it should be taken out", Gaara concluded.

"You don't say?" Naruto said sarcastically.

The redhead sighed and pushed himself away from the counter. He then disappeared into the hallway. When he came back, he was carrying a long, heavy metal chain. Naruto made a face at it.

"That's what you're gonna put on him?" he then asked.

Gaara nodded. "Well, there's not that many choices, now is there?"

Naruto sighed a long, tired sigh. He couldn't believe what he would have to do. He was still hangover and didn't feel like going anywhere, but there wasn't really a choice. The blonde glanced at the time and then turned back to Gaara.

"We need to go to a fuckin' pet store", he mumbled. The redhead gave him no reaction.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "C'mon. Take that…Thing and let's go."

A while later, the two of them were walking towards the city, Thing trotting next to them. Naruto was tired and cranky. Gaara wasn't a fan of that.

"Stop sulking", the redhead said. The blonde gave him a glare.

"I have the right to sulk as much as I want. I had a long day, I'm hangover and came home to find out that you'd decided to get _us_ a dog", he hissed emphasizing the word that was the most twisted part of it all.

Gaara rolled his eyes at all the drama radiating from the other man.

"Yes. I got a dog without asking you. Get over it. We ain't married", he muttered.

"Thank god not", Naruto mumbled and took out a pack of cigarettes.

"And that's more the reason why you shouldn't be getting things for both of us", he pointed out and lit up a smoke.

"And besides, even married people don't get extensions to the family without asking", Naruto carried on complaining.

Gaara got tired of his whining. He stopped walking and grabbed the blonde by the wrist to stop him too. Naruto turned to see him, only to get dragged closer.

"Stop whining or I'll go and adopt a fuckin' baby for us. Then you'll have a real reason to complain", he said smirking.

Naruto rolled his eyes and blew a puff of smoke into the other's face.

"I thank the Devil gay adoption is illegal", he said sarcastically. Gaara let out a long, long sigh.

"I give up. I can't make you stop whining. Mission impossible, literally."

It didn't take too long for them to reach the city. Naruto guided them to the only pet store he knew and stepped inside, Gaara and the dog trailing him. The blonde cringed at the smell of the place. He hated these stores. They reeked of a hundred different animals and he just hated it. But the blonde forced himself to suck it up and they actually did get the things needed. They had an argument over who'd pay for all that crap. Their bickering made the cashier mistake them for a couple, which was...awkward. But the important thing was that Naruto won the argument and Gaara ended up paying. After all, he was the one who dragged that monster home.

When they eventually got back to the house, Naruto was ready to just drop down and fall asleep against the front door. Gaara forced him to get inside in the end. Sakura was sitting by the kitchen table, eating supper. She slightly flinched at the sight of the dog.

"Oh. You're back. Where were you?" the woman asked and was glad she was on the further side of the round table.

Naruto let out a groan of agony and slumped down to sit. Gaara took a seat next to him.

"In a damn pet store. God I hate those places", the blonde muttered. Sakura simply nodded and went back to eating.

Naruto concluded that he too was hungry, but felt like it was way too much work to get up and actually have food. The blonde turned towards his wife.

"Sweetie, would you please give me something to eat?" he pleaded with puppy eyes. Sakura gave him a bored look.

"I don't think so. You're a big boy", she said and dismissed his whining.

Naruto then turned towards Gaara and stared at him with pleading eyes. He didn't even get a chance to say anything, before the man declined.

"No."

Naruto sighed and eventually pulled himself up. He dragged himself to the stove and tiredly took himself a plate. He heard Gaara speak again.

"Since you're there already, gimme some too, will ya?"

Naruto shot a cold, cold glare at him.

"No. You are so annoying", he refused.

"He is a guest, Naruto", Sakura spoke, not even sparing a glance to him.

The blonde wanted to throw the plate at Gaara, but gritted his teeth and eventually complied. With a walk filled with attitude, he made his way back to the table and gave the other man what he'd asked for. With a side of murderous glaring, of course. He just got an obnoxious smirk in return.

They ate in silence. By the time he was done, Naruto was so ready to fall asleep, he nearly did, right there at the table. He took his dishes away and was just about to announce he would be going to bed, when Sakura cut him off.

"You can't go to sleep yet. The bathroom sink downstairs is leaking. I need you to fix it before we have water all over the place", she informed.

Naruto let out a sound of complete exhaustion.

"Are you serious?" he croaked.

"Yes", the woman said simply and gave him a meaningful look.

The blonde stared at her for a while, only to be stared back at with a murderous glare. He let out a sigh of defeat.

"Fuckin' fine", he muttered and marched out of the room.

Naruto walked to the closet in the hallway and opened it up. He pulled out a toolbox, closed the door and made his way downstairs. He got to the bathroom and crouched down to take a look at the pipes underneath the sink. It was leaking, all right, but it wasn't like it couldn't have waited 'till tomorrow. But because Sakura had decided that this pathetic leak was comparable to a tsunami, the blonde had to fix it. Or suffer the consequences. And that, he didn't want.

The blonde let out a groan and defeated, laid himself to lie beneath the sink. He then opened the tool box. He took out what he needed and was about to pretend he knew what he was doing, when he noticed Gaara coming down the stairs. Thing trailing behind him, of course. How exactly a full grown dog could get that attached to someone in just a few hours, was beyond him.

The redhead appeared in the doorway and watched Naruto struggle with pretty much everything. He was just way too tired to do this. Gaara let him be pissed off for a while, before chuckling.

"I'll do it", he said and crouched down next to the blonde.

"No", Naruto protested just for the love of it.

Gaara rolled his eyes and yanked the blonde up by the waist. Naruto let out a yelp. The redhead dismissed all his protest, pushed him further away from the sink and took his place. Naruto kind of wanted to complain, but found himself too tired to do that. So instead, he sat on the floor and let himself lean against the wall.

Gaara lost his mind about a million times trying to get the thing to not leak. He wasn't a big fan of any type of domestic shit, but it was too late to complain. It took him nearly half an hour to get the thing working properly. When the redhead was finally done, he pulled himself up to sit. His gaze went to the blonde, still sitting next to him. He'd been quiet for a long time and Gaara now knew why. The man had fallen asleep sitting up. He was leaning against the wall, his head hanging down and was fast asleep. How he was able to do so in that position, was beyond logic. Gaara chuckled. What a moron.

The redhead stopped to stare at him. The man looked so peaceful. He had the face of a fucking angel. Gaara sort of hated it, because he couldn't stop himself from getting captured by it. Gaara had noticed that Naruto never looked so calm awake. It was like being unconscious was the only time he could be free of his demons. Gaara had started to hope he'd see him as peaceful awake as he was now. That he could take his demons away. He didn't know why, really. And the problem was that he himself was one of those demons.

Gaara reached out his hand and tilted the blonde's head upwards, to see him properly. He was so deep asleep, it was ridiculous. His lips were slightly parted. The redhead found himself staring at them. It was hard not to. Gaara was forever confused as of why he seemed to react like a magnet when it came to the blonde. He just couldn't keep from staring him, touching him. It was odd and unexplainable. But true as fuck.

The pale man traced Naruto's lower lip with his thumb. It was a bad idea, to be honest. Because the next thing Gaara knew, he'd leaned forward and pressed his lips against the blonde's. The blonde that was fast asleep and had no idea what was happening. It was better that way. Gaara wouldn't have to explain anything. And he wouldn't have to pull away. He didn't want to. He was well aware that the other man's wife was upstairs and could've appeared there any second, but he didn't really give a shit.

Gaara eventually backed away. But just for a second. He made sure the other one wasn't waking up, before leaning in again. And again. He did it more times than he could count. It felt kind of wrong, considering the other one wasn't even in this world, but he didn't want to stop. He wouldn't get to do this again. He knew that. And that's why he didn't stop.

At some point, Gaara placed his hand to touch the side of the blonde's face. Naruto slightly leaned against his hold in his sleep. The redhead thought he'd woken up. He nearly backed away all together, but realized the man was still asleep. He stopped to stare at him again. He hesitated to do it anymore, but eventually kissed him just once more. Gaara was about to pull away, wake the man up and pretend it never happened, when he suddenly felt the other's lips move against his. A hand came to weakly pull him closer by the waist. Gaara didn't even have to think about it, he complied without doubt. The blonde hesitated for just a second, before kissing him slowly. Gaara let out a small noise. Naruto finally opened up his eyes and broke away just slightly. The paler one met his gaze.

"I told you never again. You just don't listen to me, do you?" Naruto whispered. Gaara brushed his lips against the blonde's.

"I never do", he said and closed the distance between them.

Naruto didn't protest, didn't push him away. But he did soon pull away enough to speak again.

"If I wasn't still half asleep, I'd kick ya in the face", Naruto muttered.

Gaara smirked against his lips. The blonde hesitated, but then slowly lifted a hand to touch the other's face. The redhead reached to place his hand on top the other's.

"You are totally taking advantage of my defenseless state", Naruto spoke quietly, yet jokingly.

Gaara let his forehead rest against the other's.

"I'm a bad man after all, ain't I?" he muttered, feeling the others man's warm breath against his face.

"Yeah, you are", Naruto agreed. He then slowly opened his eyes to see the other one. "Never change."

Gaara opened his eyes to meet the other's gaze. He had a look in his eyes Naruto wasn't able to describe. The man said nothing. He simply watched silently, before tilting his head and leaning closer. This time, Naruto kissed him back without hesitation.

The blonde knew he had once again failed to keep his determination. He had once again given in. But he reasoned that he could blame it on his exhaustion and sleepy state of mind. Cause that was just completely logical. Right?

Gaara felt like a weak moron. He'd acted on his urges again. The way he'd lost all control over himself when it came to the blonde, was pathetic. But he had started to come to terms with it. He'd reasoned that after living his whole life free of weaknesses, one would come along eventually. And it had. Gaara wondered if the universe was testing his willpower. If that was the case, he'd lost already. He wasn't used to losing, under any circumstances. But then again, he had lately been going through a lot of things he wasn't used to. Things he couldn't understand, let alone process.

"This is really bad", Naruto muttered against the redhead's lips. Gaara didn't pull away.

"We've concluded that multiple times", he said.

It took an entire minute for either of them to break away enough to speak again.

"Then why is this happening again?" Naruto questioned.

Gaara moved himself closer to the blonde and pressed his face against the nape of his neck.

"It's either this or beating each other up. Maybe we got tired of that", he said.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard, coming down the stairs. Naruto flinched and Gaara was quick to back away from the blonde. They didn't have to look to know Sakura was halfway down the steps. Their gazes remained on each other.

"I don't think we'll ever tire of it", Naruto muttered quietly.

Gaara's jaw clenched slightly, knowing the other man was right. Sakura appeared next to them.

"What are you boys sitting on the floor for?" she asked and nervously glanced at the dog still sitting by the door.

Naruto lowered his gaze to the floor. He found it hard to face her after just having his tongue inside another guy's mouth. Gaara on the other hand had no problem with that.

"We fixed the leak. I did. Blondie fell asleep", the redhead said.

He tried hard to sound as polite and charming as he had till then, but couldn't bring himself to put on that revolting fake smile. At the moment, he hated the woman too much to do that.

"Oh, well, thank you. I have to apologize on Naruto's behalf for falling asleep. He tends to be slightly inefficient", the woman said with a nasty tone.

It was evident she was disappointed that Naruto hadn't taken care of it, even though she'd asked. Gaara found himself to be irritated at her choice of words. He felt like telling her just how fuckin' efficient the blonde was when it came to tearing apart yakuzas or digging graves. Naruto's inefficiency was a fact only when it came to the woman and her idiotic behavior. But he decided not to voice those thoughts to save himself from the blonde's rage.

"I don't mind", the redhead stated and lifted himself up from the floor.

He then glanced at Naruto. The blonde was more tired than a baby past naptime. He'd fallen asleep again. Gaara stared at the sleeping man for a while, before letting out a sigh and crouching down in front of him.

"Oi. Wake up", he said. No reaction.

Gaara grunted, tilted the blonde's head up and quite boldly, slapped him on the cheek. Naruto woke up with a start. It didn't take long for him to direct a death glare at the paler man.

"Asshole", he muttered.

"Yeah, you've said that. Get up. I ain't taking you to bed. I carried you yesterday enough to last for a lifetime", Gaara informed.

Naruto let out a long, tired groan, but lazily lifted himself up from the floor. He took lazy steps to get to the stairs and barely made it up. He then discovered that Thing was trailing behind him. Naruto glanced at the animal.

"I ain't taking you with me", he stated.

The dog tilted its head confused. Naruto gave it a glare, before moving to get to the next set of steps. The blonde didn't have time to get even halfway, when suddenly the dog ran past him. It rushed to the top of the stairs and then dashed straight into the master bedroom. Once Naruto reached the room, the dog had placed itself on the bed. Naruto raised a brow.

"I don't think so. Get down", he commanded.

The animal didn't give a flying fuck about his demand. The blonde sighed. Gaara had followed him upstairs and found himself to be amused of the sight.

"How do I get that dog to come down?" Naruto asked the redhead.

Gaara shrugged and smirked. "Dunno."

Naruto let out a grunt. He had two options; either he would lift that heavy thing down from the bed, or just accept that it was there and go to sleep. After a while of thinking he concluded that his brain was jelly and he didn't give shit about it. The blonde couldn't even bother taking off his clothes. He just dragged himself to the bed and collapsed down next to the dog.

"Kill the damn lights", Naruto muttered.

Gaara rolled his eyes, but did as the man wished. The redhead knew that as soon as the blonde had hit the mattress, he'd been out already. Gaara smirked at the sight, before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

He then went back downstairs. He discovered the blonde's wife sitting in the kitchen, drinking tea. The woman noticed his presence and lifted her gaze to see him. She gave him a small smile. Gaara frowned at it. Time after time, that smile seemed to become less genuine. As did his.

"Would you like some tea?" she offered.

Gaara stopped to stare at the woman for a while. He was silent for a moment, before shaking his head.

"No. I'm going to sleep", he muttered and turned away before she had a chance to reply.

Gaara made his way to the guestroom. There he slumped down to lie on the bed. He'd lied about sleeping. Obviously. But he didn't want to be in the same room as her. The longer he stayed in this house and had to interact with that woman, the more he hated her. She was irritating, displeasing. Even the word revolting didn't seem extravagant in Gaara's opinion. He just couldn't stand her. Everything about that woman made him cringe in disgust. It wasn't exactly unusual for Gaara to dislike other people, but this was beyond his usual reaction.

The redhead stared at the ceiling and tried to push the overpowering feeling of hate away. He wasn't used to feeling anything at all, let alone anything extreme. He found it difficult to accept that there were strange things happening inside him. He'd never been allowed to have emotions. Neither had he wanted to. He still didn't, but it seemed he had no say in the matter. Not when it came to the blonde. It was no longer just pure, raging hate he felt for him. That hate had grown extensions and now involved other kind of feelings as well. Like closeness and contentment. Maybe even some vague level of happiness. At least that's how Gaara interpreted it. He had never experienced happiness, so he couldn't be sure.

The blonde had become something more than just an odd obsession. He'd formed into a focus point. Gaara wasn't sure what that meant, or if it was supposed to mean anything at all. He'd always lived his life with only one focus point at a time. A mission, an assignment. He was used to that. But he'd realized that if Naruto was his focus point, his priorities were seriously messed up. He should've been concentrating on surviving himself, not thinking about the other man's safety. No matter how beneficial the blonde's survival was for him, his own life should've been more important. But no. It just no longer was. Gaara had never before gone astray from the path of a hitman. And never had any difficulties when it came to living that life, and that life only. The blonde had proved himself to be exceptionally distracting in more ways than Gaara had ever imagined. It'd started with inexplicable rage, became an obsessive type of childish irritation and eventually evolved into a real human relation. A twisted one, but still.

Gaara no longer tried to pretend that he could overcome the uncontrollable reactions that man got out of him. It would've been a useless fight and he would only end up even more frustrated. But the redhead still failed to understand it. All he could do was to hope one day he would learn to do that. To understand what emotions really were, what they meant and why the only thing in the entire universe that could make him feel them, was the blonde.

Gaara chuckled out loud.

It was ridiculous, really. The whole thing. The whole concept of emotion. Ridiculous and useless, but he still couldn't run away from it. Not that he was the type to run away from anything. But this just was an obstacle he'd never expected to encounter. Not understanding something made him uncomfortable. Therefore, this current way of living made him uncomfortable.

Gaara was shaken awake from his thoughts upon hearing footsteps in the hallway. They were light and fast paced. It was that woman. A wave of hatred washed over the redhead again. Even though the footsteps passed the door and soon disappeared, the feeling wouldn't go away. He honestly hated her. In a very sinister way. Gaara couldn't shake away the feeling that she had something that should've been his instead. And since there was exactly one thing of hers he was interested in, the reason was quite obvious. Gaara didn't know what to make of it. He didn't know what it meant. It made no sense. But then again, nothing did anymore. Nothing was like before.

That wasn't the only thing that made him dislike the woman, though. The longer he had to stay in her company, the longer he had to watch her interact with the blonde, the more he felt like there was something wrong with her. The sweet, charming exterior she carried had started to crack. He was seeing things that most likely were supposed to be hidden. Lies. To him, she was like plastic. Shiny and pretty, but fake to the core. The blonde didn't see that, of course. Neither would Gaara be the one to shatter that illusion.

It wasn't his business, after all.

* * *

**Oh dear. It's getting deep, ain't it?**

**Hope ya liked it. Love ya.**


	23. The Best of a Million Mistakes

**I owe an apology, people. I've been lazy again. With proofreading. I am truly sorry. This issue will be fixed as soon as possible. **

**To the anonymous reviewer using the alias 'helpful'; thanks for pointing out those typos. I do appreciate it, and I admit I've been lazy when it comes to proofreading. But no worries, I'll go over all the chapters again. Even though it probably takes a hundred years. Be patient, luvs.**

**And to return the favor; I'd suggest you check your own spelling as well. I personally think that when pointing out typos, it's recommended to check there aren't that many of your own. Even when only writing a review. Just to avoid the irony of it.**

**Anyway, please enjoy, sweeties.**

* * *

The next morning was an unusually peaceful one. Naruto woke up early in the morning, not to the sound of the alarm, but simply to the feeling of being fully rested. That was something he hadn't experienced in a while. It felt better than he could've even imagined. The only downside to that morning was that he'd woken up to find a disturbingly heavy dog napping on him. How he hadn't been suffocated to death by that thing was a miracle. Naruto still found the dog slightly suspicious and intimidating, so he was nervous to push it away. Thankfully, it soon woke up and decided to move on its own.

Naruto had gotten downstairs, only to find out he was the only one up. At least that's how it seemed. Sakura was nowhere to be found. She had probably gone out for errands. That wasn't unusual. But the lack of a messy-haired redhead was. Naruto had gotten used to seeing him seated by the kitchen table first thing in the morning. This time, he wasn't there. Naruto had to wonder if he even was in the house.

The blonde loaded the coffee machine and let the black liquid to drip, while he walked out of the kitchen. He made his way down to the other end of the hallway and stopped to stand in front of the guestroom. The door was closed. Naruto hesitated for a second, before he cautiously cracked the door open. It made an irritating creaking sound. The blonde hoped that in case Gaara was asleep, the noise wouldn't wake him up. Even though Naruto thought that, he hadn't actually expected to find the man sleeping. But there he was, lying on the bed, fast asleep. His hair was a mess as usual and he had no shirt on. As usual.

Naruto caught himself staring at the lightly breathing form of the other man. He was as stoic as ever. It was no wonder he couldn't sleep, if he was that tense even then. The man's almost constantly clenched jaw didn't appear to relax even while resting. It was a shame really. Naruto had no idea what he would've looked like when completely free of his demons.

Naruto realized he was staring only when the redhead slowly opened his eyes. He didn't look sleepy like most people do after waking up. It was as if he hadn't been asleep at all.

"Hey", Naruto muttered. Gaara lay still and watched him.

"Hn", was his response.

The blonde waited silently for the other one to get up. But he didn't. Naruto tilted his head questioningly. Gaara grunted.

"I'm in so much pain, it's ridiculous", he growled.

Naruto frowned. "Why?"

Gaara sighed and then slowly turned to his left side to face the blonde. He hissed in pain.

"I don't think the bullet wound is doing that good", the man said and clenched his hand into a fist in order to dull the pain.

Naruto moved to stand next to the bed and then crouched down to get to the other's eyelevel.

"When did you last take care of it?" he asked. Gaara looked like he didn't want to answer that.

"It's been a while", he eventually admitted. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Seriously. You're a grown man. You should be able to take care of yourself", he muttered. Gaara didn't answer that.

Naruto stopped to stare at him, slightly judgmentally. His gaze then traveled to the bandage covered wound. He cautiously reached out his hand to touch it. Just the brush of his fingers made the redhead let out a muffled groan. Naruto frowned even more.

"Can you get up?" he asked.

The redhead slowly moved to stand up. It was evident every move was hell. But he did try to hide it. Naruto had to roll his eyes at that. It seemed Gaara would never admit to being merely human.

The blonde waited for the man to sit up properly, before he reached out his hand again and started unwrapping the bandage around him. The redhead's face was cold and stoic as usual, but the gritting of his teeth gave the pain away. Naruto felt like he should've just ripped the bandage off violently to teach him a lesson and maybe get him to fucking take care of his own wounds. But once the bandage was off, he was glad he hadn't been too rough. The wound looked ugly. How Gaara was able to move at all, was beyond logic. Naruto cringed at the sight.

"What the hell, dude?" was all he could ask.

Gaara still refused to say anything. Naruto didn't blame him, really. There was nothing he could've said that was a reason good enough to let it get this bad. The blonde's reaction wasn't even exaggerated. Not properly treating a wound that deep and fatal was idiotic. Just because he'd lived through the first aid, didn't mean there was no chance of dying from aftereffects. And especially negligence.

"I forgot", Gaara eventually said. Naruto just shook his head.

"You fucking wait here", he told and stood up.

The blonde then left the room and came back a minute later, carrying a bottle of alcohol and bandages with him. Gaara cringed at the sight of the clear liquid. He was not a fan.

"This is gonna hurt like hell. But you deserve it", Naruto said and crouched down again.

He gave the other man no warning as he already poured the alcohol on the infected wound. As much as Gaara would've liked to not show any sign of pain, he couldn't restrain the loud groan of agony that slipped through his lips. It hurt even more than getting shot in the first place. The redhead tried to take a deep breath to keep calm, but even that hurt.

"Blame yourself", Naruto said and poured the liquid again. It stung just as much as a second ago.

"You're an asshole", the man hissed through gritted teeth. His hands were actually shaking from the pain.

"I can always just stop this and let you die, you know", Naruto growled and started putting on a clean bandage.

"That's what would happen since you obviously ain't taking care of it yourself", he continued.

Gaara kind of wanted to smack him, but wasn't physically able to do that. It took all his strength to remain seated up. Also, the blonde was right. But Gaara wouldn't admit that.

"You're a hitman. One would think that you know how to treat your own fucking wounds", Naruto kept on muttering, mainly to himself.

He was repeatedly surprised how helpless the other man could be on some matters.

"You can't get yourself into a shitty condition. We are supposed to fight professional killers. I can't have you in a coma, let alone dead", the blonde pointed out.

Gaara knew that was true.

"I fucking know that", he growled.

Naruto glanced at him, narrowing his eyes, but said nothing. He soon got done placing the bandage. Sighing, the blonde stood up and walked out of the room, not saying a word. Gaara was left to decide whether he would slump back down or follow the other man. He decided on the latter, since dwelling in self-pity wasn't really his thing. It took a considerable amount of agony and work to get up, but eventually he pulled it off. He wasn't able to stand straight, so he walked out the door slightly hunched over. He felt like an old man. Not too flattering.

It felt like forever before he'd dragged himself to the other end of the hallway. Once there, Gaara noticed the blonde standing next to the front door, going through the mail.

"Yay. Bills", Naruto muttered, laying the stack of mail onto the counter.

He then turned towards Gaara. Judging by the redhead's hunched posture, he wasn't feeling too well. Naruto was ready to further blame him for neglecting the wound, when suddenly the sound of fast paced movement reached his ears. Thing appeared from behind the corner and rushed to the front door. The animal sat down in front of it and turned its head to lay pleading eyes on Naruto.

"Hn. I suppose you want out, huh?" he guessed.

With a tired sigh, Naruto turned to face Gaara. He stared at the redhead for a while, before his gaze became chilling.

"Great. Obviously I'm the one taking that thing out, since you just conveniently can't even stand straight. I knew this would happen", he growled while grabbing the leash for the dog.

Gaara couldn't help but to chuckle at the man's tantrum. It was a bad idea. It just made him hurt even more. Naruto, of course, felt sadistic joy over it. The blonde gave him a gloating smirk, before opening the door and dragging the dog outside with him. Gaara flipped off the closed door and then lazily dragged himself to the kitchen. He was barely able to get a cup of coffee and then sit down by the table.

The blonde had been right about him being an idiot not taking proper care of the wound. Not being able to move properly was a bad thing, considering yakuza was out hunting them. There was no guarantee they wouldn't show up while he wasn't able to even walk straight. He knew that firing a gun would be damn painful and fighting barehanded impossible. But he wouldn't let it stop him. He wasn't designed to quit.

It took about twenty minutes for Naruto to get back inside. He still couldn't understand why Gaara had thought getting a fucking dog would be a good idea. The blonde had made it quite clear he wouldn't be the one to drag that creature out, but obviously that's not what happened. Figures.

"I hate you", the blonde hissed to the redhead as soon as he got inside.

Gaara just stared at him blankly.

"It's fuckin' raining", Naruto continued whining. Gaara had to smirk.

Naruto was soaking wet. His hair had stuck to his face and his white shirt hadn't a single dry spot left. And of course, the shirt was now see-through. Absolutely fucking fantastic. At least it'd been relatively warm, if there was anything positive to be found.

"You ain't made of sugar. You'll live", Gaara stated.

Naruto gritted his teeth and flipped him off, before disappearing from the view. He soon came back shirtless and drying his hair with a towel.

"If you don't get better soon, I'll just put you out of your misery", the blonde said as he seated himself down across the other man.

Gaara didn't even try to hide his stare glued to the other's bare upper body. He found it kind of pointless by now. He noticed that the blonde had put on some weight. In a healthy way. He'd gotten more muscular. Not that he'd been exactly lacking them at any point. He also seemed less tired and mentally mauled. Which was surprising, considering that the current situation was the shittiest scenario anybody could possibly think of.

"Being in pain won't stop me from keeping us alive", Gaara said. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't matter how good of a hitman you are, you're still just human", he pointed out.

"It hasn't stopped me before, it won't stop me now", the redhead argued.

"I don't think your willpower will make physical impossibilities any less a reality", Naruto stated.

Gaara didn't reply right away. He reached for a pack of cigarettes on the table, took one out and lit it up. He breathed out a deep breath of smoke, locking his gaze with the other's. The stern look in his eyes stopped Naruto from looking away.

"I've fucking told you, I'll keep you safe. If being human isn't enough, I'll go beyond it. I will not fail."

The almost icy tone of voice the man directed at him, made Naruto flinch. Even though the promise itself was almost impossible to keep, the certainty in his voice made it easy to forget that. Naruto decided he'd rather believe him, than keep on thinking they were just a step away from getting killed. It was an almost certain lie, but still a more comforting thought than reality.

Naruto didn't get the chance to say anything in return, as the sound of the front door opening reached his ears. The blonde turned around in his seat to find his wife step into the hallway.

"Hey", he greeted. The woman lifted her gaze to see him.

"Oh. Hey. You're up early", she stated.

Naruto simply nodded and stood up to walk to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a small kiss on the lips. Sakura gave him a sweet smile. Both of them failed to notice the grim look Gaara directed at them.

"Oh yeah, I have some news", Sakura chirped. Naruto waited for her to reveal those said news.

"I've thought about getting back to work", she then informed. Naruto seemed surprised.

"That's good", he then said gently. Sakura nodded excited.

"Yeah. I actually signed up for a medical treatment course. I feel like I'm a bit rusty after being away for so long", she told.

Naruto was slightly taken aback by her sudden urge to find work, but didn't think of it as a bad thing.

Sakura was a trained nurse. She'd graduated with good grades and had worked hard for her career, until Naruto came along. When they'd gotten married, they'd moved to the other side of the county and she'd been forced to quit her job. Naruto had gotten a great offer from the firm he currently worked for, so there hadn't really been a choice. Sakura had planned on taking some time off and then finding a new job. The time off had lasted for four years, so far.

"I'm glad for you", Naruto said and gave her another kiss. Gaara's glare turned even darker.

"Thanks, sweetie. The course starts tomorrow. It's a four day thing", she clarified. Naruto nodded and smiled.

"The thing is that it takes place in Suna", the woman then continued.

Naruto flinched just slightly. He took a quick glance at Gaara. The man seemed unaffected by her words.

"I need to leave today already. Sorry I couldn't let you know sooner. I only got the confirmation letter this morning", Sakura spoke.

Naruto turned back towards her.

"No worries. You'll be back Tuesday, right?" he asked. The woman nodded.

Naruto didn't actually mind her going away. With Sakura out of the equation, he wouldn't have to worry about her encountering any possible intruders. It was actually miraculous she hadn't been home the time they'd gotten in. He wanted to keep it that way. He would have no way of explaining her why a bunch of yakuzas had the desire to break into their house, let alone why they wanted him dead. As well as Gaara, considering that they weren't supposed to actually know each other.

"I'm gonna go pack up some stuff already. I'm taking the train and it leaves at three, so I wanna be ready", Sakura informed and left the room.

Naruto watched her go, before turning towards Gaara. The man seemed somehow grim. Naruto wondered if it was because of the mentioning of Suna. He didn't dare to ask.

Naruto took his seat again. He suddenly remembered something relevant.

"Shit. I completely forgot", he muttered. Gaara just stared at him.

"I need you gone for a few hours over the weekend", the blonde then informed the other man. He didn't seem pleased about it.

"A friend of mine is coming over. He's an attorney. I can't have you here if he's around", the blonde clarified. Gaara didn't seem impressed by his explanation.

"Yeah I don't think so. That's no reason for me to leave", he said.

"That's more than enough reason for you to leave", the blonde argued. Gaara shook his head.

"He wouldn't recognize me, would he?" he protested.

Naruto grunted. He didn't feel like telling that he'd let Shikamaru take a look at his case file. He had a hunch the redhead wouldn't be too excited about it. So, he came up with an excuse.

"Too risky. I'm in deep enough shit because of you already, I rather not get drowned in it", Naruto said.

It seemed like he might as well have been talking to the wall. Gaara didn't give a shit about his opinions.

"Unless you plan on physically throwing me out, which you most likely wouldn't succeed in doing, I ain't going", he informed.

Naruto had the undeniable urge to kick him in the face.

"You're going", he hissed. Gaara gave him a smirk. "Maybe."

Now he was just being deliberately annoying. The blonde once again seriously questioned his sanity for taking that irritating moron into his house.

It was a few hours later into the day and Sakura was taking her leave. She was almost out the door when Naruto rushed to kiss her goodbye. A glaring redhead was once again present. And once again, neither one noticed.

"See you Tuesday", Naruto said.

Sakura gave him a weak smile, grabbed her bag and left the house. Naruto closed the door behind her. He then let out a sigh of relief.

"That's one less problem for us", he muttered.

Gaara said nothing, just stared blankly ahead, looking vaguely pissed off. Naruto frowned.

"What's with the face?" he asked.

Gaara let out a low grunt and refused to answer. Instead, he turned around and walked away. Naruto sighed and trailed the redhead to the living room. Gaara slumped down onto the couch. The blonde followed his example and turned on the TV. The device was as full of shit as usual. But they stared at the screen silently, nevertheless. A half an hour passed before either of them spoke again.

"What exactly are we gonna do with you living here?" Naruto asked. Gaara slowly turned to face him, waiting for clarification.

"You can't stay here forever. The wife will start asking unnecessary questions", he explained.

Gaara turned away from the other one again. He didn't know how to answer that.

"Maybe you should get a place of your own. Somewhere around here", the blonde soon suggested.

He immediately knew that Gaara did not agree.

"That means I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on you. Won't happen", he stated very bluntly.

Naruto rolled his eyes. But the man was right, though. He wasn't ecstatic about the idea of either of them being on their own. It had become evident that staying alive wasn't possible if alone. But they also couldn't keep on telling Sakura the redhead was just a random guy he'd taken in for a few days. Cause those few days would eventually become a lot more like weeks, maybe months. Depending on how long they were able to survive. And if they didn't die at all, there was no knowing how long that time period would end up being.

"Well do you have any better ideas?" Naruto asked.

Gaara's face remained expressionless as always, but he seemed to go through possible options. It obviously wasn't much good.

"I don't know yet", he admitted.

Naruto just sighed. It was damn hard to be in a situation like this. To be honest, hadn't he been married, the whole thing would've been a million times easier.

"We gotta come up with something eventually", he muttered.

Gaara nodded, but said nothing. He still seemed bitter about something. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Seriously, what are you sulking for?" he demanded to know.

"Nothin'", the redhead grunted. Naruto wasn't convinced.

"Bullshit. Tell me. I'm sick of watching that sour face of yours", he said.

Gaara turned to face him again. His jaw was clenched in irritation. He was so close to saying all the things he found wrong about the man's wife. How much he loathed her, how irritating he found her to be. How perfectly fake every aspect of her was, and how blind Naruto had to be for not seeing it. The man actually opened his mouth to speak, but got cut off by the sound of Naruto's phone ringing. To be honest, that was a good thing.

"Shit", the blonde muttered and took the phone out of his pocket.

A familiar number flashed on the screen. Naruto picked the call up.

"Hey, Shika", he said.

"Hey. What's up?" the man asked. Naruto sighed. "Uhm, not much. You?"

"Just left the office. I said I'd be coming by over the weekend, but I thought I'd do that now. I'm not far from your house", Shikamaru informed.

Naruto's eyes widened in horror. This wasn't good. He stood up, not really knowing why.

"Oh…um, where exactly are you?" the blonde asked, pacing around the room.

He would have to think of a damn good excuse. There was no way he could let him appear here now. Naruto wouldn't have the time to get Gaara out and on top of everything, the man was in too much pain to get shoved outside in the first place.

"I'm actually in your driveway. You sound distressed. Something wrong?" the man asked.

Naruto started to panic. Obviously, there was no use in making excuses if he was there already. The blonde spun around a few times, trying to come up with something. He didn't. The blonde eventually grabbed a confused Gaara by the wrist and yanked him up. The redhead hissed in pain. Naruto didn't have the time to care about his agony. There would be a lot more of that coming around if he didn't come up with a solution.

"No, no, not at all. Uhm…just wait outside for a second. I'll be right there", Naruto said and before the man had a chance to reply, he hung up.

Naruto started dragging Gaara away from the living room.

"What are you losing your shit for?" he hissed, but followed the blonde to the guestroom. Gaara got shoved into the room.

"That friend of mine, he decided to show up exactly now. You stay there and keep your mouth shut", Naruto said anxiously and gave the other man no chance to reply.

He just slammed the door shut and turned around to get to the front door. He was stopped by the sight of Thing sitting next to him.

Shit.

He wouldn't be able to explain the dog either. But if he shoved it inside the guestroom with Gaara, it would just end up barking its lungs out.

Naruto let out a frustrated growl and decided to come up with some ridiculous story of why he had that vicious looking animal in his house. The blonde marched to the other end of the hallway and opened up the door. Shikamaru was waiting on the steps.

"Yo. You look seriously stressed", was the first thing he said.

Naruto didn't seem to realize he actually did. The blonde took a deep breath to calm down and gave the man a wide smile.

"No worries. I'm fine. Come in", he said and moved to the side in order to let the man in.

Shikamaru stepped inside, but gave his friend a suspicious look. His suspicion turned into shock as soon as he spotted the Doberman sitting just a feet away.

"What the fuck is that?" he asked. Naruto fought to come up with an excuse.

"A friend of mine asked me to look after him for a while. Don't worry, he won't bite", the blonde assured.

In all honesty, he didn't know if that was even true.

"Okay…great", Shikamaru said, not really coming up with anything else to say.

Naruto's nervousness was yet to fade. The situation was way too volatile in his opinion. All he could do was hope that Gaara would stay the fuck away.

"Coffee?" the blonde asked his friend. Shikamaru shrugged. "Sure."

Naruto went to make a fresh brew of coffee, throwing out the one from that morning.

"Where was Sakura going? I saw her walk towards the town with a suitcase", Shikamaru pried.

Naruto watched the coffee drip, trying his best to avoid the other man's eyes. He found it hard to lie to him. He had always been honest with that man, because it was just impossible to do otherwise. Shikamaru always spotted a lie.

"She's going to some four day nursing course to Suna. She's planning to get back to work", the blonde told.

Shikamaru had noticed the way Naruto was avoiding eye contact, but didn't comment just yet.

"Oh, that's great", he said instead.

Naruto nodded and kept quiet after that. Shikamaru doubted Naruto knew how obviously tense and awkward he was being.

"So are you gonna tell me what you're lying to me about?" he eventually asked. Naruto cringed. He'd known this would happen.

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying his best not to sound out of the ordinary. Apparently, he failed.

"You know that won't work with me. Spit it out, blondie", Shikamaru demanded.

Naruto sighed. He couldn't tell him. Not the real truth. He had to come up with something else.

"Me and Sakura…we're having problems", the blonde blurted out, not thinking it through. Shikamaru made a surprised noise.

"I thought you were the perfect couple", he stated.

Naruto had no idea what he'd thought saying that, but there was no way to take it back. He had to go on spilling out lies after another.

"Yeah. I don't really wanna talk about it. Let's just say it's getting ugly", he muttered, while wanting to slap himself.

If Sakura ever found out about his babbling, he'd be a dead man. Even more than now. An instantly dead man, to be exact.

"Sure. I won't pry about it", Shikamaru agreed and took a seat at the kitchen table. "Pour a cup, will ya?" he then requested.

Naruto did as wished, took a cup for himself too and then seated himself down as well. There was something the blonde wanted to ask.

"Why were you so keen on coming over? It's not like you", he questioned.

Shikamaru shrugged. "Dunno. I haven't seen you in a while."

There was a long pause. Naruto could judge by the look on the man's face there was more to it than just that. Shikamaru saw that the blonde knew there was something behind it.

"And I'm worried. Yes, I still am. I know it annoys you, but I just have this feeling you're not all okay", he said, quickly explaining himself.

Naruto frowned slightly. As much as he was thankful there still were people who gave a shit about him, it really was irritating. And slightly offensive. Even though he was right about him not being okay, it remained annoying. Somewhat childish, but he couldn't help it.

"Don't hate me for caring, okay? We've been friends for a long time", Shikamaru said, sort of cautiously.

Naruto sighed and forced a smile.

"It's fine. I'm fine, too. It's just...the marriage taking its toll on me", the blonde muttered.

It wasn't entirely a lie. Even though he'd exaggerated the severity of his marital problems, it was no bed of roses. The only reason he'd been so unaffected by it lately, was because he and Sakura barely saw each other anymore. Naruto didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing.

"I get it", Shikamaru said understandingly. They were both silent for a while.

"So, have you been working?" the spiky-haired man soon asked.

Naruto then realized Shikamaru was there not only to be a good friend, but to pry about the case. What a sneaky bastard. Naruto smirked slightly and huffed.

"Yeah", he admitted. The man waited for him to continue.

"I can't be too specific about it anymore", the blonde said.

Shikamaru's face went serious. "What do you mean by anymore?"

"I mean it's taken turns that I hadn't been expecting."

Both men were silent for a while. Naruto could see that Shikamaru struggled to decide whether or not he should ask any more questions. It seemed the man had a process of logical thinking in progress. The blonde slightly feared what the conclusion would be.

"I'm gonna ask you something and I want you to answer me honestly", he soon said.

Naruto's breath hitched just a bit. Shikamaru turned his gaze towards him and captured his eyes into a stern stare.

"Are you in trouble with yakuza?"

Naruto refused to answer. Shikamaru saw that.

"You don't have to say anything. Just nod", he requested.

The blonde hesitated to do anything. He hated the fact that Shikamaru had the brain of a machine. His talent of putting things together in order to get the full picture was ridiculously accurate and perfect. Naruto felt like he wouldn't win this fight. So, he nodded. Shikamaru's face remained expressionless. He said nothing for a while.

"I thought so", he eventually spoke. Naruto just sighed and shook his head.

"How could you know that?" he had to ask.

The man gave him a smirk. "I'm smart."

That wasn't really enough explanation for the blonde. Shikamaru saw that.

"You talked about the link to organized crime when you first got the case. An unexpected turn in the case that you can't talk about had to be about it. There's not a lot of things you'd refuse to talk to me about. But I guess that would be one", he further explained.

Naruto huffed. "You're way too smart for your own good", he muttered. The other man laughed lightly.

"That's actually true", he agreed. Naruto gave him a weak smile.

"But you're right, I won't talk about it. I won't drag you into something like this", he then said. Shikamaru's gaze grimmed slightly, but he nodded.

"I understand that. I won't push it", he said. Naruto gave him a nod of appreciation. Shikamaru gulped down the rest of his coffee and rose from his seat.

"I can leave now. I got what I wanted", he said with a grin. Naruto made a face.

"That's rude", he stated.

The man just chuckled and started making his way towards the door. Naruto stood up as well to walk him out.

"I guess I'll see you at the office", Shikamaru said as he opened the door. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. I'm still taking some time off, but I'll come by", he said.

The other man seemed content with the answer and with a smile, he left, closing the door behind him. Naruto listened the man's footsteps slowly fade. A breath of relief escaped his lips. He'd actually succeeded. For the most part. He did end up telling about yakuza, but at least Gaara was left a secret. Naruto felt like he was hiding a fugitive. In a way he was, the law system just wasn't aware of him being one. And hopefully wouldn't be. He had no intention of letting Gaara's confession to the murders become public.

Naruto was shaken awake from his thoughts by the sound of the guestroom door opening. The blonde turned around to see Gaara stand in the other end of the hallway.

"What did he want?" the man asked immediately, as he walked towards the blonde. Naruto shrugged.

"Nothin' much", he muttered as an answer.

Gaara stopped to stand next to him. He instantly noticed the hesitation in the other's words.

"What happened?" he demanded to know.

Naruto unintentionally avoided making eye contact. "He guessed about yakuza."

Gaara's eyes grew cold.

"How is that even possible? How could he have fucking guessed?" he hissed.

Naruto suddenly realized that the redhead's question actually had a pretty damn good point. How could he have known?

Well, he'd shown Shikamaru the case file, that's how.

The blonde cringed at his own idiocy. He had not intended to come clean about that, but he also couldn't come up with any excuses. Naruto wanted to dig a six feet deep hole to die in, rather than admit showing the redhead's case file to an outsider.

"I might've shown him your file", the blonde muttered, his voice so low that Gaara barely heard him.

But he did. The man's eyes hollowed into a state that reminded Naruto of the man he'd first met a few weeks ago. The man that had given out nothing but sinister bloodlust and homicidal behavior. His hands clenched into fists.

"What?" Gaara hissed and stepped closer.

Naruto tensed up. The atmosphere quickly became quite chilling.

"I showed him your file", Naruto repeated.

He wasn't going to get intimated by the other man. Gaara said nothing. He just stood tall before him and radiated an obvious desire to gut the blonde.

"It was before I even accepted the job", Naruto tried to somehow explain his actions. The other man seemed no more convinced. Even angrier, if anything.

"How could you possibly think that it would be fucking okay?" the redhead growled and shivered with the urge to assault the blonde.

Naruto decided to once again cast all survival instinct out the window and stepped closer.

"I think even you realize that taking this job was in no way a good idea. That man I showed it to is a genius. In the word's literal meaning. I had to get his opinion before even considering taking it", Naruto said, his posture defensive.

Gaara was so near to losing his shit, it was ridiculous.

"What the hell, moron?! That's no fucking reason to give out my information to an outsider", Gaara hissed.

Naruto started to get equally as angry and irritated. His hands clenched into fists as well. He had no intention of standing there and get criticized by a man who couldn't even stand straight. A man who wouldn't be standing in the first place, if it wasn't for him.

"Yes it is. And you know what he said?" Naruto growled. Gaara's cold glare waited for him to carry on.

"He told me that taking this job could be the biggest mistake of my life", he then said.

Gaara wasn't too impressed by his words. But his anger had skyrocketed through the roof.

"And you know something else?" Naruto hissed and took another step closer. He was now standing just an inch away from the other one.

"He was fuckin' right. This job, this case and you, especially you, are the biggest mistakes of my fucking life", Naruto said, his voice venomous.

Gaara didn't seem to react in any way at first. Naruto thought he just didn't care. But that assumption soon became dismissed, as the redhead suddenly lunged forward and shoved the blonde hard against the wall. His head made impact with the cold surface, making a sickly sound. He didn't get a chance to do anything before he'd been pinned against the wall. Gaara's face wasn't even an inch away from his.

"Shut up. _Shut the fuck up._" he said, raising his voice.

Naruto did. He was taken aback by the rage that suddenly had taken over the other man. It seemed he cared after all.

"Don't fucking say that", the redhead demanded and tightened his grip.

Naruto actually would've been able to break free, considering Gaara's condition, but he decided against it. Running away from the situation wouldn't have been any use. So, he stayed put and was prepared to hear the most hateful words in the history of time.

"I won't let you say that. It's bullshit and you know it. You can keep on telling yourself that this is a mistake, as much as you fuckin' want. But that won't change the fact that you're wrong", Gaara said.

Okay. That was not what Naruto had expected. And neither were the next words he had to say.

"Mistakes don't make you feel this way."

Naruto just stared at him, looking like an idiot. He wasn't sure what to say. Or if to say anything at all.

"Feel what way? What the fuck are you talking about?" he eventually blurted. It took a while for the other one to answer.

"Like there is a reason to stay alive."

Naruto didn't reply to that. He didn't know what to say. He hated the fact that it was true, but wouldn't admit it. The blonde simply stared into a pair of pale green eyes. Breathing suddenly became really hard. Gaara had voiced a thought both of them knew existed, but neither had said out loud. A thought that wasn't supposed to exist in the first place. It wasn't healthy. It wasn't right. But it was damn true. And that was the worst part.

"You know, there's some thoughts that just aren't meant to be said out loud. That was one of them", the blonde said after a while of silence.

A flash of regret passed the other's eyes. He knew it as well, no doubt. Naruto lowered his gaze. A disturbing sight caught his eye.

"Your wound is bleeding", he said and reached out his hand to touch the man's white shirt. Blood was seeping through it.

Gaara grunted. "I don't fucking care."

Naruto gave him a glare.

"Moron. I told you, that wound needs to heal. I can't fight yakuza alone", he reminded.

Gaara just gave him another grunt. He let go of the blonde's shoulders and lowered his hands. The movement made him hiss in pain. He tried to take a step away, but was forced to lean against the wall for support. Naruto knew that Gaara wasn't one to give into pain easily, so the wound had to be extremely painful. The blonde sighed and went to take him by the waist to keep the man standing.

"You're an idiot", he said.

Gaara would've wanted to make it clear he didn't appreciate the insult, but was in too much pain to do that. Instead of starting another argument, he took the liberty to lean against the blonde. Naruto let him. He hated to admit it, but having the other one close seemed to just get more and more...natural. It made him feel safe, somehow. Like he wasn't all alone.

He let his head rest against the other's.

"You ain't easy to deal with, you know that?" he muttered into the man's blood red hair. Gaara huffed.

"You're one to talk", he stated.

Naruto chuckled lightly. That was true, to be honest.

"C'mon. You need to sit down", the blonde said and helped Gaara to walk over to the kitchen table.

He seated the man down onto a chair. A hiss of pain escaped his lips again. Naruto crouched down in front of him.

"Don't move around. The bleeding needs to stop", he advised. Gaara nodded.

Naruto was content with that respond and stood up. He sighed and turned around to find Thing sitting behind him. The animal watched him with needy eyes. It took the blonde a while to realize the creature was most likely hungry. He let out another sigh, before feeding the dog. Thing attacked the bowl of disgusting smelling content with such enthusiasm, it made Naruto forget for a second just how terrifying creature it was supposed to be. The animal seemed to enjoy its humble meal wholeheartedly.

Naruto smiled weakly, before turning away from the dog. He glanced at Gaara. The man sat still and silent, but Naruto could see he was in pain. There wasn't much he could do about it, really. He figured that giving him painkillers might be some help.

He never actually got the chance to offer them, as the sound of the front opening cut off all his movements. Naruto had no time to react, before the door was wide open and the man who'd just left, was standing there again. The blonde's eyes widened in horror. Shikamaru gave him a questioning look.

"Hey. I forgot my…", he started, but trailed off as his eyes caught another person in the room.

Naruto watched the man's face go through a series of expressions. It went from confusion to recognition, and finally pure shock. Naruto closed his eyes in shame and frustration. He didn't dare to say anything. All of them stayed silent for a while. Eventually, Gaara let out an angered growl. Naruto knew his animalistic noises didn't help the matter at all.

"You still think it was a good idea, huh?" the redhead then muttered.

Naruto turned around to glare at him. Gaara simply rolled his eyes and huffed.

Shikamaru was still silent from the shock. Naruto was afraid to face him. Mainly because he was ashamed of lying to him. No matter what'd happened, he had never before lied about anything to that man. And he'd been proud of that. But like most of his reasons to be proud, it was now gone.

"Are you going to explain this somehow, or should I just leave?" Shikamaru eventually asked.

Naruto frowned in his mental agony and sighed. He didn't know how to explain this. He also didn't get the chance to try, as Gaara slowly rose up to stand. He then walked over to Naruto. Shikamaru seemingly tensed up seeing the famously dangerous man move. Gaara gave him no attention and instead leaned closer to Naruto.

"Tell me, blondie, how exactly are we gonna get away with this one?" he said, his voice low and quiet.

Naruto stopped to stare at him. His gaze let the redhead understand that he had no idea. Gaara clenched his jaw.

"You are a fuckin' moron" he stated, before turning around to face the recently arrived man.

Shikamaru flinched upon seeing the redhead's stoic face. He had not expected him to be so…cold and intimidating. Obviously he hadn't expected to see anything sweet and soft, but this was just ridiculous. The natural killer intent of the man felt like nuclear radiation. Shikamaru wasn't a man who easily became nervous, but even he had to admit this wasn't the time to pretend being unaffected by the man's dark aura. He literally had that. A suffocating darkness surrounding him and the whole room. How Naruto didn't seem to mind it was beyond Shikamaru's logic.

"Don't go crazy. Now ain't the time", Naruto warned Gaara.

The redhead gave no sign of listening, so the blonde smacked him on the back of his head. Shikamaru nearly passed out seeing that. Gaara simply grunted and turned back towards the blonde. He placed his hand onto the side of the other's face and gave him a stern look.

"Don't fuck this up", he growled, before letting go, turning around and walking way.

Naruto sighed. Shikamaru just stood stiff as an iron bar, waiting for something to happen. He was quite happy that the redhead had left the room. He could breathe again. Kind of.

"We obviously need to come to an agreement on this", Naruto soon said. Shikamaru said nothing.

"I won't tell you about it. It's a long story and a potentially dangerous one for you to know, so we'll just leave it at this. But I need to know you won't say a word about this", the blonde spoke.

Shikamaru seemed uncertain of what to say.

"Why is he in your house?" he asked, obviously not having listened to a word the blonde had said.

Naruto sighed again. "What did I just say?"

"If you want to have any kind of agreement with me, you're telling", Shikamaru demanded.

The blonde gave him a piercing glare. It was no use, really, and he ended up sighing in defeat.

"He lives here", Naruto mumbled.

The look on the other man's face was unexplainable. Shock wasn't a strong enough of a word to explain it.

"What?!"

Naruto wanted to hit something. He was pissed at himself.

"Yeah. He does", he repeated.

Shikamaru took his sweet time to recover from the shock, before he was able to speak again.

"Are you fucking crazy? Didn't you listen when I told you to _not_ make it personal? Because this is way beyond that already", he hissed, obviously angered by the lack of respect his words had gotten.

Naruto was frustrated enough to pull his hair.

"I fuckin' know that. _I know._ But it's out of my hands now", he said, raising his voice. Shikamaru just seemed disappointed.

"I can't believe you are this stupid. Is this being done against your will? Because that's the only explanation I'll approve of", he said shaking his head. Naruto really wished he could've said it was.

"No. It's not", he admitted. His friend's disappointment just kept on deepening.

"I have to report this, Naruto. It's against protocol. And common sense", the man said.

Anger flashed in the blonde's eyes. His posture took a defensive mode and the dark aura that normally followed Gaara, took place around him as well.

"I can't let you do that", he stated.

Shikamaru was taken aback by the sudden change in Naruto. He wasn't himself. The change was obvious.

"I don't appreciate your tone", the man informed.

Naruto became aware of the sudden change in him. It made him flinch in surprise. He hadn't expected to get that defensive. Shikamaru was not the person to be directed with that kind of hostility. The blonde shut his eyes and took a deep breath in order to force his disturbing state of mind away. It wasn't the time nor the place for that.

"I'm sorry. This ain't an easy subject", he muttered his apology.

Shikamaru huffed, but nodded, accepting his words. A short silence followed.

"I can't let you report this. I need this job. I need him", the blonde said after a while.

His friend laid a judging look on him. It made Naruto uncomfortable.

"I have to", the man stated.

Naruto sighed. He hated himself for the words he would have to voice. But he had no choice.

"You're my friend. I would never want any harm to come to you. I care about you", he started.

The tone of his voice made it obvious for Shikamaru that he would not be delighted to hear the rest of it. He narrowed his eyes at the blonde.

"But if we can't reach an agreement on this…Gaara will most likely take matters into his own hands. And I can't promise I'll be able to stop him", he continued.

Something resembling fear flashed in Shikamaru's eyes upon hearing that name.

"Or that I would even try", Naruto eventually said.

The look of disappointment and hurt that took over the other's face made Naruto cringe at his own words. He wasn't proud of the words he'd spoken. But unfortunately, this was a time when selfishness was necessary. He couldn't get affected by the pitiful face of his friend.

Shikamaru didn't know what to say to that. He was seemingly hurt and offended, to the point of it becoming the feeling of betrayal. That's what it was, after all. Coldblooded betrayal. Naruto had just admitted that he wouldn't try to secure the safety of his own friend. Just to save his own ass. The blonde felt bad for it, but he had no choice. He wanted to stay alive. He wasn't ready to die. And getting separated from Gaara would mean just that, inevitable death.

"How can you say that?" Shikamaru asked, his voice filled with sadness.

The tone of his voice dug out the conscience sleeping deep down in Naruto. He felt so shitty for saying those things. But he stood behind his words.

"I have to", he said quietly. Shikamaru didn't know how to respond to that.

"You don't understand my reality", the blonde muttered. His friend shook his head.

"I understand that it is delusional", he said.

Naruto's eye twitched at those words. He wished he could've told him just what his reality truly was like. How low he'd sunk. How he'd already hit rock bottom and had no way of getting up anymore. Shikamaru had no way of understanding the fear of dying being a daily burden. Shikamaru was from a good, successful family. He'd been handed all the good cards from the start. He'd grown up in a middle class daydream, gotten all opportunities handed to him on a silver plate. It wasn't the same for Naruto.

He had been alone since day one. He had grown up seeing nothing but death and violence, doing anything and everything in order to survive into adulthood. He was never given opportunities, he'd fought for them. He'd fought the whole way to the place he was now. Not many would've been able to achieve the things he had, with the shitty hand of cards he'd been dealt. Not many had the pokerface to beat life in its own game and turn it all around. But he'd had. He'd made it. And he wasn't going to give it all up. Not now, not ever.

"I wish I could say you're right. I wish I was just delusional. Just a fucking wacko", Naruto said with a strained chuckle.

"But I'm not. This all…it's all real. It's all a reality. And I can't run away. Even if I could, I wouldn't. I wasn't designed to give up. I fought my way to be here today. I'm not giving up now. If you can't understand that, fine. If you feel like your morals won't give enough way to let this slide, that's fine. But in that case, you will be the one with the biggest burden. You will be the one taking away my chance. My chance to survive. My chance to fucking live", he continued.

The judgment and hurt in Shikamaru's eyes took a softer approach as he listened to Naruto talk. The blonde felt no use in acting tougher than what he was in that moment. He just wanted to come clean about how he felt right then. How he was so sick and tired of life kicking him in the face, repeatedly.

"Before I accepted the job, we talked about the hard choices we make as lawyers. You told me that in the end, the decision doesn't really matter. It's always a choice between two evils ", Naruto said.

Shikamaru slowly nodded, telling that he remembered that particular conversation.

"I made my choice. Now it's your turn. Either way, you end up a sinner", the blonde continued.

Shikamaru just stared at him silently. For a while, he wasn't even able to think. That was unusual for a man like him. He possessed a brain that worked like a computer. Any logical problem and issue could be solved in a matter of minutes. It made him kind of confused as of why he wasn't able to answer to the blonde's demand.

After a while, he realized that this problem wasn't to be solved with logic. This was a matter of the heart. As sickly sweet as it sounded, it was true. Shikamaru knew that the logical solution would've been to act according to protocol and report the situation. If he did that, Naruto would most likely end up taken off the job. Cruel, but that was the right thing to do. That's what he should do.

But there was an issue in that solution. Naruto was in trouble with yakuza. Shikamaru had been considerably quick to figure that out. The blonde hadn't been specific about it, but it was evident the situation was serious. Life threatening. If there was even the slightest chance that Naruto's odds of surviving the situation lowered because of him, would Shikamaru be able to live with it? If Naruto died, would he be able to live knowing it might be his fault?

Probably, he would. But would it make his life miserable? Yes, it absolutely would.

The longer Shikamaru pondered what to answer, the more he started to realize how bad the blonde's situation truly was. He became slightly disturbed by the lack of horror he'd experienced upon hearing the truth about his friends position. It seemed that his job as an attorney had slowly, but surely eaten away his humanity as well. Seeing, hearing and meeting horrifying things and people day after day hardened one's soul quickly. It was inevitable.

Shikamaru let out a sigh. He turned to look at Naruto. The blonde didn't seem sad. He didn't seem frightened. He didn't seem like anything a man just a yakuza away from dying would've been expected to be. He was calm and composed. Just stood there waiting for an answer. To be honest, Shikamaru felt like the blonde wasn't himself anymore. Something in him had changed. Maybe that's why he hesitated to help him. It didn't feel like he was doing it for the friend of many years. But then again, being in a position like Naruto's, some kind of change was probably unavoidable.

Shikamaru sighed again, before finally speaking.

"Fine. I won't report it. I'll keep my mouth shut", he complied.

Naruto's eyes brightened right away. Shikamaru was happy to see that. He instantly looked more like himself again.

"But…that doesn't mean I agree with your decisions. I don't trust that man. I want nothing to do with him. Do you understand?" he then continued.

Naruto didn't mind his stern tone, he was too happy to care. He knew that he was asking a lot. Shikamaru was a very honest man. He took pride in keeping his conscience clean at all times. That's why Naruto knew the man's decision was something worth being truly grateful for. Naruto might've become slightly heartless along the rough years, but he hadn't lost his skill to respect and appreciate those he cared for.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. I won't drag you into this. I already promised you that", Naruto said in gratitude. Shikamaru nodded and gave him a weak smile.

They had a short moment of calm silence, before Naruto flashed the other man a wide grin.

"C'mon. I'm gonna hug you now", he informed.

Shikamaru didn't get the chance to reply, as he found himself in a tight hold in the blonde's arms. He tensed up just slightly, but as usual, gave in and with a chuckle, returned the hug.

Naruto was about to say something, but got cut off by the sound of a door opening. The blonde turned his head to see Gaara step out of the guestroom. Naruto was ready to tell him to keep away, but he quickly noticed that something was wrong. As soon as the redhead stepped into the hallway, he collapsed against the wall. His hand was pressed against his side and his breathing wasn't entirely even. Naruto's eyes got filled with some level of concern. Gaara lifted his gaze to meet the blonde's. His hollow eyes were masked with pain. Something was _really_ wrong.

"The bleeding won't fuckin' stop", Gaara said through gritted teeth.

That's when Naruto's gaze got glued to the redhead's side. A red, dripping stain of blood had seeped through the man's white shirt, dying the pale hand pressed against the wound. The blood kept on coming, and the stain only got bigger by the second. Naruto flinched at the sight. He quickly let go of the man he'd had a choking hold on and started to make his way to the other end of the hallway. Before he reached him, Gaara dropped down to his knees.

"Hey!" the blonde called out and took a few running steps to reach him.

The blonde instantly kneeled down beside him. He didn't get a chance to say anything, before Gaara let out a coughing sound and a mouthful of blood slipped through his lips. In the split of a second, Naruto was in panic. Gaara found himself to be in too much pain to hold himself upwards anymore. Naruto noticed that, and quickly pulled him closer, to lean the man against his chest.

"Hey. Fuckin' say something", Naruto demanded, his voice giving away the panic.

He got no verbal answer. Just another splutter of blood, that ended up dripping down his shirt, staining him as well.

Shikamaru stood in the other end of the hallway, watching the odd scene happening before him. He was too surprised to say or do anything. He had not exactly been expecting to see the stoic, redheaded felon to practically crawl out of a room and then collapse down to the floor. The amount of blood on him, and after a while around him, was ridiculous. Shikamaru had no idea what'd happened. He also had no idea what to do. It was obvious that Naruto was panicking. Which also seemed odd and unexpected. It wasn't the kind of panic you felt for a stranger. Shikamaru really hadn't a clue as of what to do, so he just stood there and stared.

"Shit. C'mon, say something", Naruto demanded again.

Gaara not answering made him pissed off and scared. For the redhead to be in too much pain to even speak, meant that he was in a seriously bad condition. Naruto had no idea what was happening, and Gaara not speaking didn't help at all.

"Please just fucking say something", the blonde hissed, almost angry.

The redhead remained silent. He'd stopped throwing up blood, but his body still shook in pain. Naruto decided it was best to lower him down to lean against the wall. He carefully moved the man enough to get him to sit down, his back against the wall. A quick glance at his side was enough to tell Naruto he had to come up with something. The entire left side of Gaara had turned red with blood. And the red liquid kept on gushing out.

The blonde didn't understand what'd opened the wound up this badly. Gaara had been fighting, killing and walking for miles, and not once had the wound opened up so horrifically. Naruto didn't know what to do. All he could think of was to get the man's shirt the fuck off and get the bleeding to stop. Naruto carefully grabbed the helm of his shirt, but before he had the chance to do anything, Gaara finally spoke.

"Don't fuckin' do that. It hurts like hell. You have to think of another way to get it off", he hissed, his lips and face red with blood.

Naruto didn't have to think twice, before he forcefully just ripped the shirt in half. He succeeded in getting the piece of clothing off the other man and as he turned to see the wound, his panic doubled. It looked like he'd been shot all over again. The wound was wide open and bleeding heavily.

"What the fuck did you do?" Naruto asked, his jaw dropped in shock.

Gaara groaned, letting his head fall against the wall.

"Absolutely fucking nothing", he growled with a strained voice.

Naruto just stared at the wound. It looked horrible. He had absolutely no fucking idea what to do. In all honesty, Gaara should've been taken into the hospital. It seemed Shikamaru had the same thought.

"What the hell are you doing? Shouldn't you call an ambulance? Take him to the hospital" the man spoke, finally over his shock. Well, mostly.

Naruto shook his head and let out a frustrated huff.

"I can't. I can't take him", he said, jaw clenched.

It was true. He couldn't take him. The situation when Gaara had been shot had been outside the law's claws on so many levels, he couldn't take him into a hospital. There would be too many questions, too many suspicions and especially, too many cops. As much as he wanted to call an ambulance, he couldn't.

"What are you talking about? He's dying. You need to call an ambulance", Shikamaru said, confused.

He was starting to get anxious as well. It was an unnerving situation, in many ways.

"I can't. I fucking can't", Naruto repeated, pulling his blonde hair in frustration.

He watched the blood flow down the redhead's pale skin. The more it came out, the more he panicked. The wound had to get treated. There just was nobody to do that. It needed stitches.

"Fuck. _Fuck_", Naruto hissed.

He hesitated for a few seconds, before jolting up to stand and rushing away from the hallway, up the stairs. Gaara and Shikamaru got left alone. The redhead turned to see the other man. Shikamaru noticed the gaze on him and returned it, only to flinch.

Even though he was on the verge of dying and couldn't even breathe properly, the redhead still looked like the most intimidating thing on planet Earth. Shikamaru wasn't the kind of man to leave people in trouble and watching the redhead bleed out felt wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to get closer. As much as he hated to admit it, he was afraid of him. He couldn't explain why exactly, but he was.

The longer he got stared by the bleeding man, the more uncomfortable he became. Thankfully, Naruto soon returned. The blonde came running down the stairs, carrying something with him. He rushed back to Gaara, kneeled in front of him and forced the man to look at him.

"Listen to me. I ain't letting you die", he said sternly.

Gaara just stared at him, breathing heavily. He knew that Naruto had something to say, and he wouldn't like one bit.

"I'm stitching it up."

Gaara shut his eyes and let out a strained chuckle. It made the pain ten times worse.

"Fantastic", he said, voice hoarse.

Naruto didn't waste time on waiting for any words of consent. He would do it even without the other's agreement. It was the only way to stop the bleeding.

Shikamaru watched eyes wide with horror, as Naruto opened up a metallic box, revealing medical supplies. Right now it was a blessing that Sakura was a nurse. She had some useful shit stacked away. Naruto didn't find the thought of pushing needles in Gaara as disturbing as Shikamaru obviously did.

"What are you fucking doing?! You can't do that", the man said and moved closer to them, waving his arms in the air.

Naruto turned his head to face him. The coldness in his eyes forced the man to stop walking.

"It's best you leave now. I'd like to remind you of our agreement. You keep quiet and I don't drag you in this. So let's live up to that agreement, then", he stated, his voice oddly shilling.

Shikamaru wanted to protest. He had no idea how he would be able to keep quiet about this. He was too honest of a man to hide something like this.

Gaara had turned to look at him as well. It seemed he noticed the hesitation in Shikamaru's eyes.

"Listen up", Gaara's ice cold voice suddenly spoke.

Shikamaru flinched upon realizing it was directed to him. The redhead carried the same, blank face he always did for everybody apart from Naruto, despite being in horrible pain. It made Shikamaru back away a step.

"Blondie won't hurt ya. You know that already. He is too fuckin' nice for his own good", the continued speaking, but stopped to spit out a small amount of blood.

Shikamaru turned up his nose at that.

"But trust me when I say that there is absolutely nothing nice about me. There ain't an ounce of good in me. Or hesitation", Gaara said.

His implication was quite obvious. Shikamaru didn't even realize he'd stepped even further away. He was actually backing away from a man bleeding all over the floor, a man that by all logic was no threat at all. At least, not at the moment.

"If you and blondie have an agreement, you will respect it. If that becomes an issue, I will personally make sure you pay for it, as soon as I get over this fucking wound. And I will get over it. What could kill evil, after all?" the redhead growled and let out a strained chuckle.

It hurt, again. But what he had to say was more important than any kind of pain. The man the words were directed to seemed to be taking them just as seriously as intended. He wore an expression between horror and anger. It made Gaara amused.

"I'd advise you to do as told. You wouldn't want me to take away what is most important to you, would you?" Gaara said with a smirk.

The spiky-haired man's eyes flashed with anger. It wasn't hard for Naruto to figure out who he had thought of.

"Cause that's what'll happen. I will take away the one that matters. But only, if you take away mine", Gaara then said, his voice so venomous, it made Shikamaru jolt.

The man turned to look at his blonde friend for help, but found it to be no use. Naruto wasn't even concentrating on him. His blue eyes were glued to the bleeding redhead, his lips slightly parted. What he was thinking, Shikamaru had no idea. He wanted to say something to get the blonde's attention, but the piercing glare he got from Gaara forced him to forget about Naruto.

Shikamaru stood still for a while, clueless as of what to do. It didn't take long before the stare of the pale man became too disturbing and Shikamaru was forced to turn away. He decided it was time for him to leave. And that's what he did. As he walked out the door, he felt the need to glance over his shoulder. He never did.

Naruto didn't really even notice his friend leave. His mind was occupied by something else.

Naruto had used the shirt he'd ripped off Gaara to press it against the wound. He tried hard to get enough pressure to stop the bleeding. After a while, it started working. Slowly, but surely. He kept on pressing the wound and just waited for the bleeding to stop.

Naruto felt a stare on him. He slowly lifted his gaze to meet a pair of pale green eyes. The color of his eyes seemed somehow even more cold than usual. Naruto found himself drawn into that stare once again, but eventually looked away.

"What did you mean by that?" he asked.

When he heard no verbal reply, he met the other's gaze again. All he got as answer was a stare. The blonde stared back, waiting for words. He got none.

It was useless to push it, so instead he tried to focus on the task at hand. Once the bleeding finally stopped, there was blood everywhere. Not as much as when Gaara actually got shot, but enough to leave a huge mess. The redhead probably hadn't suffered fatal blood loss this time. Naruto couldn't be sure, though. He wasn't really qualified to make diagnoses of any kind.

Naruto threw away the shirt he'd used to stop the bleeding with and then went on to disinfecting the wound. It was living hell for Gaara, but couldn't be avoided. With that out of the way, Naruto reached over to the metallic box he'd fetched. He took out the necessary items. He felt thankful for actually having proper equipment for stitching the man up. He'd never done it before, but had seen it be done several times. What he'd learned from that was all he could rely on at the moment. Naruto felt oddly nervous as he got ready to close the wound. The blonde glanced at Gaara. The man's condition seemed even worse than a second ago. But he couldn't let that distract him.

Naruto placed a finger under the other's chin and tilted his head upwards.

"This is gonna hurt so fucking bad", he stated. Gaara smirked weakly.

"I've gotten used to that around you", he muttered. The blonde gave him a glare.

"Seriously. This ain't a joke. You ain't doin' good", Naruto said.

Gaara was well aware of that. He had been at the death's gates more than enough times to know what it felt like to be nearly gone. This was a time like that. The feeling of life slowly leaving him had started without a warning, and he knew it was no joke. But he also felt like if he showed the seriousness of the situation to the blonde, it would only make him freak out more.

"I'm fine. Just close it up", he said, trying hard to hide the pain in his words.

Naruto's eyes showed a flash of hesitation, before he took a deep breath to prepare himself for the inevitable.

When the needle finally pierced his pale skin, Gaara couldn't stop a strained growl from escaping his lips. The pain was unimaginable. It wasn't the stitching itself without anesthesia that was painful, it was the fact that the untreated wound was extremely sore and infected. Poking it with a needle was in fact worse than he'd even imagined. Naruto clearly saw the agony it brought to the other man, but couldn't let it stop him.

By the time the last stitch got done, Gaara could barely breathe anymore. Every single time the needle tore through his skin, the pain had gotten worse. He had fought hard not to make a sound, but flinched every time the needle made a new hole.

Naruto was relieved to put the needle away. He had never done that before and hoped he never would have to again. He then carried on to disinfecting the wound once more, before placing a new bandage. As Naruto finished, he noticed the other man's state had worsened again. The blonde lifted his gaze to meet Gaara's. His eyes were glassy and even paler than usual. Naruto reached out his hand and placed it against the man's forehead. He was burning up. Really bad.

"Shit. You have a fever", he muttered.

Gaara didn't reply. He was too tired and pained to even talk.

Naruto knew that a high fever was bad news. Even though the wound was no longer bleeding and had been properly closed, it was obvious the man had a potentially fatal infection in his body. It dawned on Naruto that the situation was even worse than he'd thought at first. The high fever made everything a hundred times worse. It might kill him.

Naruto pushed that thought away as soon as it came to him. He couldn't think about that even being a possibility. The blonde shook his head to clear his mind.

"You need to lie down", Naruto said.

The redhead remained silent, but didn't protest the arm that got placed around him and then helped him to stand up. Naruto started to walk the other man towards the guestroom, but discovered that after a few steps, it became nearly impossible. It took a ridiculously long time for Naruto to get the man to the other room. But once there, the blonde carefully lowered him down to sit on the edge of the bed. Gaara stayed seated there, still silent. Naruto watched him for a while, before closing his eyes and sighing. He crouched down in front of the other man and waited for him to make eye contact. Eventually, Gaara turned to see him.

"Lie down. You need to sleep", the blonde said sternly.

Gaara gave no sign of complying. He just stared silently. After a while, the man tore his gaze away and glued it to the floor instead. He could barely sit up anymore. Naruto noticed that, and was about to advise him to lie down, when Gaara finally spoke.

"You know how you said that some things are better left unsaid?" he asked.

Naruto gave him a confused look, but nodded slowly. Gaara let a weak smirk appear onto his lips.

"I think this is a moment where I have the right to say stupid things. Cause I might not get the chance to regret it", he then continued.

Anger flashed in Naruto's eyes upon hearing him say that. He opened his mouth to tell the redhead to stop talking depressing shit like that, but got cut off.

"Shut up. I'm talking", Gaara growled.

Naruto remained displeased, but complied. The redhead didn't even hesitate to voice his next words.

"You were right about all this being the biggest mistake ever fuckin' made. I sure as hell have never been so often near to dying as I have with you", he stated.

Naruto frowned. He didn't understand the point of this. Gaara noticed that. He chuckled lightly, causing pain to shoot up his side. He decided to ignore that pain, built up the remains of his strength and pulled Naruto as close as possible. The blonde man flinched, but didn't back away. He just waited for an explanation. Gaara smirked.

"You really are the biggest fucking mistake of my life", he then hissed, less than an inch away from the other's face.

Naruto didn't know how he was supposed to react to that. He still didn't understand the point of this. The redhead's words didn't come off as something he usually found better left unsaid.

Naruto's confusion came to a stop, as Gaara suddenly closed the distance between them, and felt the man's bloody lips get pressed against his. The taste of iron filled his mouth. Oddly enough, it didn't make him sick. Instead, his eyes fluttered shut.

The man was gone as suddenly as he'd come forward.

Naruto opened his eyes. The smirk on Gaara's lips had faded away, and his face was stoic and serious. Yet slightly soft, oddly enough. He slowly lifted a hand and reached to touch the side of Naruto's face. The blonde flinched slightly, as the hand slid into his hair and grasped a fistful of it. Not painfully, but roughly.

Gaara finally spoke again.

"But you are definitely the best mistake I've ever made."

Naruto's lips parted in surprise. The hand in his hair let go and pulled away. Naruto looked deep into the other's eyes, looking for any sign of a lie or joking, but found nothing. The man was as serious as anybody could be. Naruto stared at him for a long time, silently. He didn't know what to say or feel. He completely froze.

When he eventually forced himself to function again, the feeling he decided to go with was complete denial.

"You have a fever. You're being delusional", he stated and looked away. Gaara shut his eyes and let out a grunt.

"I'm not delusional", he argued.

The redhead's ability to stay upright and awake was failing. Naruto gently pushed him down to lie. This time, he got no resistance.

They both were silent for a while. Gaara stared at the ceiling, eyes blank and hollow.

"I'm not fucking delusional", the man suddenly said again.

Naruto turned to see him. Gaara had his eyes locked on him. The determination in his voice made it hard for Naruto to argue against his statement. But he still refused to believe the things the man said. He couldn't be serious.

"You need to sleep", Naruto said, skillfully ignoring the man's arguments.

Gaara didn't appreciate getting ignored. Especially not when he was voicing words he never thought he would. Even though the high fever had made his vision blurry, his mind remained clear. He was certain he knew exactly what he was saying. He wasn't fucking delusional.

"And you need to get your head out of your ass. I'm not lying. Not to you", he grunted.

Naruto frowned. He wanted the man to stop talking. He didn't want to hear him say that. He liked his own little world of utter denial and Gaara trying to tear those protective walls down made him anxious. Naruto was well aware of the situation's reality. He knew that whatever the two of them were, wasn't what it was supposed to be. The pure, raging hate between them had become…complicated. It wasn't just hate anymore. It was a million other things as well. Naruto didn't have the brain capacity to understand it. He felt confused and helpless and didn't want to be a part of it. Whatever it was.

"I can't do this shit anymore. I'm tired. I'm lost. Don't force me into this anymore", Naruto said quietly.

Gaara was quiet for a long time. Naruto avoided making eye contact. The redhead eventually became frustrated of getting ignored and reached out his hand to touch the other man. Naruto flinched again, but turned to face him.

"You keep running away. You need to stop that. It's not a solution", Gaara said.

Naruto felt angry upon hearing him say that. He wasn't a runner, he wasn't a quitter. At least he wasn't supposed to be. But as much as he hated it, Gaara was right. He was avoiding the ugly truth. It was easier that way. What else could he have done? Everything was messed up. He couldn't understand one bit of the reality he lived in. He had preferred living a complete lie. The polished façade he'd built had protected him from things like this. From things he wasn't able to understand.

"How can I stop running when there's nothing left to stop for?" Naruto asked, his voice low and quiet.

"I run because I need to find something worth stopping for", he muttered.

Gaara's jaw clenched. He seemed irritated. The blonde didn't understand why.

"You are the biggest idiot I've ever met", he stated.

Naruto didn't know how to feel about that. He kind of expected to get an explanation for that, but got none. Instead, Gaara remained quiet for several minutes. Naruto did as well. He went into some far away quiet place inside his mind. When he finally came back to reality, he noticed that Gaara had closed his eyes. He was asleep.

A faint feeling of panic stirred awake inside him. He had to make sure the man was just asleep. Naruto reached out his hand and placed it on his chest. The redhead's breathing was shallow, but the heartbeat pounding against his palm made him feel a bit more secure. Naruto drew his hand away and moved to get up and leave. He got startled, when Gaara's low voice suddenly spoke.

"Promise me one thing."

The blonde forgot about leaving and stayed in his place to listen. Gaara took his time to speak again. He was so close to just passing out, Naruto was amazed how he was able to form words anymore. The redhead soon opened his eyes and turned his head to face the blonde.

"Even if I don't wake up, you won't give up. Even if I die first, you won't give up", he then said.

Naruto was taken aback. He had never expected to hear such a demand from him. Naruto became angry. Not for his demand, but for implying he'd die and leave Naruto to deal with it all alone.

"Don't say that. You'll wake up. You'll be fine", he said in a heartbeat. Gaara shook his head.

"Just fuckin' promise me. No matter what, you won't give up", he repeated.

Naruto felt a pang in his chest. Gaara was being serious.

"I need to hear you say that. If I die, you need to do this shit for both of us. I need to know you won't give up", he said, his voice weak, but stern.

Naruto was suddenly taken over by panic and anxiety. Reality smacked him across the face. He realized that Gaara not waking up was a real possibility. And even if he did, there was no guarantee he wouldn't die anyway. There was no way to guarantee Naruto wouldn't be left alone. The blonde had been too occupied worrying about his own life that he hadn't even considered the possibility of Gaara dying. He'd somehow lived in a world where that man was immortal. He seemed that way. But of course, that wasn't true.

"Don't die", Naruto suddenly blurted. Gaara just stared at him.

"Promise me you won't give up", he repeated again.

Naruto started to get restless and found it hard to stay still. He was afraid to promise him that. It felt like if he did, he was giving the man permission to die. He didn't want him to die. He needed him. He needed him to stay alive and help Naruto to survive. He needed him in general.

Gaara fought to keep his eyes open in order to glare at the blonde. He stared intently, until Naruto sighed in defeat.

"I promise. I won't give up. No matter what", he muttered.

Naruto didn't feel like making eye contact, but felt the need to do that when giving a promise. Gaara gave him a weak smile. His smiles always ended up being more a smirk than a smile, but Naruto liked that. It suited him better.

"You'll wake up", Naruto said. He wasn't sure if it was meant to assure Gaara or himself.

Naruto watched the other man close his eyes. The blonde's jaw clenched.

"You'll wake up", he repeated.

He got no response. Gaara had fallen asleep.


	24. Fucked Up

**I need to warn ya'll about something.**

**This story is gonna be long as _shit_. **

**I actually have a shitload of text already written, waiting to get uploaded. And I ain't even done yet. So, just so you know; I might keep on writing this 'till I die. Hope ya don't mind.**

**Please enjoy, sweeties.**

* * *

Naruto didn't sleep that night. He couldn't, nor did he want to. He spent the entire night sitting beside Gaara, watching him sleep. Watching him breathe. That especially. Naruto was afraid that if he left, he'd stop breathing. So, he didn't leave.

The fever wouldn't go down. If anything, it only got worse. It made the blonde experience moments of panic and anxiety. He didn't know why he was so worried. The obvious reason was that the other man was in actual danger of losing his life. But why he cared about that, he didn't know. He just did.

The dog, Thing, had fallen asleep on the guestroom floor a while after Gaara. It was a surprisingly calm creature. Naruto found some level of comfort having it there with him. He didn't hate it as much anymore.

Naruto sat on the edge of the bed and just watched the still form of the paler man. The blonde was tired. He fought to keep his eyes open. He wished he could've collapsed next to Gaara and just fallen asleep with him. But he couldn't. He refused to do that. Naruto even avoided blinking, just in case the next time he opened his eyes, the redhead would've stopped breathing. He found that thought to be physically suffocating. As ironic as that was.

Naruto let out a sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose to stay alert. The blonde turned his gaze away from Gaara for just a moment. Constantly watching him made him paranoid. Every now and then he could almost swear the man's breathing had weakened, or stopped all together. It hadn't. He was simply too afraid of the worst.

Naruto reached his hand to the pocket of his jeans. He took out a piece of jewelry. It was the locket Gaara's sister had given him. The blonde stared at it silently for a while, before opening it. Two photographed women stared back at him. The other being Temari and the other one, Gaara's mother. Naruto studied the picture of their mother. The redhead had been right; they looked nothing alike. Temari on the other hand was a spitting image of her. Naruto couldn't help but to wonder what their father had looked like. Since Gaara was nothing like his mother, he probably was a clone of his father. Maybe that's where he'd inherited that red hair of his.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. He was still breathing and fast asleep. The blonde frowned. He felt slightly shitty for lying to him about his visit to Temari. He had a feeling that Gaara wouldn't hesitate to punch him lifeless, if he ever found out about it. The redhead's family relations obviously weren't the healthiest kind. Naruto remained shocked and disturbed to know what the man's father had ended up doing. He didn't feel sorry for Gaara, just sad. And angry. He was angry that somebody had hurt him that way. Gaara himself probably wasn't hurt anymore. Maybe he never had been. But that was only because he never got the chance to be. That's perhaps why Naruto felt the need to feel hurt on his behalf. As strange as it was.

Naruto put the locket away. He didn't want to keep on thinking about his lie. He didn't know if he'd ever end up telling about it. He didn't know if he'd ever end up giving the locket to Gaara. It belonged to him. He should have it. But Naruto felt like it might only end up making things worse. If Gaara had succeeded in leaving that part of his past behind, there was no need to open old wounds again. Or inflict new ones.

Naruto sighed again. He felt the need to get up and walk. His legs were getting numb and he was ready to fall asleep sitting up. The blonde was afraid to leave the room, for obvious reasons. The thought of coming back and finding that Gaara had just simply died, wasn't one of his favorites. Him dying was a horrible thought enough itself, but to think that he would die alone, was even worse. That was the main reason why Naruto didn't want to leave him by himself.

Eventually, the blonde was forced to push away those thoughts and get up. He had to do something else for a while, or he'd end up falling asleep then and there. So, he stood up and left the room. He refused to glance back over his shoulder, even though he wanted to. It felt too paranoid. But he did leave the door open as he walked out. The blonde went into the kitchen, made himself some coffee and smoked a cigarette. He tried hard not to constantly think about Gaara, but ended up finding himself staring at the clock, counting every second he was away from the room.

He let out a frustrated grunt and rose up from the kitchen chair he'd seated himself on. Naruto found it impossible to relax if not being right beside him. He decided to grab his laptop before making his way back to the guestroom. Once there, he seated himself to the edge of the bed and turned on the device he'd taken with him. It started up and the blonde made a few clicks to open up the saved texts he'd been writing down lately. Naruto felt like it was time to update his thoughts on life again.

'_I am sitting on a bed next to Gaara. He's asleep. He's sick. And I'm afraid. _

_I'm afraid he'll die. He isn't doing well. Gaara got shot a while back. The wound opened up again. I ended up stitching the wound shut. Not really my thing, I have to admit._

_He has a high fever. I have no idea how good of a chance he has to survive. All I know is that he seems half-dead and I am panicking the living soul out of me. The thought of him dying makes me physically sick._

_Why is that? Why do I care?_

_I'm not supposed to, am I? _

_I am afraid to leave him alone. I am afraid to look away even for a second. I don't want him to die. I don't want him to leave me alone in this hell. I literally cannot do this without him. I can't survive alone. I don't want to be alone._

_I think I might be going insane. I find it hard to control myself at times. I find myself thinking of things I never imagined I would think of. I find myself enjoying things I never thought I would enjoy. I've found a dark, twisted place in myself I didn't know existed. But I am not bothered by it. I'm not sure if I should be. I feel oddly content to have found it. It has helped me to understand Gaara better. Not that I should understand any part of him. But I no longer am afraid of the things in him that once made me scared and confused. I don't find him intimidating anymore. I'm more…fascinated than anything. He is an oddly interesting person. In a sick, twisted way. I guess I like sick and twisted. At least I'm not bothered by it. I'm not bothered by him, either._

_He told me something disturbingly unexpected today. He said I was the best mistake he'd ever made. I wasn't sure how to feel about it. I still don't. Chances are he was just being completely delusional because of the fever and blurted out things that don't mean shit. But there is also a chance he was being serious. I chose to deny that possibility. I don't know what it would mean. Or if it would mean anything at all._

_I don't know. I'm going crazy._

_Maybe I already am._

_It doesn't really matter anymore. I've stopped caring._

_I've honestly lost interest in most things. I can't bring myself to care about anything else than survival. And Gaara. Him I care about. I don't know if I should. There are so many things I shouldn't be doing, but still am. I guess that is one of them. But it gives me comfort to know I still have something to live for. To fight for. _

_In all honesty, he shouldn't be my reason to fight. It's an insult to everybody else. An insult to Sakura. And Sasuke. An insult to every single person who supposedly cares for me. _

_But I'm beyond caring about that as well. I cannot be bothered to feel concerned for other people's feelings. Not if I want to survive. Compassion and humanity won't help me now._

_I guess it is good Gaara knows neither of those things. He might be a monster, but he is my ticket out of hell._

_And I plan on getting out. '_

Naruto stopped to stare at the computer screen. He let out a grunt. He felt kind of blank and hollow. It had become a norm lately.

The blonde sighed and turned off the laptop. He put the device away and glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was 4 am. He had been up for hours. And he would continue being. He refused to fall asleep before Gaara woke up. It didn't matter even if it took days, he wouldn't go to sleep.

Turned out it was easier said than done. At some point Naruto had given himself permission to lower himself down next to Gaara. His head was resting against the man's chest. He could hear every breath and heartbeat. It made him feel somewhat safe and secure. It also made him extremely sleepy. Which of course, was an extremely bad thing. He tried so hard to stay awake. He slapped himself on the cheek every time he felt his eyes flutter shut. It worked for a while. But after a few minutes, he forgot to slap himself. That meant instant dozing off.

Naruto probably would've ended up falling fast asleep, if it weren't for Thing. The blonde startled awake upon hearing the dog growling at the closed door of the room. Naruto wasn't sure how long he'd had his eyes closed, but he certainly hadn't noticed the animal wake up. Naruto immediately turned his head to see Gaara. For a second, he thought the man was no longer breathing. That thought ended up being his imagination once again. Naruto let out a breath of relief upon realizing that. He then turned towards the still growling dog. Thing stood in front of the closed door of the room, its teeth bared and a deep, intimidating sound flowing out of its mouth. Naruto frowned. It took him a worryingly wrong time to realize that something was wrong.

The blonde rushed to stand up. His body tensed as he slowly approached the door. He realized he wasn't carrying his gun. It made him anxious. Being unarmed was a huge mistake on his behalf, in case somebody had gotten inside the house.

Naruto placed his hand on the door handle and then slowly pushed it down. The door opened with a weak creaking sound. Naruto glanced back at Gaara to make sure he was still safe and asleep, before cautiously stepping into the hallway. The house was pitch-dark. He couldn't see a thing. The lack of his primary sense made him nervous.

Thing kept on growling. Naruto shushed the dog to keep quiet. It obeyed instantly. The blonde was pleased for that. He then signed the animal to stay put, while he himself started to make his way down the hallway. He listened carefully for any odd sounds, but picked nothing up.

Once he'd reached the kitchen, he felt a bit less anxious. His eyes had started to get used to the darkness and he knew his gun was placed on the kitchen counter. Naruto was quick to grab the weapon and loaded it in a rush.

Even though he couldn't hear or see a thing, he had a bad feeling. Something was wrong. He was sure of it.

Naruto took a deep breath. He then cautiously started moving forward. He made his way around the kitchen, the hallway and ended up in the living room. He found nothing. The strange feeling still refused to leave him.

Naruto was about to make his way to the front door to check for any signs of breaking in, when he suddenly heard the dog let out a loud bark. The blonde immediately knew his instinct had been right.

It took only a split of a second for him to be in the hallway, his gun ready for use. At first, he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Just darkness. But then he caught movement from the corner of his eye. It was just a flash of something, but he clearly saw it. What worried him the most, was that the movement had made its way towards the guestroom. A wave of rage washed over Naruto. Someone had gotten inside.

Naruto's state of mind cleared of all nervousness. His anxiety got replaced by anger. All uncertainty became rage and hostility. It took less than a second for him to have reached the guestroom's doorway. He rushed into the room, his gun raised. Something unexpected happened.

Nobody was there. Aside from Gaara and the dog, the room was empty. The blonde flinched. He was sure he'd seen someone enter the room. Naruto glanced at Thing. The animal gave no sign of detecting an intruder. Naruto frowned. It didn't make sense. He couldn't have gone that crazy.

The blonde slowly lowered his gun. He closed his eyes and concentrated on listening for any odd sounds. It took a while, but he soon picked up a light noise. Naruto's blue eyes shot wide open. He turned around, raised his gun and got ready to fire at any movement. But what he found himself to be face to face with, made his focus falter just slightly.

In the doorway stood a woman. A woman Naruto didn't recognize. He wasn't sure what shocked him more; the person's gender or the fact that there wasn't an inch of her skin left that wasn't covered in yakuza tattoos. Her face included. She had a strange shade of red hair, equally as odd colored eyes and glasses. Her face was stoic. It reminded Naruto of Gaara.

Naruto was frozen still. He was too taken aback to do anything. He had been expecting to see another ridiculously ripped, full grown man. Not a surprisingly delicate woman. Even though her fully tattooed appearance held some level of intimidation, the blonde couldn't bring himself to take her seriously. It seemed the woman noticed that. A smirk formed onto her lips.

"Underestimating me will just make my job even easier, blondie", she said in an obnoxious tone.

Naruto frowned. His jaw clenched in irritation as he stared at the woman. He instantly knew he disliked her, not just because she was there to kill him, but because she obviously was the most irritating thing walking the planet. Her face alone was enough to make the hair on the back of his neck stand up in disgust.

The blonde had recovered from his shock. He wasted no time by replying her remark. Instead, he aimed his gun at her head. He was just about to fire, when he realized he hadn't been fast enough. The woman had drawn out a knife and thrown it. The blonde barely had time to dodge it. Once again, he wasn't quick enough; the blade cut open his arm. Only then did Naruto realize that hadn't it cut him, the knife would've ended up hitting Gaara.

Naruto glanced at the still sleeping man. This was dangerous on so many levels. He had to get the woman out of the room and kill her as soon as possible.

The blonde turned back towards the woman. They both stood still, tense and waiting. It started to dawn on Naruto that he really was an idiot for thinking lowly of her. Getting into the house, especially without severely alarming the dog, took skill. Not to mention that she was about twice as fast as Naruto. That would be a serious problem.

Naruto decided that he didn't have the time to stand around and think about his own idiocy.

He took a deep breath. It signed the woman that he was ready to move. Her hand automatically moved just an inch. Naruto noticed that. He knew instantly what she was up to. Thanks to that small mistake, Naruto was quick enough to lunge forward, grab her by the wrist and kick her in the abdomen. Even though the woman was faster than him, she had been too focused on getting out a gun, that most likely was hidden behind her back. She probably hadn't planned on taking it out just yet, but the reflexive move towards it had given it away, giving Naruto a chance to grab the hand reaching it. She shouldn't have hesitated. She should've taken the gun.

But she didn't. And thanks to that, Naruto had gotten her on the floor.

As odd and wrong as it felt, the blonde kicked her hard in the head. He wasn't good with fighting women. He hated it. But right now, there was no choice.

The woman let out a groan of pain. She remained on the floor, giving Naruto the time to aim his gun at her again. He thought he'd gotten her where he wanted. No such luck, it seemed. Before he got the chance to fire, the woman had turned to face him. She also had taken out her gun and in less than a second, had it aimed at the blonde.

Naruto gritted his teeth. Both of them were aiming at one another, but neither one could pull the trigger. They had no idea how fast the other one would be to react. As it became evident neither one would shoot at the moment, the woman swiftly rose from the floor, while Naruto took a step back. His leg hit the edge of the bed. Naruto wanted to take a glance at Gaara, but taking his eyes off the woman would've been idiotic.

The woman was now standing again and slowly moved towards Naruto. The blonde wanted her further away from the bed and out the room. He had to do something to make that happen. With a frustrated growl, Naruto gave the woman no chance to react before he had taken a step forward, and kicked her hard enough for her to back out of the room. Naruto followed her. She was quick to recover from his act of violence. The blonde had just made it into the hallway, when a forceful fist collided with his jaw. Naruto had to admit, that lady knew how to throw a punch. Shit, it hurt.

"Fuck", Naruto muttered as he brought a hand to touch his jaw. It seemed his lip had cut open once again. Blood ran down his chin.

"Bitch", he stated and shot a glare at her.

The woman simply smirked and wasted no time to go in for another hit. This time, Naruto blocked the punch and gave one in return. It collided with the side of her face, making her head turn violently.

Naruto hadn't expected her to be unaffected enough by the hit to succeed in not only keep her stand, but kicking him in the face as well. It hurt even more than the punch. The delicate-looking woman obviously held some ridiculous strength. The force made Naruto fall backwards and slump against the wall. He couldn't keep his balance and ended up sliding down the wall. His lost focus gave the woman a chance to get back into the room he'd just kicked her out of. Naruto quickly lifted himself up from the floor and rushed into the room as well.

What he saw there, made him freeze all movement.

The woman had made her way to the end of the bed, and stood tall over Gaara. She had an aggravating smirk plastered on her face as she watched the sleeping man. She also had grabbed the knife she'd thrown at Naruto and pressed it against Gaara's throat. Naruto tensed up.

"What a shame to kill such a handsome man", the woman chuckled and pressed the blade harder against his skin.

It made a shallow cut. A small amount of blood dripped down his neck. Naruto felt rage building up inside him again.

"Get the fuck away from him", he hissed, even though he knew it was in vain. The woman laughed.

"This ain't a time to be funny", she said smirking.

Her free hand came to brush the side of Gaara's pale face. Naruto's jaw clenched in anger upon seeing that. The way she touched him made him furious and physically sick.

"Maybe I won't kill him. Maybe I'll take him with me", she said.

It was an obvious, horribly bad joke, but made Naruto even angrier, nevertheless. The blonde's brain suddenly had a familiar short circuit. The logical part of his brain shut down and the overpowering urge to kill took over him. The way he acted from then on was as far from professional killing as possible. The need to kill was no longer a must, it was a desire.

The woman didn't get the chance to even be surprised, before Naruto had grabbed her by the throat and shoved her hard against the wall. She let out a hiss of pain. The blonde enjoyed that.

His cold eyes stared right through her. The woman instantly noticed the change in him. She became visibly nervous. It made her focus falter and her skills got taken over by instinct. She tried to shove the knife in her hand into Naruto's chest, but the blonde was faster. He stopped her hand with a tight grasp around her wrist. The woman's eyes widened in horror as she realized the rage in the blonde had multiplied his strength.

Naruto yanked the knife away from her. She desperately tried to take it back, but the chokehold around her neck had started to affect her breathing. Naruto gave her a twisted smile.

"Don't play with fire, little girl", he hissed to her.

She coughed. Or at least tried to. The grip Naruto had on her throat tightened by the second, making it impossible for her to breathe at all.

"Don't you fucking touch what's mine", Naruto growled and used the blunt end of the knife to smash her cheekbone.

The woman cried out in pain. Naruto felt the need to hear her voice of panic and fear, and loosened his hold just enough for her to speak.

"You are insane", she said, her voice strangled and nervous. Naruto frowned.

"Stating the obvious ain't gonna help you here", he said bluntly.

The woman tried hard to get air. She was obviously struggling to keep conscious, but was alert enough to take a glance at Gaara. Naruto's eyes grew even colder. His grip tightened again.

"You don't touch what's mine, you don't even look at what's mine", he said, his voice poisonous enough to make the woman tense up again.

She looked at him horrified for a while. Suddenly, she let out a choked laughter. Naruto found it irritating.

"Too bad I won't be here to see the day somebody finally guts that precious monster of yours", she said, her voice breaking with need for oxygen.

The amount of rage those words stirred awake in Naruto, was inexplicable. He took a proper hold of the knife in his hand and shoved it into her chest. The woman let out a loud groan. Naruto gritted his teeth in anger.

He stabbed her again. She cried out again.

The more she yelled in pain, the more Naruto wanted to stab her, over and over again. He was disgusted by her. He wanted to see her suffer and die slowly. And every single sign of pain she showed, was like a fucking work of art for him.

"Fuck you", the woman hissed.

She was too weak to struggle anymore. She just hang limp against the wall in the blonde's chokehold. But she was still too alive in his opinion.

"Congratulations. Those were your last words", he stated, his face blank as a sheet of white paper.

And they really were. As soon as he'd said that, Naruto pulled out the knife from her chest, raised it higher and with a quick move, slashed her throat open. She had already bled out most of all blood she even had, so it only took a second for her to be dead as a stone.

Naruto wasted no time in letting her lifeless body drop down to the floor. He then glanced around. There was blood absolutely everywhere. Again.

Naruto sighed. He was so tired of cleaning up this shit.

Two hours later, Naruto had wrapped the woman's body into plastic, cleaned up the blood and changed his clothes. The blonde had ended up throwing the bloody clothes away. He didn't have the patience to even try and clean them.

Naruto finally got the chance to sit down. He slumped down onto the bed, next to Gaara. The man was still asleep. That probably wasn't the right word. He was unconscious. Nobody sleeps through a bloody fight that'd included more noise than necessary. So, he wasn't asleep, he was unconscious.

Thing had been surprisingly calm. Naruto had expected for it to go crazy. But it hadn't. It had sat silently still, while Naruto had been bashing that bitch's head in. The blonde concluded that Thing had to be the most well trained animal in the whole universe. Supposedly it wouldn't make a move without a command. Naruto found that to be a good thing.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. He hadn't moved an inch. He seemed to be breathing, at least. That was good.

Naruto reached out his hand to touch his forehead. He was surprised to find that the fever had started to go down. It was even better.

"Wake up, will ya?" Naruto said gently, with a weak smile on his face.

His sweet and soft tone of voice didn't really fit his face. His tanned skin was still bloodstained. But he was too tired to care.

"You seriously need to wake up. I had to take care of everything once again. That ain't fair", Naruto continued talking to the unconscious man.

He obviously got no answer, but even then, Naruto felt less alone when talking to him.

"I made a mess again. But she deserved it. She tried to hurt ya. She's dead now", the blonde muttered.

He sighed and shut his eyes. He was tired.

"I'm really tired. You're a lot of work", he stated and let himself lower down to lie next to the other man.

He placed his head onto his chest to rest. Gaara's heartbeat pulsed steadily. Naruto let himself smile just a little.

"At least you're fuckin' worth it", he muttered quietly to himself, too tired to even realize what he'd actually said.

Naruto got startled when he suddenly felt a light touch on his neck. The blonde opened up his eyes. He noticed that Gaara's breathing had become less heavy. He had woken up.

Naruto moved to lift himself up, but got pushed back down by a strong hand holding him close. The blonde didn't even bother to protest. He just stayed put, his head against the other's chest and silently listened to his heartbeat. It took several minutes of quietness, before either one spoke.

"You made a mess again, huh?" the redhead said, his voice hoarse.

Naruto flinched just a bit. Just how long had he been awake?

"Yeah", he soon admitted. Gaara chuckled. "Good boy", he smirked.

The arm around Naruto pulled him upwards. The blonde ended up facing the redhead. The paler man looked surprisingly good for a guy who'd just slept over twelve hours with a ridiculously high fever. He gave Naruto a smirking smile. The blonde might've melted just a little seeing it.

"You did good. Sorry I wasn't there", Gaara said.

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. That was the second time he'd heard Gaara say that word. Sorry. For a man who supposedly didn't have a conscience, that was pretty good. The blonde would never get tired of being the only one to hear him say that. It certainly was a privilege of some kind.

"It doesn't matter anymore", Naruto said.

Gaara said nothing to that. He just watched the blonde silently for a while. Naruto watched him back. It was a moment that seemed to go on forever, until Gaara broke it with something Naruto probably should've anticipated. Without a word, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Naruto's. The blonde let out a breath of surprise, but didn't push him away. The man's lips were cold as ice against his warm ones. But it didn't matter to him. He kissed him without hesitation. He hadn't done that before. It felt odd, but good as fuck.

"You taste like blood", Gaara muttered against his lips. "Don't worry. It's mine", Naruto said.

The man kissed him again. He let his tongue trail along the blonde's lower lip, licking away the traces of blood.

"I like it", Gaara said.

Naruto smirked. He moved his hand to touch the back of the man's neck, pulled him closer and kissed him again.

It was oddly liberating to do that with no doubts. He didn't know where his hesitation had disappeared. It'd run off with his sanity, most likely. He'd probably end up feeling some level of regret again once that sanity of his returned, but at the moment, he couldn't care less.

After a while, Naruto let out a moan and pulled away. Gaara grunted displeased, but didn't say anything. Naruto stopped to stare at him silently. He could've kept on doing that forever. The redhead suddenly pulled him even closer than he already was.

"Are you still gonna tell me not to kiss ya?" he asked.

Naruto stopped to think about that. He wasn't sure how to reply.

"Probably. But you'll do it anyway, won't you?" he settled as an answer.

Gaara chuckled. "Yeah."

Naruto huffed and smirked. To be honest, it didn't really matter if he kept on forbidding him to do that. He would keep on doing it, and Naruto would always end up giving in anyway. But that didn't mean he would stop being stubborn and not protest.

Gaara closed the distance between them once more. Naruto closed his eyes and let out a pleased breath.

Maybe he could be less stubborn this time. Just for a little while.

It was around 8 pm later that evening and Naruto sat by the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette. Thing was asleep on the floor next to him and the peaceful silence in the room felt pleasant. It hadn't taken long for Gaara to be able to get up. An hour after waking up, he was already standing and acted as if nothing had been wrong in the first place. Naruto was happy for that. He couldn't really find the words to describe the relief he'd felt upon realizing the man would be fine. That he wouldn't die and leave him alone. It gave him a feeling of security and calmness. He could breathe a little easier again.

Naruto lifted up his gaze upon hearing the front door open. He saw Gaara step inside, his clothes dirty. Naruto grunted displeased.

"I really don't think you should be doing that. If the wound opens again, I'll kill ya", he said. The redhead simply chuckled.

"It won't. Besides, she weighed next to nothing", the man replied and took off his shoes.

Naruto just glared at him. Gaara had insisted on burying the body. The blonde had of course protested against it. They had an argument over it, but Gaara ended up getting his way in the end. So, he'd dragged the body outside, dug another grave in the backyard and buried the corpse. Naruto remained irritated by his stubbornness, but didn't voice it.

"Whatever. Sit your ass down. No more dragging bodies around before you're fine again", he informed.

Gaara rolled his eyes, but did as told and took a seat next to him. He then grabbed a cigarette and lit it up. A trail of smoke slowly escaped his lips. Naruto stopped to stare at him. His gaze earned a smirk from the redhead.

"What?" he asked amused.

Naruto just blinked. He didn't really know how to reply without sounding like an idiot.

"Nothing."

Gaara chuckled. Naruto tore his gaze away and sighed. The redhead tilted his head to the side.

"You're tired, ain't ya?" he asked. Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

"Have you slept at all?" Gaara asked, narrowing his eyes. Naruto glanced at him. "No."

He felt like a moron for admitting he hadn't slept, just sat beside him and watched him sleep. It probably was just as psycho as it sounded.

Gaara dragged his seat closer to Naruto and reached out a hand to lightly touch his face.

"You have a bruise", he stated. Naruto grunted.

"Yeah. That bitch hit hard as hell", he muttered.

The redhead huffed and gently trailed the blue mark on his cheekbone. It was sore to the touch, but Naruto didn't tell him to stop.

"You should sleep", the man soon said. Naruto shook his head.

"I don't want to. Not before I'm sure you won't drop dead", he said. Gaara smirked crookedly.

"I'm fine", he assured.

Naruto wasn't convinced. He still wasn't positive the man wouldn't suddenly just pass out and go into a coma or something horrific like that. So, he wouldn't go to sleep yet.

Gaara noticed his determination to stay awake. He didn't further argue against it. Naruto was pleased for that. It would've literally been no use.

Instead, the man stayed silent and just watched him. Naruto watched back. The redhead's touch remained on the side of his face. It helped dull the pain. So did the oddly affectionate gaze directed at him. It became impossible for Naruto to look away. He didn't really want to, either. He had stopped fighting the feeling watching the other man gave him. It was a strange heaviness in his abdomen, yet it didn't feel uncomfortable. Just heavy. And kind of tingling. He hadn't found a word for it.

Gaara watched him silently for a long time. After a while, he let out a huff and stood up. He put his cigarette out and then glanced at Naruto.

"C'mon. Time for you to go to sleep", he stated.

The blonde raised a brow. He was about to protest, but Gaara cut him off.

"You are not allowed to protest", he said sternly.

Naruto closed his mouth and frowned. He stayed stubborn for a while, but then sighed and rose from his seat. Gaara had to practically drag him to the guestroom. The blonde got shoved down onto the bed. He decided not to complain and lowered himself down to lie. The redhead crouched down next to the bed.

"Sleep", he said. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah", he muttered, but didn't close his eyes.

Thing appeared into the room as well. It took the liberty to jump on the bed, nearly crushing Naruto and then making itself comfortable in the foot of the bed. Naruto sighed, but didn't have the energy to make it leave.

Gaara stood up and turned around to leave. He turned off the lights and stopped at the doorway to glance at the blonde. Naruto still had his eyes open.

"I'm not tired anymore", he said.

The paler man rolled his eyes. "You are like a child."

Naruto kind of pouted. Gaara had to chuckle at that. He stayed there to stare at Naruto for a while. The blonde refused to close his eyes. Gaara let out a grunt. He gave Naruto a glare, before stepping back into the room and closing the door behind him. The man then walked back to the bed, glanced at the blonde and then sat down onto the edge. He soon lowered himself to lie next to Naruto. He turned so that he was facing the other man.

"Sleep", Gaara said again.

Naruto stayed quiet for a while, staring him. A small smile appeared onto his lips.

"You know…I'm happy you didn't die", he said.

Gaara was visibly surprised. He hadn't expected to hear that. Nobody had ever said anything like it to him. It felt odd. But not bad. It made him kind of confused.

The redhead looked at Naruto with a strange expression for a while, before grunting. He didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't. Not verbally. Instead, he reached out an arm and placed it around the blonde. He then pulled the man closer and buried his face into his hair. Naruto interpreted that as accepting his words.

After a minute or so, Naruto returned the hold. He fell asleep instantly.

When Naruto woke up the next morning, he was still tired. The hours awake had made him so exhausted that one night's sleep wasn't enough to balance that out. But since he'd woken up already, there was no use in staying in bed.

Naruto lazily pulled himself up to sit. Gaara wasn't there anymore. Neither was Thing. Not really a surprise.

The blonde yawned and stretched himself to properly rid himself of sleep. He finally stood up. He took out his phone from the pocket of his jeans to check the time. It was 9.15 am. He'd slept twelve hours. And still he was tired as hell.

He had gotten a text message. Naruto tapped the screen of his phone to open it up. It was from Sasuke.

'_Yo, moron. The Place, 9 pm. Be there.'_

Naruto grunted. The bastard was rude even with texts. It made him chuckle.

Naruto then put his phone away and made his way out the door. When he got to the hallway, he could once again smell the scent of coffee dance in the air. Gaara rarely sleeping had its perks. At least there was coffee in the morning ready and waiting.

The blonde walked down the hallway and reached the kitchen. Gaara sat where Naruto felt he belonged; by the table. And Naruto once again stopped to stare at him and his messy hair. The blonde wondered if he'd ever get bored of staring at him.

Gaara turned to see him.

"Hey", he said simply. Naruto tilted his head slightly. "Hey", he replied.

They looked at each other for a while, before Naruto gave a small smile and then went to pour himself a cup of coffee. He got the last drops of it. It was enough. He took a sip and turned around to take a seat. Or he would've taken, had he not gotten the biggest scare of his life. He almost spit out his coffee turning around. Gaara stood right in front of him. The blonde hadn't noticed him move at all.

"Jesus. Don't fucking do tha-"

He didn't get the chance to finish that sentence. Not when Gaara suddenly pulled him closer and very boldly smashed his lips against the blonde's. Naruto nearly dropped his coffee. He was too surprised to move, so he just stood frozen for a while. Slowly his brains started working again. His first thought oddly enough wasn't to push him away. Instead, he kissed him. He was still holding his cup of coffee and remained surprised by the sudden physical contact, so it wasn't really the most graceful sight in the history of kissing.

Gaara pulled away. Naruto stared at him, his lips parted and an idiotic look on his face.

"What was that for?" he asked eventually. Gaara didn't even bat an eye. "For fun."

Naruto kept on staring at him like an idiot. It went on for a while, until he just shrugged and took another sip from his coffee. He really didn't have a reply for that, so he just moved away from him to finally take that seat. He'd placed the cup of coffee on the table and would've sat down, if it wasn't for a hand yanking him by the wrist, forcing him to turn around. Naruto didn't know why he even bothered to get surprised, as Gaara backed him against the wall and took the liberty to place his lips on the blonde's again. Just like a second ago, Naruto froze, then relaxed and kissed him back.

"What the hell are doing?" he muttered against the other's lips. Gaara didn't answer right away.

"Shut up", was his reply.

Naruto grunted, but couldn't stop himself from grabbing a fistful of red hair.

Naruto realized he'd been doing this kissing Gaara thing quite a lot. It'd probably crossed the line of being explainable with a passing mental abnormalities a long time ago. He wasn't sure if he cared anymore.

"It is so damn hard to say no to you", Naruto moaned. Gaara smirked against his lips.

"I thank the Devil for that", he said and kissed him over and over again.

Naruto was taken aback by the way kissing him felt even better when not feeling guilty about it. He probably would, later on, but not now. Right now he didn't give a flying fuck about what was right and what wrong.

When Gaara eventually pulled away, Naruto let out a displeased noise. The redhead smirked. He moved the hand in the other's hair lower, to the back of his neck. He stared at him silently for a while.

"Do you know how damn hard it is to not do this every fucking morning?" he then blurted out.

Naruto doubted Gaara had intended to say that out loud, but didn't let it bother. His mind went to a place where it was totally okay to say that. And totally okay to be give an honest answer as well.

"Yeah. I do."

It seemed like the redhead had a thing for honesty. Gaara's icy eyes lit up like raging fire. He grabbed the blonde so hard it almost hurt, and kissed him equally as aggressively. Naruto didn't hesitate to do the same. It didn't take long for Gaara to rip off the blonde's shirt and literally throw him on the table. Their sudden desire for each other was almost violent, but neither one would've had it any other way. It fit them like the moon in the sky.

"I am so fucking sick of wanting you", Gaara growled as he pulled off his shirt.

He pinned the other man hard against the wooden surface.

"I am so sick of not getting you", he hissed and bit down to his neck.

Naruto let out a groan. He grabbed the man's hair and roughly pulled him closer.

"I am sick of you making me insane", the redhead said and slid his hand down the other's sides.

"I'm sick of every single fucking time you make me hard, but won't give me what I want", he continued as he kissed down the blonde's chest, all the way down to his waistline.

Naruto found it extremely hard not to moan out loud. And as he did, Gaara let out a growling noise.

"I hate it when you moan. I hate it that you don't know what it does to me", he said.

His hand came to touch the recently tightened area in the blonde's jeans. That earned another moan.

"Are you trying to make me cum into my pants?" the blonde hissed. Gaara smirked.

"Feel free to get the hell out of them", he said and with an impressively swift move, yanked open the other's belt.

As much as Naruto hated to do it, he had to stop Gaara right there. He grabbed the man's wrist and rose to sit up.

"I can't fuck you", he stated.

Gaara looked almost angry. Naruto pulled him down and gently bit the man's lower lip.

"You know I can't", he said.

Gaara pulled further away and watched him with angry eyes. Naruto felt a bit idiotic for actually getting turned on by his slightly furious appearance. The redhead seemed to have a process of thinking going on for a little while.

"Fuck you", he then spat out, pulled the blonde off the table and shoved him back against the wall.

He gave Naruto no chance to speak, as he smashed his lips against the other's again. His other hand held the blonde pinned against the wall, while the other one slid down his chest, stomach and finally below waistline.

Naruto let out a groan. He fought to keep his brain functioning and hastily grabbed the redhead's hand to stop him from going any further. Gaara tensed up, obviously unpleased. The blonde pulled away just enough to speak.

"Would you fucking listen?" he demanded.

Even though he was verbally forbidding the man from doing as he pleased, the way his body reacted to the redhead's touch told an entirely different story. And that's exactly what pissed Gaara off.

The paler man yanked his hand free and ignoring the other's protests, placed it hard against the painfully obvious hard-on in the blonde's jeans.

"I don't like listening bullshit", Gaara growled and gave the other man no chance to answer, as he closed the gap between them again.

Like Naruto had said, it was do damn hard to say no to him. Every physical aspect told his mind to just forget about what's sensible and just do whatever the fuck the part below his waist wanted. And he was just a second away from going that way.

But because he refused to act like an animal, he stopped himself from crossing that line. It almost hurt to do it, but Naruto pushed Gaara away. The redhead's frustration multiplied in a second. Most of that frustration was the sexual kind. The blonde could very well identify with that.

"Just stop it", Naruto demanded.

Gaara's frustration became anger. Naruto saw that. He would've wanted nothing more than to fuck that anger out of him, but he couldn't start acting like an animal.

"This ain't gonna happen", the blonde muttered.

Gaara's angered eyes grew even more enraged. Every word the blonde spoke, made his frustration worsen. He needed to get it out. The wall beside him got the honor of being the target as he let his fist collide with the hard surface.

Naruto felt equally as frustrated as the other man. But he refused to give into it. The blonde watched Gaara turn his back at him. He didn't have to see the man's face to know his jaw was clenched with anger. His shoulders were tense as hell and his breath uneven with the urge to burn shit down.

Naruto clenched his fists in irritation, but relaxed soon. He decided not to go crazy. Instead, he forced himself calm.

"Look at me", he demanded.

Gaara gave no sign of complying. The blonde gave him a few seconds to turn around, but he never did.

Naruto let out a growl, grabbed the man's arm and forcefully turned him around. The blonde hadn't anticipated the paler man to react to that violently. But he did. Naruto suddenly found himself pinned against the wall by his throat. Angry eyes stared into his. Naruto flinched. He hadn't expected that. It seemed Gaara hadn't planned his reaction. A flash of realization passed his eyes and he let go.

The blonde brought up a hand to touch his throat. The redhead hadn't spared much strength when taking a hold of him. Naruto's face turned angry in a second. He didn't say anything. His hands clenched into fists and the urge to hit the other man grew strong. But he held it in. Instead of stooping that low, Naruto shot him a cold, hollow glare and turned to leave. Gaara opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto didn't stay to listen.

"Shit", the redhead hissed.

He rushed after the blonde, who'd disappeared behind the corner.

"Fucking wait", Gaara said.

Naruto ignored him and was about to make his way upstairs, when a strong grip on his arm came to stop him. The blonde instantly yanked himself free.

"Fuck off", he hissed, not turning around and tried to leave.

Gaara wouldn't let him. Instead, he grabbed the blonde by his shoulder and fought to keep him still. Naruto tensed up and rid himself of the decision to not hit the other man. Gaara would've gotten punched, had he not opened his mouth to speak fast enough.

"Just wait. Listen to me", he demanded and laid determined eyes at the blonde.

Naruto's hands slowly unclenched. Gaara took that as a good sign. He loosened the hard grip on the man and made sure not to break eye contact when speaking.

"I didn't fuckin' mean to do that, okay?" he said.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. The fact that Gaara actually felt the need to say that seemed odd and, once again, uncharacteristic. But it was interesting enough to get him to listen.

Gaara opened his mouth to speak, but closed it as soon as he realized he had no idea what he was trying to say. Another sound of frustration escaped his lips as he shut his eyes to keep calm. Naruto was quickly losing his patience.

"Can I fucking help you?" the blonde hissed.

He was making it very clear he had not appreciated the way Gaara had reacted. The redhead knew when he'd fucked up. This was one of those moments.

"Shit. I didn't mean to do that. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just…_fuck._ I'm just so fucking tired of this shit", he spat out, not really knowing what he was trying to say.

Naruto simply glared at him, in his mind giving the man approximately five seconds to speak, before he'd walk away. Luckily for Gaara, he was faster than that.

"I'm so sick of my head being a complete fucking mess. I'm sick of wanting to touch you, but getting told not to. I'm sick of wanting to do that in the first place, when I have no fucking clue why I want it at all. I'm just…so fucking angry all the time. I'm not supposed to be. I'm not supposed to feel shit. Not anger, not anxiety, just nothing. But you're making me do all that and a million things more. I fucking hate it", the redhead growled.

Had it not been so unusual to hear a dialog that long from him, Naruto would've left halfway through. But since it was, the blonde forced himself to stay. He didn't know what to reply to that. In a way, he had just voiced exactly the thoughts Naruto himself had had for the past few weeks. But on the other hand, hearing those thoughts said out loud made them seem even more horrifying than he already knew.

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose to not lose his calm.

"Listen…this has gone way too fuckin' far", the blonde stated.

He relaxed just slightly. He decided it was time to get this straight for good. There was no use in going back and forth, always ending up in the same place anyway. It had to stop. It all just had to stop.

"I have no damn clue why this shit keeps happening. There's no real reason, actually. It's like we just enjoy being fucking mentally unstable. But I don't care about the reason anymore. It just has to stop. All of it. The amount of times I've said this and still gotten ignored, is ridiculous. You gotta start fucking listening", Naruto spoke, his voice stern and determined.

Something shifted in Gaara's eyes. There was a flash of anger and then…nothing. The cold emptiness Naruto had first met in those eyes was suddenly back. Only then did Naruto realize it had been gone at all. But it had. Something had replaced the hollowness in his eyes, slowly but surely. And in less than a second, it was all gone. He was hollow again.

The blonde physically flinched upon seeing his eyes. He suddenly found Gaara more intimidating than he had in a long time. He looked like the monster that'd been locked up for seven years. And as ridiculous as it sounded, Naruto suddenly felt like he didn't know him at all. Even the smallest sliver that he'd learned to know, was suddenly gone again. Locked behind an ice cold wall. Naruto kind of wanted to run the fuck away.

The blonde flinched again, as Gaara spoke.

"So want it all to stop? You want to pretend none if ever was and make sure none will be?"

Naruto was shocked by the coldness of his voice. He hadn't realized how differently the man had spoken to him for some time now. He hadn't actually noticed all the million small changes in him, that now were rapidly fading away. Gaara was going back to the hollow, empty state he was born to live in. The one that Naruto had somehow broken.

The blonde probably wasn't aware of the unsure tone in his voice, as he answered.

"Yeah."

That small word was all it took for Gaara to come off as an inhumane, ice cold being again. It almost made Naruto regret everything he'd just said. Almost.

They had no further exchange of words. Gaara gave the blonde a small nod, a cold glare and the horrible feeling of inferiority, before turning and walking away. Naruto was left to watch him go. A strangling feeling tightened his chest. He wasn't sure what'd just happened. And as hard as he tried, he still couldn't shake away the feeling that maybe…just maybe, he'd made a mistake.

Several hours later Naruto was sitting on the living room couch, watching TV. Not as much watching as he was just staring. He couldn't concentrate on anything around him. His mind was too much of a mess to have any process of logical thinking. He had been oddly restless ever since morning. The discussion he'd had with Gaara had made the blonde seriously question if it'd been a good idea. The redhead had been distant, cold and intimidating as fuck ever since. He hadn't really done anything, not even said much, but the way he carried himself was different. He was more stoic than ever. The way the man interacted with Naruto had gone back to a distant, extremely unfriendly state. He wasn't being an asshole, but the cold tone of his voice gave Naruto chills.

The blonde was confused and nervous. He didn't know how to feel about the change that'd happened in less than a second. Only now did he realize how much Gaara had changed since their first encounter. Slowly he'd become less of a raging monster and more of an actual human being. A sick, twisted and insane one, but still. The change had been so subtle that Naruto hadn't even noticed it. Not until it all was gone again. Just like that, he was the man everybody feared. Even towards him.

Gaara had been behind the closed door of the guestroom for a few hours now. Naruto didn't know what he was doing, but he couldn't deny it helped him breathe just a little bit easier. The way Gaara was acting towards him made it extremely hard for Naruto to know how to react. He just ended up being either nervous or awkward. Or both.

Even though he should've been happy the man hadn't made a single move to touch him, not a single word to make things awkward, not even given a single lusting look, Naruto found himself to be uncomfortable. The lack of those things was even worse than having them. He wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, if anything at all. Maybe he'd just gotten too used to it. Too used to the oddly sexual tension between them, that had been more or less constant. And now that it was simply gone, it made things weird all over again. It was just gone. At least on Gaara's side. He was cold as a fucking stone, not giving any indication of being interested in Naruto on any level.

Naruto on the other hand couldn't positively say he didn't want him. And he hated that. Even more he hated that getting the absolute cold shoulder kind of irked him. He should've been happy about it, right? Why he was complaining, he didn't know. Logically peaking, Gaara's stone cold attitude had made things a million times simpler.

Unfortunately, Naruto had forgotten that logic did not reside in this household anymore. And that's why he couldn't help but to feel that he just might've made a mistake.

The blonde let out a loud, tired groan. He had been sitting still for hours, pretending to watch TV, when in reality he was just being tortured by his own mind. He was done doing that now. Naruto turned the TV off, tossed the remote on the couch and got up.

He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearing seven. He wouldn't have to meet Sasuke for two more hours, but decided he might as well get going already. He couldn't stay in this house right now. He needed to get out and clear his mind.

With that thought, the blonde made his way upstairs, to the master bedroom. It didn't take him more than twenty minutes to look a bit more presentable. After a change of clothes, a shitload of hair gel and a glance in the mirror, Naruto felt like he was ready to leave. He made his way back downstairs. The blonde stopped to stand on the last step. He would've liked to just disappear from the house, without saying a word to Gaara, but that would've been rude and potentially disastrous.

Naruto let out a small sigh, before turning right and making his way to the guestroom. He stood in front of the closed door for a few seconds, before hesitantly knocking. He got no answer. He found himself to be strangely nervous, as he cautiously cracked the door open. The door opened to reveal Gaara lying on the bed. He wasn't asleep. Just lay there and stared at the ceiling. Naruto hesitated to speak.

"I'm going out. I'm meeting Sasuke", he eventually voiced.

The redhead didn't even turn to see him. The blonde felt a pang of something unpleasant in his chest. He was getting so coldly ignored, it was beyond rude.

"Take the dog out", Naruto said after a while of silence.

It was a ridiculous thing to say, but he literally couldn't think of anything else.

It took a long time for Gaara to answer. "Hn."

Naruto's jaw actually dropped a bit. He was being treated like thin air. He wanted to get angry and pissed, but instead felt more offended and hurt, than anything. He shouldn't really care about the man's attitude. But he just couldn't help but to feel like he'd just taken a huge leap backwards with Gaara. This might as well had been the first time meeting him. That's how uninterested and cold the man was.

Actually, he'd been way more interested when they'd first met, compared to what he was now. That summed up pretty well just how uncomfortable this situation made the blonde.

Naruto stood in the doorway for a while longer. He tried hard to come up with something to say. Anything, even an insult would've been great. But nothing came to mind. The blonde eventually gave up on talking and just closed the door. His blue eyes glued to the wooden surface. He kind of felt like he'd just been hit over the head with a baseball bat. He had not realized that just repeating the demand he'd voiced over and over again would make any change. Especially a change this big.

But more than anything, why did he give a flying fuck about it?

Naruto shut his eyes and clenched his jaw. He then turned, grabbed his keys and walked out of the house.

Thirty minutes later, Naruto was sitting at The Place. It would still be an hour before Sasuke would show up. The blonde wasn't really sure why he'd come so early. Other than to get away from the situation at home. But that was reason enough for him. And he had alcohol now, so it was all a bit better.

Naruto was still taken aback by the way Gaara treated him. His reaction to the man's cold approach was more severe than what was expected. After all, Gaara was acting the way he had before practically moving in with him. So, there wasn't really anything new about his attitude. But it bothered Naruto nonetheless. He had gotten used to the more trusting, more open Gaara. To be honest, seeing that version get replaced by something ice cold was a complete shock and made Naruto extremely restless. Scared, even. Not because he was afraid the man would harm him, but because he was afraid he'd lose the small part of truth behind all the lies, that'd he'd worked so hard to get out. He hadn't realized that the odd, sick relationship the two of them had, had actually made such a big change in the man.

It was probably too late to cry about that now. It was all gone now. Gaara had shoved the less monstrous side of himself back into the dark abyss that his mind was and Naruto had a feeling he wouldn't succeed in luring it out anymore.

Maybe it was better that way. To be honest, he had spent way too much time focusing on getting to know the redhead. There was no real need for that, after all. Had the situation not forced them to be involved with each other, they wouldn't have been. That was an actual fact. So why make it any more complicated with unnecessary shit?

In all honesty, the more Naruto thought about it, the more pissed off he became. The large amount of alcohol he was chugging down might've had an effect on that as well. It became hard for him to not look like someone who was not supposed to be running free among mentally stable people. The more he thought about Gaara and his stoic fuckin' face, the angrier Naruto became. In the end, the whole world seemed irritating and he just sat there frowning at everything.

Chlidish? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutely.

For a Saturday night, The Place was surprisingly quiet. But it was still early, so that would probably change later on. Naruto had sat waiting for over an hour, was more or less drunk all by himself, and Sasuke was late again. Sasuke was always late. He hated that. It was seriously infuriating. But then again, he'd been just as bad on timing a few years ago. At least he'd shaped up. It wouldn't have hurt for the raven to do the same.

At that exact moment, the bar's front door opened up and let in a familiar figure. Sasuke stepped inside, scanned around the room and upon finding Naruto, made his way over. It didn't take long for the man to figure out that the blonde was drunk already. And pissed.

"Did someone shove a pole up your ass, or are you just pissed off?" Sasuke asked straight up, as he took a seat across his friend. Naruto wasn't amused.

"Fuck you. Not funny", he growled and took a large gulp of his beer. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"The latter one, I assume", he muttered.

Naruto simply flipped him off. Sasuke sighed. It wasn't exactly unusual for Naruto to be on a bad mood these days. He wasn't a big fan of it. At least not when it was directed at him.

"What's wrong this time?" Sasuke asked eventually.

The blonde let out a frustrated grunt just thinking about it.

"You know, sometimes I just feel like strangling him in his sleep. Just strangle the living shit out of him. Goddamn, I fucking hate him", Naruto growled, not sparing the annoyance in his voice.

Even an idiot would've known that he was talking about Gaara. Sasuke's face became irritated. He might've decided to get along with the man, but that didn't mean he had to like him. And he didn't. He really didn't. Especially if he made Naruto that pissed.

"He does the stupidest shit. He got us a dog, you know. A fucking dog. Guess if my opinion was requested?" Naruto continued ranting, perhaps slightly losing the point.

Sasuke raised a brow.

"A dog? For you two?" the man asked. Naruto made a bitter face. "Yeah. Exactly."

Sasuke had to snort. It only irritated Naruto further.

"I fuckin' hate him", the blonde repeated. Sasuke frowned.

"I feel ya", the man sympathized. Naruto shot a glare at him.

"I have the right to say that. You don't", he grunted.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. "What the fuck, dude? Do you hate him or not?"

"Yes, I do. I have the right to do that", Naruto muttered.

He wasn't making much sense, and Sasuke couldn't help but to find that amusing.

"You are way too drunk for your own good", he stated. The blonde stuck out his tongue, but said nothing.

Sasuke smirked at him, before going back to being serious again.

"The investigation has been closed", he informed. Naruto's childish sulking came to an end in a flash. "Really?

"Yeah. You're probably gonna be informed of the trial's beginning soon", Sasuke said. Naruto sighed.

"That means I actually have to work. Shit. I don't really have the motivation for that at the moment", he muttered annoyed.

"Well, too bad. It'll start soon. Get ready", Sasuke said and rose from his seat.

"I'm gonna go get a drink", he stated and walked away.

Naruto was left to let out a long, tired sigh. He really didn't feel like doing shit for the redhead, once again. It seemed that no matter how much time passed, he would always find the man irritating as fuck.

The blonde frowned. He remained confused as of what to think of the sudden change that'd happened in Gaara that morning. It was obvious something had changed. But would it be permanent? And if so, what would it mean in reality?

An oddly terrifying thought passed his mind. What if he would leave?

Gaara had obviously forced away the small amount of humanity Naruto had succeeded in luring out of him. Did that mean he no longer cared whether or not the blonde survived? Would he just leave after the trial?

Naruto found himself to be much more anxious than needed. Even though Gaara had made his life more or less a living hell, the thought of him leaving seemed horrifying. Actually, this was something Naruto had thought of before. And time after time, it became more suffocating. He didn't know why, he didn't know if it was supposed to be that way, but he couldn't get rid of it.

What the hell would he do if Gaara left?

Naruto didn't even realize how tightly he was gripping the glass in his hand, before it started to make an odd sound, indicating that it wasn't far from shattering. The blonde let go of the glass. His hand clenched into a fist. He gritted his teeth, not even realizing it.

Only when Sasuke came back to take his seat, did Naruto snap out of his hellish thoughts.

"What the hell are you doing? You look like you're about to pass out", the man said.

Naruto slowly turned his gaze towards his friend. It took a long time for him to speak, as he wasn't sure what to say. In the end, he decided not to say anything of relevance.

"I'm okay. It's nothing."

For the next three hours, Naruto tried his best to live up to that bold fucking lie.

It was past midnight, and Naruto was almost home. Somehow, he had managed not to lose it while sitting at the bar with Sasuke. The strangling thought of Gaara leaving wouldn't leave his mind. He had spoken full conversations with Sasuke, all the while not even knowing what they were talking about. The majority of his brain capacity had been occupied by Gaara. Him, and the fear of being left alone by him. The longer he thought about it, the longer he was away from home, the closer he got to pure insanity. That's how unsettling it was.

Naruto had decided to walk home. He'd thought that perhaps the fresh air would clear up his mind. It'd worked, at first. For five whole minutes, he hadn't thought about Gaara at all. But as those five minutes passed, a more terrifying thought reached him.

What if he'd left already?

That possibility had made Naruto stop walking. He'd stopped to stand in the middle of the busy street, and stare into nothingness. He'd forced the thought away and carried on walking. He'd thought that'd worked. But as he realized he was no longer walking, but running, it became evident that the thought wouldn't go away.

So there he was; running as fast as he could, just to get home. He was only a block away anymore, and felt like fainting, but still didn't stop running. In fact, when his house came to view, he picked up the pace even more.

He eventually reached his house, then the front door. He tried to open the door, only to find that it was locked. Naruto found that unsettling. The door was never locked if somebody was home.

"Fuck", Naruto hissed out loud and let go of the handle.

He stopped to stand still in front of the door. To be honest, he didn't want to unlock the door only to find nobody was there.

The blonde let out a loud, frustrated growl. He turned around, fell backwards and slumped against the door. He slid down to the ground, and pressed his hands against his face.

He felt like an idiot. He had no real reason to care if Gaara had left or not. There was no reason not to want that. He should've been joyed to know that the man might've moved on from this absolutely twisted part in their lives.

But he wasn't.

He only felt angry and scared. He had no fucking idea why. He didn't want to be alone in this hell. He didn't want to be without him. And if he'd now left, Naruto would never find him. He knew that. That man was a fucking hitman. He knew how to hide.

Naruto let his hands fall onto his lap. He stared at the ground for a long time, not moving. Eventually, he let out a long sigh. Sitting on the cold ground wouldn't change anything, no matter what the reality was. In order not to be entirely pathetic, Naruto pulled himself up from the ground. Lazily, but still. He let out a grunt, before turning to face the door again. He took out his key, fitted it into the lock and opened the door. He pushed it properly open. The house was dark. It was quiet, too.

Naruto stepped inside. It was too dark to see ahead, but he didn't really mind. He closed the door behind him and took off his shoes. The blonde stopped to stand in the pitch-black hallway. He thought about turning the lights on, but decided against it. Somehow he found the darkness to be comforting.

Naruto was nervous to move. He was afraid he'd find himself to be all alone. He shut his eyes and let out a grunt. Standing there for the rest of the night wasn't really an option, so he was forced to move somewhere. The blonde made his way to the other end of the hallway. He stopped in front of the guest room. The door was shut. It was possible that Gaara was in there, it was possible he was nowhere in the house. He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

Eventually, he knocked on the wooden surface. There was no reply. The blonde considered just turning around and walking away. If Gaara had left, he might as well learn about it in morning. Naruto had already turned around, when he changed his mind anyway.

He sighed, turned back around and pushed down the door handle. A dim light flooded into the hallway. Seeing that, Naruto felt like a knife had been pulled out of his chest. Like there was no longer something sharp shoved into his ribcage.

The blonde let out a breath he wasn't aware of holding in, before pushing the door further open. What he saw made him happier than it probably should have.

Gaara was still there. Laying on the bed, his back turned. The dog, Thing, was curled up next to him. The animal woke up upon hearing the door open, but stayed put. Naruto didn't really care about the dog. He was more interested in the man facing away from him.

He was shirtless, his tattoos showing. He was most likely sleeping. Or at least attempting. Cause that's how he always slept. Shirtless. Naruto stopped to wonder if it was healthy for him to actually know that, but dismissed that thought quickly. He really didn't care. The only thing he cared about, was that Gaara hadn't left. He wasn't alone, after all.

Naruto must've stared for minutes, before realizing that the redhead wasn't actually asleep. The man's deep voice startled him awake from his thoughts.

"What do you want?"

The blonde flinched. He hadn't expected him to be awake. He wasn't sure how to reply, so he didn't. Instead, he stared for a while longer. Gaara remained facing the other way. Naruto wasn't sure if he should say anything at all. He wanted to, but didn't know what he could've said.

The blonde simply continued staring the redhead's turned back. He truly was relieved to know he hadn't left. But the longer he got ignored by the man, the faster his relief faded away. The fact that Gaara wouldn't even acknowledge his presence made Naruto more anxious than necessary. Hurt, even.

Naruto forced the strangling feeling away.

"According to Sasuke, the trial's gonna start soon", he said, not letting the unexpected hurt get through his voice.

Gaara said nothing, only let out a low grunt. Naruto wasn't sure how to interpret it.

"How do you feel 'bout that?" the blonde asked, not coming up with anything else.

Gaara laughed a strained chuckle. Naruto tensed upon hearing it. The redhead slowly turned around to face the blonde. Naruto flinched upon seeing his eyes. The cold hollowness was there again. In fact, it was worse than ever before. Meeting that gaze felt like getting shot in the chest. He could've sworn he felt actual, physical pain.

Gaara studied the blonde leaning against the doorframe silently. Naruto felt oddly uncomfortable under those eyes, but refused to look away. After a while, the redhead gave him a displeased growl.

"You should know I don't feel shit about anything", he grunted.

Hearing the man's chilling voice made Naruto nervous. He seriously hadn't realized just how much the man had changed in the past few weeks they'd spent together. Only now that the change was completely gone, did he understand. It became gradually harder for Naruto to keep the eye contact. Even more so, when the redhead lifted himself off the bed, and walked over to the blonde. He stopped to stand just a few inches away from Naruto, his cold eyes drilling holes right through his head. The blonde felt a headache coming.

"And I never will. It ain't worth it", Gaara continued.

That's when Naruto realized he wasn't talking about the trial. Not at all.

It wasn't difficult to understand the meaning behind that statement. It was obviously directed at Naruto. Had he said it didn't feel like a stab in the heart, he would've lied. It was an odd moment. Somehow, Naruto felt hurt, lonely and needy, all at the same time. Hurt, because he knew there was no way to take back the things he'd said to Gaara. Lonely, because that's how he'd most likely end up. Alone.

And needy, because the redhead was standing so damn close. Naruto wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, or another twisted part of his mind, but he found it extremely hard not to reach out and touch him. Every part of him just wanted to take back everything he'd said, not care about reality and just finally give in to the sick urges he couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard he tried.

And he probably would have, had it not been for the strangling feeling tightening around his throat. There was an obvious implication behind the man's words. Naruto tried hard not to mind it, and even more not to ask about it. But that turned out to be impossible.

The blonde had to look the other way in order to voice his question.

"You mean I ain't worth it?"

For just the split of a second, some sort of emotion passed Gaara's stone cold face. Naruto noticed it. But it was gone as quickly as it came. Somehow, it only made the blonde feel worse. Naruto had no idea why it hurt to feel rejected by the other man. He hadn't realized how much their odd relationship had actually affected him. Not until then.

Gaara gave no reply to his question. He simply ignored it and turned away from Naruto. The redhead took a step back towards the bed. That was an obvious cue that the discussion was over.

Naruto watched the other man sit down onto the bed, next to the still sleeping dog. The blonde got no further acknowledgment. He left the room, shutting the door behind him. Naruto's hand lingered on the door handle, for no real reason. He just stayed to stand there, his head pressed against the wooden surface. He wanted to hit himself.

He had made a mistake. A big mistake.

* * *

**Jesus what a long chapter. Hope ya liked it, anyway.**

**By the way, to anybody and everybody who now feels like banging their head repeatedly against the wall 'cause it seems like those two totally went back to the start; please be patient. This aggravating leap backwards is actually relevant considering the future plot. I ain't being an asswipe piece of shit just for fun. Thanks, luvs.**


	25. Happy Misery

The weekend went by, slowly. _So _slowly. Nothing happened, really. But it was the tense atmosphere around the two of them that made every second feel like forever. Gaara hadn't said a word for two days. Naruto had tried to make some sort of conversation, without success. No matter what he said, all he got as a response was a grunt, at best.

But it wasn't really the silence between them that bothered the blonde. His discomfort wasn't even about how Gaara ignored his existence all together. It was more than anything because of the look he laid on Naruto, on the rare occasions he gave any sort of acknowledgment.

That look made Naruto cringe. That look went straight through him. It was cold, hollow and made Naruto feel so ridiculously inferior. He found it hard to meet that gaze. It reminded him too much of the man he'd first come to know. The man who'd changed. Changed for him. And he'd failed to notice it. That was the reason Naruto couldn't meet his gaze.

The unexpected had happened; Naruto felt guilty. He hadn't felt that feeling in years. And he still disliked it just as much.

Naruto had done his best to survive the weekend alone with Gaara. Sakura wouldn't be back 'till Tuesday. The blonde wasn't really missing her at all, but he did hope that somebody would come to relieve the tension in the house. It was getting too uncomfortable to handle.

By Monday morning though, a needed distraction announced itself. Naruto lay in bed, waking up. He had already feared the day waiting ahead, when his phone rang. The caller was somewhat of a surprise.

"Hey, Shika", the blonde answered the phone, slightly cautious. After all, their last encounter hadn't been exactly pleasant.

"Hey. Did I wake you?" the man asked.

Naruto let out a breath of relief. The man didn't seem to hold a grudge for what'd happened a couple days earlier. At least he didn't sound that way.

"No. I was up", the blonde said as he rose to sit up on the bed. He shook his head to get the last of sleep away.

"Okay. Good. You got a call at the office", Shikamaru said. Naruto frowned. "Why didn't they call my cell?"

"I said I'd deliver the message. I wanted to talk to you anyway", the man stated.

Naruto cringed just a bit. He hoped the man hadn't anything especially bad to say. Not that Naruto wouldn't have deserved it.

"So, what was it about?" the blonde asked.

"The trial. It starts this week. Friday, to be specific. There is a memo in your email about it", Shikamaru informed.

Naruto's sleepy eyes cleared up in a flash. "Really?"

"Yeah. You can read the specific info from the email. But that's not why I called you, really", Shikamaru then admitted. Naruto wanted to sigh, but didn't.

"Oh. What's up?" he asked, even though he pretty much already knew the answer.

A sigh could be heard from the other end of the line.

"When I came over...it wasn't really what I expected of you", Shikamaru said after a while of silence.

Naruto didn't really appreciate his choice of words. He didn't like people having expectations of him when they didn't really have the right to. And to be honest, Shikamaru didn't. But then again, Naruto had been a total asshole. That more or less took away his right to complain.

"Yeah. I didn't handle it well, I know. Sorry", Naruto muttered. Shikamaru sighed again.

"True. But I think I owe you an apology as well", the man admitted.

Naruto raised a brow. He hadn't really expected that.

"We've been friends for a long time, Naruto. We've earned each other's respect and trust. At least that's how I feel. Considering that, I didn't handle it that well either", Shikamaru spoke, his voice calm.

Naruto didn't know what to say. He was quite taken aback by the understanding approach his friend was taking.

"I know we've never really talked about your past, blondie. And I'm not asking for that, either. But you know me…I'm a smart guy. I know you went through rough shit. I know you did bad things. And I know you can handle whatever it is you're going through now", Shikamaru said.

Naruto just listened in awe. He couldn't find words to speak.

"Even though I really didn't appreciate the implication of Ino getting hurt…I get it. I get that you're in shit so deep, even I can't help you. It seems like Sabaku really is the only one able to do that now. So long story short; you can keep on trusting me. I really ain't talking. You're safe", the man continued.

A wide smile spread across Naruto's face. It was more than relieving to know there were people who had his back. Especially since there was no guarantee Gaara would keep on doing that anymore.

"Thanks, dude. You're worth a million", Naruto said kindly.

Shikamaru said nothing, but Naruto knew he had a smile on his face.

"You know I'd do the same for you, right?" the blonde asked.

He wasn't really good with sweet words and shit like that, so this was his way of showing his appreciation.

"Yeah, I know. Otherwise I wouldn't be doin' this", the man chuckled.

Naruto smirked at himself. He then remembered something relevant.

"The trial. Did you say it's starting on Friday already?" the blonde asked. He hadn't even realized how soon that was. Only a few days away.

"Yeah. It seems they're rushing to get this over with. To be honest, I have a feeling yakuza is trying to rush things. But that's just an assumption, of course", Shikamaru said, lowering his voice.

Naruto frowned. "It's an appropriate assumption", he muttered.

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, it's soon. So get the case together and defend that maniac", Shikamaru stated. Naruto sighed a long, tired sigh. He was not feeling the motivation at all.

"Yeah. I'll do that", he mumbled.

A short silence followed.

"Right. See ya, blondie", Shikamaru said after a while. Naruto smiled weakly. "Yeah. Bye."

The blonde hung up. He stopped to stare at his phone. A weak smile spread across his lips.

His life might've been a load of shit, disasters after another, but at least he had people to count on. Not everybody had the luxury of true friends. In fact, most people don't. Even Naruto hadn't, years ago. Apart from Sasuke, it took years for Naruto to start trusting other people. But when he eventually did, it was worth it. And once again, he'd gotten proof of that.

Naruto rose up from the bed and stretched himself properly awake. He threw on a pair of jeans, but didn't bother with a shirt. Judging by the surprisingly high temperature in his bedroom, it would be a warm day. Summer was just around the corner, it seemed. That thought lifted Naruto's spirits just a bit.

The blonde made his way downstairs. Like always, he found Gaara sitting by the kitchen table, drinking coffee and smoking. The previous morning, Naruto hadn't dared to stop and stare at him. This morning, he decided to take the risk.

Naruto leaned against the doorframe and watched the redhead. Judging by the tense shoulders, Gaara was aware of his presence. It took a while before the man lifted his gaze to meet Naruto's.

"What?" the man asked, not sparing the rudeness in his voice. Naruto wanted to roll his eyes, but let it be.

"Just watching", the blonde said. It wasn't a lie, really.

Gaara gave no reply, simply tore his gaze away and went back to smoking his cigarette. Naruto sighed and once again gave up on having a normal conversation. He poured himself a cup of coffee, before taking a seat across the stoic redhead. He got no acknowledgment, as expected. He tried not to mind it and took a cigarette for himself. They smoked in silence, the atmosphere remaining thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Naruto stared at Gaara, only to keep on getting ignored. He had spent almost two days trying not to mind it too much. But by then, he was seriously getting annoyed by it. And now that the beginning of trial had been announced, he would have to get some sort of verbal connection to the man.

The blonde let out a tired sigh. He then took something out from the pocket of his jeans. A metallic sound caught Gaara's attention. Naruto threw the item he'd taken out onto the table. The redhead glanced at it. Another army tag. Or more specifically, a yakuza tag.

Gaara seemed vaguely interested in it, but being the thickheaded bastard that he was, the man turned his gaze away and went back to ignoring Naruto. The blonde clenched his jaw in irritation. It took him about five seconds to go over the edge.

He slammed his hand against the table, loudly.

Gaara slowly turned to face him. The piercing look in his eyes indicated that he didn't appreciate the approach Naruto was taking. But the blonde's irritation was beyond getting intimidated by him anymore.

"Yo. Time for you to act like a grownup. There's shit we need to go through", Naruto grunted bluntly.

Gaara said nothing, just stared coldly. It was evident that he would've gladly thrown something heavy and sharp at the blonde, but restrained himself from doing that. Naruto awarded the redhead's composure with a slightly gentler voice.

"This is important, okay? Just listen to me", Naruto wished.

Gaara stared at him coldly for a while longer, before relaxing his tense shoulders just slightly. Naruto took that as a yes. He pointed at the tag on the table.

"First of all, decode that", the blonde demanded. His tone of voice didn't get much appreciation. Naruto rolled his eyes. He didn't really have the time for the other's tantrums.

"Would you kindly decode it, my darling?" Naruto grunted sarcastically.

That wasn't appreciated much more, but even Gaara knew he wouldn't be getting anything better. The redhead clenched his jaw in annoyance, but grabbed the tag. He studied it silently for a while. He then reached out his hand, obviously waiting for something. Naruto groaned and got up. He grabbed a pen, took his seat again and handed the pen to the other man. It took about five minutes for the redhead's pale hand to be stained with scribbles of blue ink. He obviously hadn't heard of paper before.

"Whose is this?" Gaara asked after a while. "I ripped it off that bitch that got in", Naruto clarified.

The redhead studied the scribble on his hand for a few silent seconds, before frowning.

"She wasn't a yakuza", Gaara stated. Naruto frowned as well. "She was covered in yakuza tattoos", he remembered.

The redhead didn't comment, just read the text written on his palm.

"Her name was Karin", he suddenly informed. Naruto raised a brow. "Okay. I don't really give a shit. I'd rather know who she worked for."

Gaara tilted his head as he studied the information. "She was from an organization called Hebi", he muttered.

The paler man failed to notice all color drain from the blonde's face. After a while of getting no response, Gaara turned to see Naruto. The odd look on his face made the man question if he'd said something strange.

"What?" he grunted. Naruto remained silent and shocked for a while. He eventually got back around again.

"Hebi?" he asked very simply. Shocked, but simply.

Gaara stared at him silently for a while, as if the blonde was a complete idiot.

"Yeah. Hebi", he repeated.

Naruto wasn't sure why he'd asked for repetition. He'd heard just fine the first time. He just kind of hoped he hadn't. A strangled laughter escaped his lips.

"It can't be. I mean…it can't. If it's the Hebi I know, something's seriously fucked up", the blonde said, seemingly confused.

Gaara had no reaction to give, so he didn't. Instead, he gave his best guess.

"Dunno. Never heard of it. But that's what it says. It ain't yakuza, but probably did jobs for the mob", the man concluded.

Naruto remained silent. The look on his face indicated that not everything was okay. Gaara tried hard not to ask about it, but ended up doing that anyway.

"What's the big deal?" he grunted. Naruto was quiet for a while longer, before frowning even deeper.

"Hebi was a group of criminals active over ten years ago. Sasuke was the founder", he eventually muttered.

Even the ever so stoic Gaara showed vague surprise upon hearing that. "What the fuck?"

Naruto shook his head and sighed frustrated. "I really don't fuckin' know."

Tense silence fell again. Naruto was deep in his thoughts, while Gaara seemed restless. After a while, the redhead became frustrated with the blonde's absent mind.

"If that's all, I'm taking the dog out", the man grunted, got up and turned to leave right away. Naruto snapped awake from his thoughts and grabbed the other one by the arm.

"Wait. There's more", he hastily informed.

Gaara's arm tensed as soon as Naruto touched it. The blonde pulled his hand away, knowing it was for the best.

"The trial. It starts next week", Naruto said.

It was interesting enough to stop Gaara from leaving. He turned back around. The man said nothing, but the look on his face told that he had not expected it yet. Not even though there had been talk about it.

"Friday, actually. But we need to leave a couple days before. Tomorrow night", Naruto continued.

Naruto wasn't sure if Gaara was even listening. He could tell that the man's mood had changed drastically. The blonde was afraid to ask about it, but knew he had to.

"You okay?" he asked cautiously. Gaara kept on facing the other way. "Yeah."

Naruto didn't really buy it. It seemed that the news had come as a surprise. After all, it was rare for homicide investigations to be this quick. But then again, they'd already had several years of investigation as a base.

Naruto suddenly had an unnerving thought. Gaara wasn't planning on not going, was he?

"You ain't thinking about doing anything stupid, are ya?" he asked bluntly. That question earned him a passing glance and a short silence.

"No", was the simple answer. Naruto decided to believe him.

They were silent again. Naruto felt himself get gradually more frustrated with the tension. He knew something had to be done about it. But what, he had no idea. Gaara's solution sure as hell wasn't what he was looking for.

The redhead tore his gaze away from the blonde, walked to the hallway and opened the front door. The dog, Thing, had been sitting next to the door for a while, waiting to be taken out. Gaara let the animal go first, before following it. He shut the door behind him, leaving Naruto alone to stare at the closed door.

So walking away was his solution, huh?

Naruto grunted in irritation. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath in order to not give in to the rising anger. He was getting so fed up with Gaara's way of handling the situation. He wasn't claiming he was doing any better, but at least he wasn't stupid enough to think that avoidance would be helpful.

The blonde forced his anger away along with any thoughts of Gaara. He made his way to the kitchen counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. He didn't bother sitting down. Instead he leaned against the counter and stared into nothingness. His thoughts went back to what Gaara told him about the tag. A frown formed onto his face.

Naruto wasn't sure how to feel about it. If Hebi was the Hebi he knew, it formed a potential problem. Sasuke truly had been the founder of it. About ten years ago. He'd been really young. He'd strayed away from Naruto at that time. Sasuke had been an extremely angry and depressed teenager. He'd hated everything about the world and life in general. He'd hated that he had no family. He'd hated that he was alone. He'd hated that he had nothing to rely on. Apart from Naruto. Naruto was always there for him. But somewhere along the line, that fact had gotten buried under all the hate Sasuke held, and he'd forgotten about him. He'd ended up in a crowd even worse, with people even more evil. He had met a man, a seriously creepy one. A man who had promised him the world, who promised he would teach Sasuke everything he knew.

But everything comes with a price, of course. In the end that price ended up being too high. Sasuke's growing skills and intimidating attitude was eventually seen as a threat. He became nothing more than a problem to get rid of. Sasuke got shot. He miraculously survived, but it only made him angrier. And since Naruto never gave up on trying to get him back on track, he'd tried to talk sense into that idiot's skull. It hadn't worked. That's when Sasuke had decided to gather together a handful of useful people and formed Hebi.

Sasuke was a proud man. He'd always been. And after he got betrayed by someone he'd thought he could trust, his ego got a dent too deep. So, he decided to make things even. That was the original purpose of Hebi. To get payback.

And they did. They killed the guy. Sasuke had never killed before and never killed since, but that time he performed flawlessly. He never got caught. But the first thing after it, he told Naruto. And Naruto had understood. He didn't abandon him in fear of getting in trouble himself, he didn't get angry for getting involved with it. He stood by him just like before. That's when Sasuke had come back to him. He got over his grudge against the world and started living his life again, leaving it all behind. Hebi included. But it did inspire them to form a gang of their own. And the rest is history.

Naruto sighed loudly. He shook his head to get his mind away from the past. He then took out his phone, flicked through the contacts and hit dial. He really didn't want to do this, but it couldn't be avoided either.

"Hey, moron", a sleepy voice answered the call.

"Hey, asshole. You up?" Naruto asked casually. He didn't want to come off as out of the ordinary.

"Well, I am now. What time is it?" Sasuke grunted. Naruto glanced at the clock to learn the time.

"9 am", he informed. It earned him a loud, tired groan. "You fuckin' twat. It's my day off. I could've slept in", Sasuke complained.

Naruto felt his eye twitch upon hearing the man's choice of words. Normally it wouldn't have been an issue, but this time wasn't like always. Sasuke wasn't aware of it, of course. Not yet.

"Sorry. I need to talk to you about something", Naruto admitted.

"Is this about the trial? I heard it's starting this week", Sasuke asked. The blonde sighed. He really didn't want to have this conversation. But he had no choice.

"Not really. I need ya to come over", the blonde said.

The heavy silence at the other end of the line indicated that Sasuke had realized something was wrong. It took a while, before he dared to ask about it.

"What is it? It's bad, isn't it", he stated more than asked.

Naruto fell silent. It was enough of an answer.

"Right. I'll be there in half an hour", Sasuke promised.

Naruto could hear the rustling of clothes, indicating that the man was rushing to get dressed. It seemed he was smart enough to know when to hurry up and actually be on time.

"Yeah. See ya then", Naruto muttered and hung up, not giving the man a chance to reply.

The blonde put his phone away with a sigh. He was not looking forward to having this discussion. Sasuke wouldn't take it well. He knew that. Hell, Naruto wasn't taking it well, either. He felt anxious and maybe a little bit scared. He was frightened to hear the answers to his questions. He truly hoped there was no real need to be scared of it. He truly hoped there was an explanation for it. If not…well, in that case Naruto would never be able to trust anything again.

Naruto shook his head to clear his mind. He had to push those thoughts away for now. It was no use to dwell on questions that couldn't be answered at the moment.

He gulped down the rest of his coffee, put the empty cup away and lit up a cigarette. He took a long drag, inhaling the toxins, before letting the smoke slip from between his lips. The room quickly filled with a thick, grey curtain. Naruto should've opened the window. He didn't. The blonde just stared silently at the cigarette in his hand. He really should quit.

Naruto found it impossible not to think about unpleasant things. He couldn't stop thinking about Gaara. How he was suddenly changing again. And why. Naruto wondered if he should even care. Probably not. But he did, anyway. He cared and there was nothing he could do to stop that.

He'd come to realize that as the shock caused by the sudden change in the redhead was gone, it had been replaced by anger. He was angry for not knowing what'd really happened. He was angry for being unable to do anything about it. And most of all, he was angry because Gaara wouldn't even talk about it. Naruto had started to consider if he should just let it be, and not even think about asking. Maybe the redhead's approach wasn't so bad after all. Maybe ignoring reality and walking away really was the way to go.

Naruto found himself getting angry for thinking that. He was not supposed to stoop to a level that low. He was supposed to face reality, instead of running away from it. Gaara was just making it hard not to.

Naruto sighed for the millionth time. He had to come up with some sort of activity to keep his mind free from any unstable thoughts for the next thirty minutes. The blonde decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to start putting together his presentation for trial. Not that he was really looking forward to it. But it had to be done anyway.

Naruto went to grab his laptop, returned to the kitchen and seated himself down by the kitchen table. He then turned on the computer and patiently waited for it to get ready for use. A couple of minutes went by. The laptop screen had been showing a ready desktop for a while now. It seemed like Naruto was the one not ready. He just couldn't find the motivation to work.

The blonde groaned in frustration. He had zero energy to do shit about the case at the moment. His head was a tangled mess, leaving no room for intellectual thought processing. After a few more minutes of absolutely no progress, Naruto decided it was once again time to write down the contents of his fucked up head.

He clicked open the previously saved documents, opened a fresh page and didn't even hesitate to start writing.

"_I feel messed up. It feels like every aspect of how my body and mind decides to function is out of my control. I guess that's why I'm writing this. I have the need to put my inner hell into words. I guess I find it comforting. Not that I'm sure what that even means anymore._

_The past few days have been…weird. Weirder than usual. Hah. I actually thought that wasn't even possible._

_A couple of nights ago, another yakuza found their way inside the house. Gaara was sick at the time. I ended up having to take care of the infiltrating bitch on my own. It was different than usually. She wasn't as easy to get rid of as the ones so far. Now that I think about it, it could've gone horribly wrong. She knew what she was doing. _

_But that's not really the part that stood out. _

_What has bothered me since, were the things I ended up saying. The things she made me say. The second she got threateningly close to Gaara, I lost it. She touched him with her filthy fucking hands. She spoke of him in a way that made me truly question the remains of my mental stability. I ended up stabbing her more times than necessary, just for the fun of it. And I loved every bit of it. I ended up letting the monster out again. The demon. I guess that's what I call it now._

_I called Gaara mine that night. Thanks to that messed up fucking bitch, I actually, verbally declared that he is mine. _

_I didn't realize it at that moment. But eventually, it dawned on me. I tried to ignore it. I tried to think of it as an unintended slip. But I ain't stupid. I get that ignoring it is complete bullshit._

_I meant it. I want it. I want him. Is it weird that I admit it?_

_I'm not supposed to want it. I ain't supposed to want him. And that's what I told him. I said it has to stop. That he has to stop wanting it. _

_Funny, actually. Makes me kind of a hypocrite, doesn't it?_

_He didn't take it that well. As soon as I said those things to him, things got weird. It took less than a second for him to become hollow again. He looked me in the eyes, but his gaze went straight through me. He spoke to me, but his words were like thin air. Everything about him became empty. It scared me. Not because it came off as intimidating. But because I instantly realized there was a big chance I lost him. Completely and for good._

_It feels odd losing something that wasn't mine to begin with._

_To be honest, I regret it. I regret saying those things to him. I regret killing the little emotion I had lured out of him. And the reason to that is pretty simple._

_I never meant a word of it."_

Naruto pressed his palms against his face. He felt so angry at himself. He hated himself. He was angry, anxious and terrified, all at the same time. He wanted to shout and cry. And murder living things.

He had failed to realize how big of a mistake he'd made.

He felt like his head was about fall into pieces. He couldn't believe what he'd done. He'd told the only person who understood shit about him, that they weren't needed. He was undoubtedly the biggest idiot on Earth.

"Shit", the blonde muttered out loud.

Naruto stood up and gripped a fistful of his blonde hair. He pulled 'till it hurt. He felt so fucking stupid. He seriously had no sight when it came to acting sensibly.

He still agreed that being as close to Gaara as he was, was no good. Naruto was married. Naruto was his lawyer. And Gaara was a homicidal maniac. A hitman. Of course it was no good. But that didn't change the fact that he needed him. He needed him in order to survive. He needed him in order to not give up. He just…needed him. He had become more than just a way of survival.

He had become a reason to survive.

How could that have happened? Just when had that become a fact? Naruto suddenly lost the remains of his sensibility. He suddenly had no idea how to feel about Gaara anymore. He'd had such a clear vision of how he was supposed to think of him. He was something that tested his limits of self-control, but never more. Never more than that.

But what if he was?

Naruto started panicking. He couldn't be more than that. Gaara was the man he'd ended up fighting more times than he could count. He was a bad man. He was a hired fucking killer, had made Naruto's life a living hell and was still under threat of imprisonment. Potentially even capital punishment. He was the worst possible person to fall for.

That thought made Naruto's breath hitch. Could that actually happen? Could he fall for a man? And more importantly, _that _man?

Being a horny bastard wasn't the same as falling for someone. Not at all. Because that involved a lot more than just an unexpected hard-on. It involved feelings. Fondness. Need. Desire. Affection. Trust.

Love.

Naruto stopped to stare blankly ahead. His brain melted into a pulp of idiocy, cutting off all activity. He refused to think of it as an option. Falling for him. Feeling for him. Anything for him. It was a terrifying thought. And something that terrifying couldn't be a possibility. Right?

"Right", Naruto assured himself.

Saying it out loud calmed him down slightly. His tense shoulders relaxed, and a breath he wasn't aware of holding, escaped his lips. He was being an idiot. He had no reason to be freaking out. He wasn't fucking falling for him. He was straight. Emotionally, at least. He loved his wife. Kind of. And even if he didn't, it was an idiotic fear. He was just feeling guilty for being an asshole, when it hadn't been necessary. Guilt makes people feel other dumb shit. Dumb shit like this.

Naruto cleared his mind of all senseless bullshit. There was no reason to dwell on his own idiocy.

The blonde sighed as he saved the text he'd written. It really wasn't worth losing his sanity over. But that didn't mean it was okay for Gaara to keep on ignoring him. Naruto remained determined to make the man talk. To sort it the fuck out. They were supposed to be in court in only a couple of days. Dragging any kind of personal problems there would inevitably affect the quality of his work. That was reason enough to get rid of the issues.

Naruto had just turned off the computer, when the front door opened. He turned his gaze towards it, expecting to see Sasuke. But instead of him, the blonde found himself watching Gaara step inside. Naruto felt irritation stir awake inside him instantly. He didn't let it show, though.

Gaara let the dog inside after him, then closing the door with a soft click. He took off his shoes and jacket, before turning around. His gaze met Naruto's. It seemed he hadn't noticed the blonde right away. The neutral look on his face quickly turned cold again. Naruto frowned, but refused to break the eye contact. He stared silently for a while, before speaking. He did his best not to come off angry.

"We need to talk", he said calmly. Gaara didn't even hesitate to decline.

"I don't think so", he stated and was quick to start walking away. Naruto sighed and rushed after him.

"Wait. Just listen to me", he pleaded, surprisingly kindly. But as the man simply kept on walking away, his kindness quickly turned into frustration.

"Listen to me", Naruto repeated, more sternly.

Gaara suddenly stopped walking, turned around and started to make his way towards Naruto, in quite an intimidating manner. The blonde was slightly taken aback by the sudden change. The redhead stopped just a few inches away, angry eyes drilling holes into the blonde's head.

"The last time I did, it didn't end so well, now fucking did it?" the man hissed, through gritted teeth. It seemed he was quick to get angry again.

Naruto shook away the surprise of the other's hostile tone and took a more defensive tone himself.

"It didn't. That's why we need to fucking talk. I ain't going to trial with this shit", he growled. Gaara seemed no more convinced.

"That ain't my problem. I'm paying you to get me out of prison. I don't give a shit about what your fucking mental state is. Do your damn job and stop whining", the redhead stated, raising his voice.

Naruto felt a slight stab in his chest. Not only was he shocked by how quickly Gaara was getting angrier, but the fact that he was talking like they had never been anything more than just an attorney and a client, made his heart clench in an odd way.

As Naruto seemed to be too taken aback to say anything, Gaara simply turned around and made a move to walk away again. The blonde grabbed him by the arm, stopping the man from leaving. The redhead tensed up, indicating he didn't appreciate the touch. Naruto let go, as he didn't feel like getting punched today. He expected Gaara to leave, but miraculously, he stayed. His back turned, but nevertheless.

"What the fuck do you want?" the redhead grunted eventually.

Naruto felt his eye twitch in irritation at the man's attitude, but forced himself to keep calm.

"What the fuck's with you?" the blonde asked.

It was perhaps the dumbest question ever. After all, he knew why the man was being weird. Kind of. He knew the things he'd said were the cause. But why Gaara had cared that much, he didn't understand. Judging by the further tension of the redhead's shoulders, he wasn't ecstatic about the question. He didn't answer. Naruto frowned. He reached to touch the man's arm again. Bad idea, it seemed. Upon feeling his touch, Gaara spun around in a very intimidating manner. Naruto couldn't stop himself from flinching just slightly.

"Fuck off", the redhead hissed, his voice poisonous.

The man then turned around once more, and started marching down the hallway. Naruto wasn't quick enough to stop him, before the redhead had already locked himself behind the guestroom door. The blonde was left in the hallway to throw a punch at the closed door. He was angrier than before. Understandable, at least in his opinion.

"Fuckin' asshole. Open the door. You have no fucking right to talk to me like that", the blonde growled, loud enough for the other man to definitely hear him.

He got no verbal answer. Instead, he heard a loud bang, as something made contact with the door. A crack appeared in the wooden surface. Naruto's jaw dropped. That bastard kicked a hole into his fucking door. A wave of rage washed over the blonde.

"What the fuck?!" he literally roared.

He was quickly way beyond anger and irritation and far out in the territory of pure rage. The extent of assholeness the other man was practicing was on a level that Naruto's understanding couldn't comprehend with anymore. No matter how much of a prick he'd been himself, nobody kicked holes into his doors apart from himself.

"You motherfucking idiot! How am I supposed to explain that to the bitch I married?" Naruto yelled through the door.

The twisted, ironic chuckle he heard from the other side did not help his mood at all. And the words that followed, even less.

"How 'bout you grow a fucking pair and stop living under her fucking whip, you piece of shit", the redhead hissed, equally as pissed as Naruto.

The blonde's eyes widened in shock and flashed red with rage. He had a hard time even registering the words the other man was blurting out. Had there not been a locked door separating the two of them, he would've ripped the redhead's heart out with his bare hands.

Not that the door would hold him for very long.

"You fucking lowlife, pathetic maniac, open the goddamn door", Naruto growled, his voice gradually rising along with his anger.

He got no response, but was pretty damn sure there was a middle finger flipping him off on the other side of the door. The mental image of that made his blood boil.

"I'm gonna take this fucking door down and tear you apart, fucker", the blonde declared, and hit the door again.

At that same, glorious moment, the front door of the house opened. A confused looking Sasuke stepped inside. Naruto glanced at him, but said nothing. Judging by the look the man's face, their shouting had been clearly audible all the way outside. Why stop now then?

"Open the damn door", Naruto repeated his demand, ignoring his recently arrived friend, and the shocked look on his face.

"What the fuck's happening?" Sasuke asked, not being able to hide the confusion.

Naruto continued ignoring him. He did not possess the ability to care about anything but the mental image of shooting Gaara's head off. That image only grew stronger as the redhead continued spitting out insults.

"Fuck you. Go cry about your life to that poor excuse for a wife of yours. I don't care about your whining", Gaara's low voice hissed.

Naruto had thought his anger couldn't grow any stronger. He was wrong. And that's how Sasuke got to witness the blonde take a step back, tense up his body and with ridiculous force, kick down the door. The raven's face fell upon seeing the door simply fall off the hinges and crash down with a loud bang. He got no chance to speak, and was just left to watch the broken down door, while Naruto wasted no time in rushing inside the guestroom.

Naruto was quick to grab the redhead by his throat. Gaara was equally as fast to hit the blonde square in the face. His head swung to the side, blood started running down his jaw, but Naruto didn't let his chokehold on the redhead go.

"Let go, moron. I don't wanna hurt you", Gaara growled, his voice intimidatingly dangerous.

Sasuke remained too shocked to say anything about the scene going on, but he had to wonder since when exactly had punching someone in the face stopped being hurting. He obviously had no idea. The other two on the other hand knew very well what hurting really meant. If a bloody nose counted as hurting, the acts of both physical and emotional violence they easily performed, didn't even have a word strong enough to describe.

Naruto snorted and let a twisted smile form onto his lips.

"Ha. Stop shitting me. Hurting me is what you do best, ain't it?" he hissed, pure rage and disgust coming through his words.

Gaara's eyes flashed red. His hand came to grab the blonde's wrist, as he threw a powerful kick in the other's abdomen. Naruto was forced to let go.

"Don't you fucking dare. I ain't taking any of your fucking martyr shit", the redhead hissed, as he took a step closer to Naruto.

He grabbed the blonde by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. He didn't even hesitate to hit the man in the face again.

"I've never fucking hurt you. Never", Gaara actually shouted, just an inch away from the other's face.

Sasuke wasn't aware of his mouth hanging open. He was too distracted by the things the redhead was growling to the blonde. It made no sense whatsoever, and lacked all logic. The man had just punched Naruto in the face, twice, and then said he'd never hurt him. His mind wasn't able to understand. He was also too taken aback to do anything about their dangerously violent fight.

Naruto laughed a strained laugh. The blood running down his face stained his shirt. The pain on the side of his face seemed irrelevant, as his anger just kept on rising. He took a grip on the redhead's throat, tighter than last time. Without a warning, he forcefully collided his forehead with Gaara's. A sickly sound followed, and a hiss of pain escaped the redhead's lips. A thin trail of blood started running down the paler man's face. Naruto gave him a piercing glare, before voicing words that he had wanted to say for a long time.

"You make me hurt every fucking day."

Gaara's clenched jaw suddenly relaxed as his lips parted slightly. He seemed taken aback by the blonde's words. Naruto watched his reaction with angry eyes, while the redhead tried to find words to say. Sasuke just stared at the two, not knowing shit about anything that was going on.

Gaara was silent for a while, before his anger came back, even stronger. He yanked himself free from the blonde's hold, and took a step back.

"No. _No._ Don't you fucking make this about yourself", the man growled, refusing to give in to Naruto's attempt to make him feel guilty.

"_You_ wanted it this way. This is _your_ fault. For once, I'm not the fucking asshole", he continued, raising his voice.

Naruto opened his mouth to shout back at him, but realized the man was right. He closed his mouth. Gaara wasn't done. Naruto had never heard him talk with so much anger in his voice. Anger and some kind of hurt.

"_You_ fucked up. _You_ pushed me away. Deal with it. Go sell that pretty fucking face of yours to somebody else. I'm done with it. I'm done with _you_", Gaara hissed, his voice so poisonous, even Sasuke got chills. And he didn't even have anything to do with it.

The redhead laid cold eyes on the blonde, before turning around and walking away. He more or less deliberately shoved Sasuke on the way out. Sasuke let it slide. More fighting wasn't needed, he was smart enough to know that. Naruto was left to battle with his loss for words. The raven remained still, watching the blonde sink into some state of despair. At least he looked like he was about to fall into pieces.

Sasuke had no idea what'd just happened. He had a hunch this was not what Naruto had wanted to talk about. At least this wasn't what the raven had expected to walk in on. The whole thing had taken Sasuke far away from his comfort zone. He had not expected to waltz right into something resembling a violent domestic dispute. With the exception that both participants were equally as dangerous, testosterone filled creatures of pure rage. Even Sasuke would've had difficulties separating them, had it come to it.

The loud bang of the front door getting slammed shut echoed inside the house. Gaara had obviously left. Naruto remained leaning against the wall, his gaze glued to the floor. Sasuke kept on watching his friend, who tried to get his mind back in order.

"What the fuck?" was the only thing Sasuke could say.

Naruto didn't reply at first. For a few seconds he just carried on glaring at the floor. Soon though, he buried his face into his palms and let out a frustrated growl. Not revealing his face, Naruto asked for a favor.

"Step out of the room for a while, will ya?" he growled.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde. He was just about to decline, when Naruto lifted his gaze away from his hands. The bottomless pits of pure rage and hollow coldness that his eyes were, quickly made Sasuke change his mind. With a small nod, the raven turned around and left the room.

As soon as he'd stepped out of the room, a loud crash made him pick up the pace just a bit. Sasuke stayed in the hallway, just a few feet away from the guestroom doorway, and simply listened. Loud sounds of glass shattering, fists colliding with walls and angry, animalistic roars and growls made Sasuke wonder if he was still standing too close. But he waited patiently. Waited for Naruto to let out all his anger, directing it at lifeless items. It was better that way.

A few minutes went by, before the sounds died out. The blonde soon stepped out of the room, into the hallway, and stopped to stand next to Sasuke. The mixed look of calmness and anger on Naruto's face didn't seem all that sane, to be honest. But at least he wasn't shivering with pure rage anymore. Sasuke gave him a questioning look. He got a forced smile in return.

"Don't worry 'bout it. Want some coffee?" the blonde asked, his voice hauntingly calm.

Sasuke raised a brow. Naruto acted as if nothing was wrong. The raven considered asking about it, but in the end, decided not to.

"Sure", he muttered instead. It was a wise call.

An hour later, the two men had both drank their coffee, smoked more cigarettes than necessary and talked about shit that held no relevance. The obvious avoidance of what'd happened not long ago, made everything slightly awkward, but they decided to ignore it.

"So are you gonna be at the trial?" Naruto asked his friend, taking a drag from his smoke.

He tried to make a circle of smoke while exhaling. It failed. Just like everything else seemed to.

"Yeah. Somebody's gonna have to be there to make sure the evidence gets presented correctly", Sasuke sighed as he put the remains of his cigarette.

He didn't seem too happy about going. Naruto could sympathize with that. Understandably, he had zero motivation to go himself.

"Hn. Just a few days to go", he muttered, while staring into nothingness.

Sasuke nodded, but said nothing. Naruto glanced at him. A frown fell on his face. It was time to have a talk with the raven.

"We need to talk", Naruto said, his face stoic. Sasuke turned to face him. The look on the blonde's face made it clear that this wasn't going to be fun.

"Right", the man mumbled, and fixed his posture. He felt oddly nervous. He had no idea what it could be about, after all.

Naruto seemed slightly hesitant to speak. Eventually, he forced himself to be stern and stoic. That was the only way to go with this. Naruto sighed, reached to the front pocket of his jeans and took out a metallic item. The raven narrowed his eyes at it. He didn't recognize it and wasn't sure how it had anything to do with him.

"Some bitch got in a few nights ago. I ripped this off her corpse", the blonde said and tossed the item to Sasuke. He caught it in midair and took a glance.

"An army tag?" he asked.

"A yakuza tag."

Sasuke lifted his gaze to meet Naruto's. The look of confusion was enough of a sign for Naruto to somehow further explain. The blonde put out his cigarette, took another right away, and lit it up.

"Turns out you probably know her", he then stated. It wasn't much of a help for Sasuke's confusion. "Why would I?"

Naruto gave him a long, lingering glance. Sasuke thought he saw a flash of judgment somewhere in there, but wasn't sure.

"Her name was Karin. She worked for Hebi."

The raven's eyes widened. He stared at the tag in his hand for a long time, before throwing the piece of metal away, as if it'd burned his hand. Naruto watched his reaction, waiting for words. None came, so he decided to speak instead.

"You told me that Hebi doesn't exist anymore. So what's the fucking deal?" the blonde asked, his voice piercingly demanding.

Sasuke stared at his friend for a long time, not knowing what to say. He hadn't expected to ever hear that name again. Neither one of them.

"I…I know her, yeah. A horrible bitch. But I haven't seen her in years. I left Hebi long ago", he said, still taken aback. Naruto noticed the man's hesitation when speaking. His eyes narrowed.

"Not really the answer I'm looking for. I want you to say that you have absolutely nothing to do with this", he said.

The accusing tone of his voice made Sasuke flinch. His expression was something of utter disbelief.

"What the fuck?" he blurted, not believing what he was hearing. "You know I'd never do anything to hurt you. Don't say shit like that", he hissed through gritted teeth.

He felt honestly insulted. Naruto was the most important thing he had in the whole wide, shitty world. He would never do anything to hurt him. And for the blonde to even consider that felt like a stab to the heart. He found it hard to look his way. Naruto saw that, and his face softened instantly. He put out his cigarette, moved closer to Sasuke and forced the man to face him.

"I know that. I just needed you to say it", Naruto said gently.

Even though the blonde said that, Sasuke still felt somewhat pissed off by his accusation. Naruto noticed that, but couldn't go entirely soft on him. He still needed to get some sort of explanation for this.

"Tell me about Hebi", he demanded. Sasuke glanced at him. He kept on giving him a cold glare for a while, before sighing in defeat. He had no choice, had he?

The man shifted to better position, before speaking.

"I founded Hebi more than ten years ago. It was to kill that certain son of a bitch. We succeeded and I no longer had any use for them. So I left. And never went back. You know that", Sasuke began, giving the blonde a meaningful look.

"But I know they never stopped functioning. They grew into a bigger group and eventually, an organization. They became big enough to awaken yakuza's interest. The mafia offered them an alliance. Or maybe more like a job. A freelance position, so to speak", Sasuke continued and took himself another smoke, before carrying on.

"Hebi had divided opinions about that. Some of them wanted to accept the offer, while some rather wanted to stay an independent organization. So in the end, the whole organization split up. The two groups no longer work together under any circumstances. The side that decided to stay clean of yakuza even changed their name to Taka, as they wanted nothing to do with those who sold themselves for dirty fuckin' money", Sasuke muttered, slightly bitter.

"Apparently, Karin decided to go for the mafia. And that's all I know", he stated and breathed out a puff of smoke.

Naruto watched him silently for a while. He had no reason to doubt what Sasuke was telling him. It sounded credible. And most of all, he trusted the man. But he felt somewhat disappointed that Sasuke couldn't tell him more about it.

"So you killed her?" Sasuke suddenly asked, startling the blonde away from his thoughts. He gave the pale man a blank stare.

"Yeah."

And that was the end of that conversation. Sasuke accepted that.

"I have nothing to do with their business anymore. I dragged my life to the law's better side and I've stayed there. I would never do anything to hurt you, Naruto. You know that. Please tell me you know that", Sasuke said.

The blonde sighed and shook his head. He then forced a small smile and slapped the raven on the back of his head.

"I know. Moron."

It was hours later, the night had fallen and Sasuke was still at Naruto's. The two of them had spent hours discussing the case, planning the presentation and made conclusions as of what would be interpreted as the truth. Sasuke had agreed to make a report based on Naruto's statements and the blonde had finally built a foolproof defense. There was virtually nothing that could shoot it down. He felt somewhat proud of himself. This case remained as the hardest he'd come across so far, after all. And overcoming his lack of motivation at the moment truly deserved some honor.

"Jesus I'm tired", the blonde sighed and stretched himself, trying to rid himself of the lousy posture he'd slumped into.

Sasuke yawned, nodding his head. "Me too."

They had a moment of tired silence and both stared blankly ahead, fighting sleep. Sasuke took a glance at his watch. It was 2:30 am. No wonder he was tired. He glanced at Naruto. The man seemed to be as exhausted as him. But he had a feeling it wasn't just because of the late hour.

"What happened, Naruto?" Sasuke asked after a while of hesitation.

The blonde turned to face him. Naruto was quite impressed with how long his friend had succeeded in keeping his curiosity from breaking free. But obviously, that came to an end. The blonde let out a long sigh.

"Nothing. It ain't important", he muttered, dismissing the other's question.

Sasuke frowned. He realized that the blonde wouldn't tell, no matter what. So, he presented another question instead. A question he had wanted to ask for a long time.

"Why do you give him so much? Why do you do this to yourself?"

Naruto's gaze fell to the floor. He furrowed his brow, remaining silent for some time. It seemed he was looking for an answer.

"I don't know", he eventually said.

Sasuke sighed. Not that revealing, really. But seemed like an honest answer. The raven felt like voicing a few of his more judgmental thoughts, but wasn't sure if it was wise. In the end, he ended up taking the road of potential stupidity.

"You need to get rid of him. As soon as the trial is done, get rid of him", he blurted.

Naruto's gaze turned towards Sasuke. The blonde's eyes grew cold as a wave of anger washed over him. He was ready to aggressively lash out on the other man, but stopped. He realized that Sasuke's words weren't complete bullshit.

Naruto suddenly felt confused. To be honest, Sasuke was absolutely right. As long as he kept Gaara in his life, he wouldn't be rid of the constant storm of anger and confusion.

But a coin always has two sides. The problem was, that whether he liked it or not, he needed Gaara.

"I don't know if I can do that. I need him", the blonde said honestly.

Sasuke sighed. He fought the urge to roll his eyes. No matter how hard he tried, whenever Naruto said that, he found it absolutely ridiculous. He just couldn't find a hint of logic in that statement.

"Why the fuck would you need him? Why would you need someone who is making your life a living hell?" he couldn't help but to ask.

Naruto frowned. The battle going on inside him was evident. The blonde knew very well that if it wasn't for Gaara, he wouldn't be hunted by the mafia. If it wasn't for Gaara, he could've kept on living the perfect lie he'd built for himself. If it wasn't for him, he could've just carried on pretending he loved his wife, his life and his job.

An odd pain shot through his chest. He suddenly had a realization.

He didn't want that. He didn't want that anymore. He was so done pretending happiness. It didn't matter if he was truly miserable, or just miserable, but denying it. In all honesty, it took a lot more energy to pretend he wasn't fucking miserable. It took a lot of energy to pretend anything at all. And for the past few years, that was pretty much all he'd been doing. Just pretended.

With Gaara, he didn't have to pretend anything. With him, he could be himself. He could be his own, happily miserable self, and still not get pushed away by him. With him, he was free.

A small smile crept onto Naruto's face. Sasuke raised a brow. A light chuckle escaped the blonde's lips, earning a confused look from his friend. Naruto turned to face him again. He didn't even try to hide the smile forcing its way out. He also didn't even think about lying, when explaining it.

"I need him to make me feel happy about my misery."

Sasuke seemed only more confused. Naruto just smiled, not regretting saying it out loud.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked. Naruto's smile widened.

"My life is miserable, no matter how I live it. But somehow, he makes me happy about being alive, even if it is miserable. I just stop caring about it", he said.

Sasuke was quite taken aback. He wasn't sure if it was because it was Naruto speaking that way, or because of whom those words were spoken of. Either way, he had not expected to hear something of that kind. And somehow, it made him angry. He did not feel like the redhead deserved it. He did not deserve the blonde's kind words.

"I think I need to get some sleep", Naruto suddenly declared. Sasuke pushed away his irritation and nodded in agreement.

"Me too. I think I'll head home now."

The blonde rose from his seat, Sasuke following his example. They made their way downstairs and to the front door. The raven threw on his jacket and shoes, while Naruto opened up the front door, in order to let Thing out to do its business. The dog happily took the opportunity to get outside, and rushed to roam around the backyard. Sasuke eyed the dog from the doorway.

"That thing is horrible. Why would anybody want something like that?" the man wondered out loud. It was no secret he disliked dogs.

Naruto chuckled amused. "Well, at least you're addressing him properly."

Sasuke raised a brow, presenting a question. "You named it Thing?"

"Yep."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but couldn't help a small smirk from creeping onto his lips.

"Moron."

Naruto gave him a goofy grin, while getting an amused grunt in return. The dog was quick to get its business done, and rushed back inside. It seemed that the nights remained too cold for its liking. And for Naruto's as well.

"I'm throwing ya out now. I really need to sleep", Naruto informed, a yawn escaping. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah. I'll see ya at the trial, if not sooner", the man muttered.

"Yup. See ya", the blonde said with a smile.

Sasuke only gave him a small nod and a crooked smirk, before stepping out into the darkness. Naruto watched him disappear into the black night. He let out a small sigh. He was alone again. It sucked more than it used to.

* * *

**Hope ya enjoyed it. Luv ya.**


	26. The Definition of Power

The streets were empty and quiet. The darkness of the night made the still city seem entirely deserted. A cold, haunting feeling had fallen to roam the hollow alleys. The distant sounds of police sirens seemed unworldly. As if they came from another place and time. Maybe they did.

Gaara walked down a familiar street. He was only a block away from the house he'd resided in for the past few weeks. The closer he got, the less interested he was in actually reaching it. The late hour gave him hope that the blonde would be asleep already, but it wasn't enough to push away the anger still burning his insides. He didn't really want to go back. But he couldn't just leave, either. He still had a trial to go to. And business to finish. He had no choice.

As the familiar driveway came to view, Gaara slowed down his pace. Dragging out the inevitable seemed like a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Perhaps it gave him some kind of vague contentment. Or time to change his mind about being even remotely responsible.

Only when the irritation growing step by step came to a halt, did Gaara realize he'd stopped walking altogether. A grunt escaped his pale lips.

The redhead shut his eyes in frustration. He came to grab a fistful of his red hair, as he let out another displeased sound. This wasn't working at all.

Gaara lit up a cigarette. He took a long drag, turned his gaze towards the dark night sky, and let the smoke slowly slip from between his lips. He watched the stars, the stars watched him back. The lights of the city outshone most of them, but a handful of unusually bright ones remained visible. One in particular. Positioned nearly exactly in the center of the dim sky, just slightly towards the east. It was brighter than the rest of them. It seemed more alive. More vibrant. More obnoxious, even. Reminded him of a certain someone.

Gaara sighed and turned his gaze away. He took another drag of smoke. It didn't taste particularly pleasant, but took away the edge of his grim mood. With his gaze glued to the ground, Gaara continued walking again. The sound of his footsteps echoed softly, breaking the silence around him. He wasn't more than a few steps away from the driveway, when something made him come to a halt once more.

The sound of somebody else's footsteps reached his ears. Gaara lifted his gaze from the ground to find a dark figure walking towards him. The redhead instinctively reached towards his gun, shoulders tensing up.

The figure walked along the driveway, coming from the direction of the blonde's house. That was alarming enough to make Gaara pull out his gun. In a swift move the gun was loaded and aimed at the figure. But instead of pulling the trigger, he patiently waited for their face to be revealed.

As they came closer, the dim streetlights eventually hit their face, revealing something unpleasantly familiar. Gaara's tense shoulders tensed even further, but he lowered the gun. It did remain in his hand. That was a statement, if so interpreted. The one walking towards him came to a stop, laying a displeased look on the redhead. It gave the redhead some level of contentment.

It was Sasuke, after all. His displeasure would never stop being funny to Gaara.

"I see you still have the need to be an asshole towards me", Sasuke stated. Gaara smirked.

"Don't think too highly of yourself. I hardly have the will to waste my energy on you", he sneered.

Sasuke's jaw clenched, evidently giving away his irritation. That of course amused the redhead to no end.

Gaara somehow expected to get insulted or at least flipped off, but it never happened. The raven said nothing, simply drilled holes into his head with that icy stare of his. Gaara found it somewhat strange. He even considered asking about it, but dismissed the thought as soon as it came. Instead of showing any interest in the other's death stare, the redhead moved to walk past him.

A tight grasp on his arm came to stop him.

The wave of rage that washed over the redhead came instantly evident to Sasuke as well. It took only a split of a second for Gaara to break free, turn around and press the gun against the other man's temple. Sasuke refused to flinch. Gaara found it impressive, but not impressive enough.

"Feel like dying?" he growled.

Sasuke stared blankly at him. A low chuckle escaped his lips, making the redhead grit his teeth in anger. He found that cackle just a bit too obnoxious.

"You're not that stupid", Sasuke said, raising the corner of his lips. It irritated Gaara to no end, naturally. He pressed the gun harder against his head, clarifying just how little he appreciated the tone of voice.

Sasuke's smirk soon faded away, as he became serious again. It was obvious he had something to say. Gaara wasn't sure if he cared enough to listen. That became irrelevant, when he actually heard what the other man had to say. It wasn't what he'd expected, to say the least.

"Don't go back there. Just leave. Leave, and never come back", Sasuke said, not a trace of hesitation in his voice.

Gaara's brain activity seemed to stop for just a moment. He needed that moment to make sure he'd actually heard right.

"Fucking excuse me?" he blurted out, honestly confused. Wasn't this the man who'd asked him to stay by the blonde, no matter what?

"You heard me. Leave. Don't come back", Sasuke repeated.

It was hard to describe the feeling that overcame the redhead. He was in fact speechless. That wasn't a phenomenon that occurred often. The tight hold on his gun faltered just slightly. Sasuke used that opportunity to slowly push the gun away from his head. Gaara didn't even resist.

"He thinks he needs you. He has become delusional when it comes to you", Sasuke stated. Gaara remained in a state of silent confusion.

"He's become too attached to you. We both know you can't give what he thinks he needs from you. You are not a real person. You're a hitman, created by the mafia. You need to leave, before he loses all sense", the raven continued, his voice strongly bitter.

The redhead wasn't able to say a thing. His silence gave Sasuke the chance to let it all out.

"He's lost half of it already. And for what? A soulless soldier with nothing to give?" he hissed.

Gaara's confusion got replaced by pure rage. The gun that'd been pushed away was quickly pressed against the other's head again. Harder than before. His finger closer to pulling the trigger than before.

"You know nothing about me", he hissed. Sasuke snorted. It didn't help the anger that kept on rising inside Gaara.

"It really isn't that hard to figure out", the raven sneered.

Gaara couldn't remember the last time he'd been so tempted to see a man get hit by an asteroid as he was then.

"For a guy who came asking for favors from me, you sure are fucking arrogant", the redhead hissed through gritted teeth.

Gaara shivered with rage. Sasuke saw that. He knew it wasn't a good sign, but it didn't stop him from staying determined.

"The deal we made is purely business. This is personal. Don't confuse the two. You should know better", Sasuke growled, not breaking under the murderous gaze directed at him.

Gaara's anger skyrocketed. He knew the man was right, but it wasn't any help. His rage was beyond logic. Way beyond.

"This has nothing to do with you. This is between me and blondie. You are irrelevant", the redhead hissed.

Sasuke frowned. It was no surprise that his irritation was quickly evolving into anger, as well. But he was determined not to give into it as easily. Ignoring the gun painfully pressed against his temple, Sasuke took a step closer. Gaara tensed up. Sasuke ignored that as well.

"You have no real reason to stay here. You have no real reason to go through with the trial. We both know that disappearing is child's play to you. They would never find you", he stated as a matter of fact. Gaara frowned. Sasuke kept on talking.

"He would give up everything for you. To him, you are same as freedom. You are his ticket out of the lie he lives in. But he doesn't seem to realize that you have nothing to give up for him. You have nothing to give. You're just another lie. You don't deserve the power you have over him", he continued, his voice getting more piercing by every word.

The man's words had an unexpected effect on Gaara. The raven might as well have shoved a knife into his chest. Somehow, he physically hurt.

"Forget about the trial. Forget about him. Just leave. After you've fulfilled your part of our deal, I don't wanna hear from you again", Sasuke hissed.

Gaara's anger had started to mix with some level of panic. The realization that the man wasn't talking utter bullshit came like a slap across the face. He tried to keep his composure by pressing the gun harder against the other's head. But what Sasuke said next, made him falter all over again.

"I'm not gonna lose him because of you."

The hand holding the gun fell down. Gaara froze to stare at Sasuke. He said nothing, just stared blankly at the other's pained face. The pain on Sasuke's face only lasted a second, before it was gone. All other emotion died from his eyes along with it. Only thing left was the determination behind the words he'd spoken.

Gaara watched Sasuke take a step back and turn around. The redhead knew he was leaving. The raven knew it would be easy for the other one to shoot him dead. Even then, Sasuke started walking away, leaving Gaara to stand alone in the cold darkness. Eventually, the raven disappeared into the night.

The shot never came.

_Naruto stands before a familiar heat. The bright colors blind him, but he doesn't mind it. Gasoline filled fire dances around him, luring a content smile onto his lips. The heat stings, but doesn't truly hurt. It warms him on the outside, but also on the inside. He can feel his heart beat faster, as adrenaline rushes through him like electricity. His entire existence becomes a reflection of sick and twisted pleasure. It feels better than ever before._

_At that moment, nothing is wrong. All is good. All is as it should be._

_His contentment cracks slightly as a sudden wave of sadness washes over him. He realizes something is wrong. Something is missing. Someone is missing._

_The figure. The figure is missing._

_He turns around to look for them. Only darkness meets his eyes. There is nobody there but him. No sound of breathing. No cold touch on him. No presence beyond his._

_Loneliness creeps in. Adrenaline becomes panic and anxiety. Pleasure becomes pain and suffering. Even the screams of terror and death can't hold his calm. The darkness only becomes darker. The heat becomes freezing cold and colors fade into shades of grey. _

_His legs give out. His lungs fail to function. He is suffocating._

_This time he does not burn. This time he does not feel his skin get peeled off by dancing flames. This time, he is cold._

_He screams. He screams until his voice dies out. _

_The taste of blood floods his mouth. Red liquid spills from between his lips and runs down his jaw. It stains his face, it stains his hands. It stains his soul. _

_Once more he tries to scream. He doesn't know if he succeeds. The blood drowns the voice he tries to push out._

_The fire is gone. The voices are gone. The colors are no more._

_Alone, he freezes, 'till the blood running through his veins stands still._

Naruto jolted awake. He might've screamed. He couldn't be sure, as for the first ten seconds of being awake, all his senses failed to function. It made his panic even worse.

He shivered violently. Whether it was because of the panic, or the freezing cold, he wasn't sure. The reason didn't really matter. Either way, he couldn't stop trembling. He felt like his heart would come through his rib cage. The short, anxious breaths he fought to take weren't enough of an intake of oxygen. It made his head feel light.

It took a good twenty minutes for him to entirely calm down. And even then, his body twitched unintendedly.

The dog, Thing, that'd been sound asleep on the floor, had climbed into the bed next to Naruto. It had curled up close to the blonde, resting its head on his lap. Oddly enough, Naruto found some level of comfort in the animal's gesture.

Naruto was finally able to take deep breaths. They slowly pushed away the rest of his panic. Even the twitching stopped, eventually. He was thankful for that.

Naruto gently patted the dog resting beside him, while staring blankly at the wall. His mind seemed to remain in a state of absolute emptiness. He had difficulties in truly understanding the horror of his dream. It'd been worse than ever before. Never had he been in so much panic and anxiety before, under any circumstances.

He also couldn't help but to wonder about the odd ending of his dream. It'd been different than usually. He'd been cold, he'd been freezing cold. Not burning to death, like usually. Not that he really preferred that, but he found it strange. The possibility that it might've held some meaning crossed his thoughts. He found that thought to be extremely unpleasant.

It was a full hour after waking up, before Naruto finally left the bed. He did his best to forget about the dream, but couldn't stop the occasional flashbacks from affecting him just slightly. Only after three cups of coffee and an equal amount of cigarettes, did he finally feel like a stable human being again. Well, stable to the extent he usually was.

Somewhere between the third and fourth cup of coffee, Naruto suddenly realized something quite relevant. Gaara hadn't come back. As that dawned on him, the blonde found himself feeling quite anxious all over again. He had been too taken aback by his dream to even remember how the previous night had ended. It hadn't really gone that well, had it?

Naruto slumped down in his seat and let out a long sigh. The timing of this was the worst possible. Naruto was supposed to fly to Fuchu the same day. He had business to take care of before the trial. If Gaara wasn't there to go with him, it would be a serious problem.

He wouldn't actually skip the trial, would he?

That thought made Naruto's heart sink. He had taken that into consideration the night before, but hadn't really thought of it seriously. Gaara had promised not to do anything stupid. Stupid as in not showing up at trial. Naruto had believed him. But then again, there was only so much trust he could put into that man's words.

A strangling feeling stirred awake inside him. There was a possibility he hadn't taken all too seriously before.

What if Gaara wasn't coming back at all?

The blonde tensed up unintendedly. He knew it was an actual possibility, but didn't want to think of it as one. Gaara had said he wouldn't leave him. He'd said he wouldn't leave him alone in this hell.

Naruto shook his disturbing thoughts away. The strangling feeling clenching inside his chest remained, but he simply ignored it. He didn't have the time to worry about Gaara's whereabouts at the moment. There were a million things the blonde would have to get done before the trial. Even if Gaara decided not to show up at the courthouse, Naruto would. He'd have to. Otherwise he'd just be fucking it up for everybody. And to avoid that, he would have to get things done instead of worrying about that idiot.

And since he still remained pissed at him, it shouldn't be that hard.

A few hours later, Naruto had made the final draft of the defense, packed a suitcase and booked a flight. A flight for two. Even though there still was no two. Just him, waiting pissed as hell for Gaara to come back. There had been no sign of him at all. Naruto had expected him to come crawling back hours ago, but that obviously wasn't the case. It was making him so stressed out, it was ridiculous.

The blonde had tried to pass the time by working out. Usually he found the pain of pushing himself to the limit help him clear his mind, but this time, it was virtually no help whatsoever. His anxious state of mind remained the same, as did the strangling feeling clenching his chest. He was getting seriously worried about whether or not the man would show up. Naruto had very clearly told him they would have to leave that night. The redhead was aware of it. So, if he failed to show up, it was absolutely deliberate.

"Shit", Naruto hissed to himself.

The blonde had spent an hour hitting and kicking the punching bag that hung from the ceiling of his garage. He was soaking wet and had most likely sweated out the majority of all his bodily fluids. His knuckles were sore and swollen, and his knees were ready to give out. Even then, he remained pissed off. In fact, his anger was hitting levels previously unheard of.

Naruto tried to catch his breath. The flight wouldn't depart for another six hours. That meant he had more time than necessary to dwell in his anger, not being able to do anything about it. The thought of that made his irritation spike. He ended up throwing one last hit at the punching bag, with all he got. The whole thing came crashing down.

"…Fuck."

It wasn't much later, when Naruto had succeeded in taking a shower and dressing himself in the most comfortable pieces of clothing he owned. Knowing he'd be spending a three hour flight in uncomfortable jeans, he felt the need to enjoy a pair of baggy sweatpants and an old t-shirt. It wasn't the sexiest look in the world, but sure as hell was the comfiest. It even took his anger down a notch.

The blonde had just finished packing the last of his stuff, when a desperate whining reached his ears. Naruto abandoned the packed bag on the hallway floor and turned his gaze towards the front door. Thing sat by the door, watching Naruto with pleading eyes and letting out weak noises of discomfort.

Naruto sighed. His first thought was to just let the animal freely roam the backyard, so he wouldn't have to be bothered with an actual walk. But after a glance at the clock, he changed his mind. He had five hours 'till the flight would take off. Gaara was still nowhere to be seen. Going out to look for him would be the most far-fetched option ever. If the man wanted to stay hidden, he would stay hidden. But on the other hand, Naruto did not have the patience to simply sit on his ass, waiting for an idiot who probably wouldn't show up anyway.

With a frustrated grunt, Naruto threw on a jacket, a pair of shoes and letting Thing outside, he stepped after it into the chilly wind.

The streets were busy, as expected for a Tuesday afternoon. People were getting off work, rushing to get home, everybody believing their hurry to be more important than other's. Once Naruto reached downtown, he realized he'd truly picked the worst possible timing for any type of walk. Especially the kind where he tried to find that red-haired prick.

Considering that approximately 3.5 million busy citizens were all marching down the main streets at the same time, the odds of Naruto actually running into Gaara were slim to none. He knew that. He knew it was idiotic to even try and look for him. And the longer he walked around aimlessly, failing time after time to find him, the more anxious he became. His anger was slowly evolving into worry instead. The possibility of Gaara not showing up had become an almost certain fact. That made Naruto distressed. And slowly, but surely, slightly insane.

After an hour of walking around the city with no real destination, Naruto slumped down to sit on a bench. His lousy posture made it evident just how desperate he was getting. He was out of breath, tired as hell and fidgeting with anxiety. Somewhere along the line, his walking had become just straight up, aimless running. The shower he'd taken had lost its purpose entirely.

A shaky breath escaped the blonde's lips. He buried his face behind the palms of his hands, trying his best not to lose his calm. Naruto's anger was long gone. The strangling feeling of panic had come to replace it. He felt even shittier. He had no idea what to do if he didn't find the redhead. In that case, the trial would be the least of his worries. The fact that he would be left all alone to deal with all the shit was a problem much worse. Not to mention never seeing Gaara again suddenly became his biggest fear. Why, he wasn't sure.

The blonde became more and more frustrated by the second. Even the dog sitting beside him was getting restless seeing him suffer with anxiety. Naruto suddenly had no idea what to do. Could he really just leave to Fuchu without Gaara? His professional side told him it was the right thing to do. But the side that'd come to think of Gaara as something more than just another client was screaming sternly against it. Naruto honestly had no fluent brain activity going on anymore. His mind was just a mess of fear and panic.

A terrifying thought crossed his mind. Naruto's breath hitched.

For some fucked up reason, his brain had completely dismissed the possibility that maybe Gaara was gone against his will. Maybe something was wrong.

What if he was dead?

In the split of a second, the last of Naruto's composure broke down. He found it difficult to breathe properly. His hands clenched into tight fists, panic washing over him. The thought of the man just simply being dead, felt like a stab to the heart. What if he was dead? What if somebody had killed him? And Naruto hadn't been there to make sure he wouldn't get hurt.

The feeling of regret smacked the blonde hard across his face. All the things he'd said, the things he'd done, they all came together as an oppressive feeling of deep, painful regret. If Gaara was dead, it would be his fault. It would be his fault for making him leave, for not being there.

Naruto jolted up. His feet decided to move before his mind had a chance to interfere. His calm pace quickly turned into running. The blonde rushed down the busy streets, pushing people out of his way. He ran fast enough to give the dog difficulties keeping up. After a mile of manic running, his legs were ready to give out. And he still had two more to go. He had to get back home.

Had the blonde's mind not been entirely blank, his body would've given up halfway through. But thanks to the lack of all intellectual brain activity, he made it all the way to his home street. The panic boosted adrenaline kept him going, even though just dying on the filthy sidewalk sounded like a brilliant option. As his house came to view, he picked up the pace even more.

It was late enough for the daylight to have started taking its leave. It wasn't dark, but the sky was rapidly getting dimmer. Streetlamps were slowly starting to cast a hazy light on the dark asphalt. Naruto was nearly home. As he was only a few steps away from the driveway, something caught his eye. Light flooded through the kitchen window. There were lights on inside the house. He hadn't left any on. Somebody was inside. Gaara had come back.

Naruto realized he'd stopped moving, just to marvel at the dim kitchen light. He woke up from his trance, and rushed to take the last few steps, quickly reaching the front door. He yanked the door open, perhaps a bit more roughly than needed. Never before had he ridden himself of his shoes as quickly as then. He rushed to get into the kitchen, nearly tripping on the way there. But as he reached the room, turned around the corner and found a person sitting by the table, his heart sank lower than ever.

"Shit. It's you", the blonde growled, not even trying to hide his disappointment.

Sakura sat by the kitchen table, watching Naruto eyes wide, before frowning.

"Excuse me?" she hissed, obviously insulted.

Naruto didn't give a shit. He had no interest in her feelings at the moment. All he could think about was that she wasn't Gaara. Gaara still hadn't come back and Naruto had no idea where he was. If he even was alive anymore.

"Fuck", the blonde spoke through gritted teeth.

He slumped against the doorframe, trying hard not to pass out from the lack of oxygen. Upon seeing his wife instead of Gaara, the strangling feeling inside his chest had severely tightened. He was seriously starting to panic. If something had happened to him, Naruto couldn't promise he wouldn't do something stupid.

"I said, excuse me?" Sakura repeated, taking a sharp, piercing tone. It instantly gave Naruto a headache.

He was too manic to even try and calm down. He shot an icy glare at his wife, clenching his fists in anger. He wasn't really angry at her. He was angry at himself, at the world. She just happened to be the only one he could take it out on.

"Shut the fuck up", the blonde blurted, before even realizing it.

The look of horror that spread across the woman's face was inexplicable. She was too shocked to reply. Not that Naruto would've stayed to listen, even if she had.

Slightly leaning against the walls in order to stay upright, the blonde moved away from the kitchen, towards the stairs. It didn't take long before he heard a set of footsteps following him. Angry footsteps. He ignored them.

"Do not ignore me. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Sakura shrieked behind him, realizing she was not being acknowledged.

Naruto refused to give an answer. He simply kept on making his way upstairs. As he realized the woman was about to follow him all the way to the master bedroom, Naruto spun around halfway up the stairs, startling his wife. What startled her even more was the murdering look directed right at her. She froze still. She said nothing. Neither did Naruto. No words were needed. The look of pure malice was enough of a statement.

Sakura wasn't dumb. That's why she stopped following the blonde, as he turned around again and walked away. The sound of a door getting slammed shut echoed from the walls. She couldn't move. Her anger was gone. Instead, she was afraid.

As soon as Naruto had slammed the door shut, he picked up the first thing in sight, and threw it hard against the wall. The item shattered into a million tiny pieces across the floor. That didn't stop him from carrying on destroying anything and everything he physically could. He kept on doing it, until he no longer felt it to be helpful. Until nothing felt like anything, anymore. Only then did he stop. Only then did he calm down enough to sit down and pull his hair 'till it hurt, instead.

It took several minutes for the blonde to calm down entirely. He had a hard time realizing what exactly had happened inside his head for him to go that crazy. But it didn't really matter, to be honest. Gaara still wasn't there, Naruto still had no idea if he was even alive and he still had to leave to Fuchu in less than two hours.

Once Naruto finally was no longer out of breath, he shut his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. He'd had his moment of complete madness. It was time to act like he wasn't an unstable piece of shit again.

With a grunt, the blonde pulled himself up from the floor. Wordlessly, expressionlessly, he moved to his wardrobe and opened up the door. Another sigh escaped his lips. He didn't feel like making an effort. But then again, life obviously wasn't asking for his opinion.

Compared to what had locked itself behind the bedroom door, the man that stepped out was like a different person. It had taken more than thirty minutes of teeth gritting, cursing and desperation, but once Naruto made his way back downstairs, he no longer looked like a madhouse runaway. He had rid himself of the rags he'd been clothed in, had no expression of panic evident anymore and carried himself as proudly as always. It didn't mean he didn't still feel like shit. It just wasn't showing. The jet black suit, back slicked blonde hair and stone cold face gave an impression of a vaguely normal human being. Minus the lunatic's eyes, but that was a moot point.

The blonde instantly felt the gaze burning with anger laid on him, as he returned to the kitchen. He ignored it. Sakura didn't like that. And made it extremely clear.

"What the fuck?" was the simple, yet demanding question.

Naruto took his time to even look at her. He knew that was an asshole move, but it took his everything not to go crazy over the fact that he had to leave in just an hour. Without Gaara. To the trial where he was supposed to represent that man. A man that was conveniently missing. So yeah, his motivation to give a shit about his attitude was a strong, bold zero.

"I don't have time for this", the blonde stated.

Sakura physically flinched with anger. Naruto shot her a cold glare. She flinched again. But not with anger.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked after a while of silence. Her voice gave away the nervousness stirring awake.

Naruto clenched his jaw in irritation. He took a glance at the time. Only two hours before the flight would take off. Only an hour before he had to already be there. And less than thirty minutes before he had to leave the house. His anger was dangerously waking up again.

"Not now", the blonde repeated.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, but kept her mouth shut. She was angry. Obviously. But she also felt nervous. She hadn't seen the blonde like this before. Ever. Sure she'd seen him angry, even enraged, but this…this wasn't simply anger. This was way more intimidating. And she didn't know how handle it.

"Are you going somewhere?" the woman cautiously asked after a short silence.

Naruto took his time to answer. He lit up a cigarette and pressed his back against the wall to lean. Smoke quickly filled the room. Sakura opened a window, letting out a sound of disappointment.

"Yeah", he eventually said.

Sakura shut her eyes in frustration, but said nothing for a while. Eventually, she frowned and failed to keep her question unvoiced.

"You're going to Fuchu, aren't you?"

Silence followed. An intense stare demanding for an answer was directed at the blonde. He decided to give the vaguest answer humanly possible.

"Hn."

Naruto knew exactly how much it irritated Sakura to not get a proper answer. And even though it was childish, the blonde might've found it slightly pleasing. That's how uninterested he was in her prying. Silence fell around them. A tense silence, but a silence nevertheless. It pleased the blonde. He let his mind drift away from the room, forgetting about Sakura.

The blonde stared blankly ahead and breathed out puffs of smoke. One hand in the pocket of his pants, he let his fingers feel a metallic item inside the pocket. Eventually, he took it out. An item he'd carried with him ever since receiving it, sat in the palm of his hand. The locket Gaara's sister had given him.

The silver chain attached to the piece of jewelry hang loosely from between his fingers. Naruto hesitated to open the locket. But eventually, he did. Two fairly beautiful women stared back at him. With just a quick glance, they looked like twin sisters. They both smiled an almost identic, beautiful smile. Naruto found himself wondering if Gaara's smile would be equally as charming. If a genuine one ever was to pass his features.

Naruto's lips unintendedly curled into a small smile. The hope of perhaps one day seeing a genuine smile on that man's lips crossed his mind. It was a stupid thing to hope for. He knew that. But it didn't stop him from doing it anyway.

"What the hell are you grinning about?" Sakura's piercing voice asked, startling Naruto awake from his thoughts.

The blonde closed the locket with a soft click. He placed the jewelry back into his pocket, then slowly meeting Sakura's gaze. The smile on his face was long gone, and all that remained, were the cold, hollow eyes. The woman flinched again. She was not used to seeing that.

"Nothing", Naruto stated simply.

Sakura said nothing. Simply watched him with some level of curiosity, mixed with fear. Naruto dismissed her confusion. He dismissed her all together and just turned his gaze away again.

The heavy, strangling feeling returned to oppress him again. When Temari had handed him the locket, Naruto had been nearly sure he would never pass it on to Gaara. He'd thought that the man wouldn't want it. And most likely, he didn't. But Naruto had somewhat changed his mind. The thought of never seeing the man again became more and more relevant by the minute. That thought slowly made him realize just how much he truly had to say and give to him. The locket was one of those things. One among a million others. Naruto was starting to fear none of it would be said and given. That he now had a million more things to regret.

Naruto turned his gaze to learn the time again. The minutes seemed to go by too fast. In fifteen minutes, he would have to be out the door.

Naruto grunted. He let a sigh escape his lips, as he pushed himself away from the wall.

"I need to leave. Take care of the dog, will ya?" Naruto muttered.

There would've been a million nicer ways to present that question, but he'd chosen that one. It obviously didn't get that good of a reaction. The blonde had been ready for that, and thus was quick to turn to face Sakura, before she had the chance to reply. The demanding look in his eyes told the woman that it would be way easier to just comply. She didn't feel like she deserved the treatment she was given, but in all honesty, just wanted to get away from the situation.

"Okay", she eventually complied.

Naruto's eyes softened slightly. He tore his gaze away again, and turned towards the hallway instead. He knew he was supposed to get ready, take his stuff and step out the door. He knew that, but had absolutely no motivation to do it. He sighed again and ran a hand through his hair.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked cautiously. She was almost positive there would be no answer. Surprisingly tough, she was wrong.

"Everything", the blonde growled bitterly, and turned back towards his wife.

Sakura watched him worriedly. She knew something was wrong. She also knew Naruto wouldn't talk about it in a million years. All she could do was to give some wordless compassion. It didn't seem to be much of a help.

Naruto found Sakura's supposed compassion to be no help at all. It felt like pity. He didn't like pity. But he refused to make an issue out of it. The blonde sighed. He opened his mouth to say something that wasn't painfully insulting. He never succeeded. The front door opened, cutting him off.

Naruto froze. He was facing away from the door. Sakura's gaze traveled past him, towards the one who'd just stepped inside.

"Oh. Hey", the woman said very simply, with a small smile on her lips. That smile was enough for Naruto to know who stood behind him.

The blonde turned around, slowly. His eyes met red hair, pale skin and hollow, pale green eyes. His eyes met Gaara.

Naruto stared. He stared so fucking long. Just gauged blankly at him, not saying a word. Not feeling a thing. Not until a massive wave of rage washed over him. It hit him like a tsunami, instantly giving him the urge to rip that man apart with his bare hands. But before he had the chance to do that, the feeling of relief mixed with the rage. The two together created a whole new emotion that he had no word for.

Naruto forgot all about Sakura, all about the hurry to the airport and just let himself get taken over with a mess of feelings. Gaara never got the chance to stop the fist that collided with his jaw. His head flung to the side, blood filled his mouth and stabbing pain shot through his face. It could be easily determined, that nobody had ever hit him so hard.

"Naruto!" a piercing female voice screeched behind the blonde.

Naruto ignored it all together. Gaara turned to face him, only to get hit again. The blow was even harder than before, making him fall backwards, his back hitting the wall.

Naruto took a step towards him. He saw that the redhead had no intention of defending himself. His shoulders didn't tense up, his posture remained hunched over. But the blonde didn't care about that. He also didn't care about the panicked screaming Sakura practiced behind him. He simply grabbed the paler man by the throat and pressed him against the wall. He raised his fist again, built up all the anger burning inside him, and hit the man with all he got.

It hurt more than Gaara would ever admit. The pain was paralyzing. He tried to fight it, but his legs gave out for just a second. His balance faltered, forcing him to slump down a few inches. Blood ran down his jaw. And not just a little. It poured down. He spat it out, but it only took seconds for it to fill up his mouth again. But even then, he did nothing to stop the blonde.

Gaara's lack of will to defend himself only made Naruto angrier. He could feel control leave his body, getting replaced by the darker side of his mind. He knew he was only a step away from killing something. Only there was nothing there that was supposed to get killed. That was dangerous. And Sakura saw that.

"Naruto! Stop it. Please, please, stop it", the woman begged, her voice breaking.

She stood only a few feet away. Saying that she wasn't afraid would've been a lie. She was terrified. She had no idea what was happening and how to stop it. In the split of a second, her husband had become a raging lunatic. She couldn't even recognize him.

"Stop it! Please stop it. I'll call the cops, if you don't", the woman eventually threatened.

The blonde froze. He stopped hitting the redhead, and simply froze. Sakura flinched. She probably shouldn't have said that.

Naruto let go of the redhead, straightened himself and slowly turned around. As soon as his gaze met Sakura's, the woman felt a million times more afraid than before. Never before had she been so afraid of anything. And it was those eyes that were responsible for it.

In those eyes, not a hint of her husband was left.

Time seemed to stop for the while that Naruto stood still, staring at Sakura. The woman was too frightened to move. For just a second, she glanced past the blonde, at the bloodstained redhead. She flinched once more. The sight that met her in that pale, stoic man, was not what she had expected. The redhead seemed in no way affected by the beating he'd just gotten. There was no pain in his eyes, no fear on his face. He was simply cold and hollow. Relaxed, as if nothing had happened. Apart from the bloody mess on his face, nothing indicated he'd just been beaten violently. For that passing second, he didn't seem human.

Sakura turned her gaze back towards Naruto. The blonde kept on staring silently. Sakura wanted to say something, but couldn't bring herself to do that. Instead, she took a step away from her husband. The blonde's eyes narrowed. Sakura flinched, but took another step away. The blonde's jaw clenched. The woman instantly knew what that meant.

Before she had a chance to simply run away, Naruto was already moving towards her. She saw no other option but to shut her eyes, turn around, and shield herself. She prepared herself for some sort of impact, some sort of pain. It never came. None of it ever came. Instead, a low, calm voice reached her ears.

"That's enough."

Sakura opened her eyes. She swallowed nervously and slowly lowered the hands she'd lifted to shield herself. It took her a few seconds to build enough courage to turn around. But once she did, it was like watching a miracle happen.

Naruto stood only a foot away from Sakura. But he was still. Held still. Held still by the redhead. Not forcefully, not violently. An arm wrapped around his waist, a hand pressed against his chest and a strong body pressed against his back, were enough to keep him still. The blonde wasn't fighting back. He wasn't trying to get free, not trying to hurt the man again. He simply stood there, held still by the other one.

No. That wasn't true. Not held still. Just held. Held by him.

Sakura watched the two men before her. One covered in blood, holding the one that'd just beaten him with all he got. Sakura could see the blonde calm down right before her eyes. Her gaze traveled from her husband to the man holding him. She then learned just why Naruto had calmed down like a sedated animal. She questioned why she hadn't noticed it right away.

That man's presence filled the entire room like toxic vapor. He possessed the aura of a hundred people, all by himself. It would've been impossible not to get overpowered by that. But instead of being soothing, it made Sakura feel uneasy. To her, his presence wasn't calming at all. It didn't feel good. It didn't feel safe. It felt evil. It was oppressing.

At that moment, she saw him as the definition of power. In the most sickening, gruesome way possible.

She couldn't see why Naruto would've found it calming in the least. But obviously he did. The blonde was no longer shivering with rage. No longer came off as intimidating. Not as much, anyway. The other man's touch worked like a drug on him. Sakura didn't know what to think of it, if anything at all. Maybe she should've just been happy that the blonde had been stopped by him.

The redhead moved the hand pressed against Naruto's chest higher, placed a finger under his chin, and tilted his head to see the blonde's blue eyes. Naruto gave no sign of protesting. Sakura had to marvel at that.

"Calm down", Gaara said, his voice slightly more gentle than before.

In Sakura's eyes, Naruto was already calm. At least that's what the trancelike stare directed at the redhead seemed to indicate. But if this was a way to make sure he'd stay that way, the woman had no complaints.

"Okay", Naruto eventually said, his gaze remaining on the paler man. A smirk spread across the redhead's lips. It made Sakura uneasy. It didn't suit him. It was twisted.

"Good. Now, angelface, we need to leave. There's somewhere we need to be, remember?" Gaara spoke in a soothing tone. Sakura thought the tone sounded wrong, coming from his lips. But Naruto didn't seem to mind it at all.

"Yeah", the blonde agreed, still gazing at the paler man.

Gaara gave him a content smirk. Sakura couldn't help but to think that there was no real need for him to hold her husband anymore. It didn't seem like a problem to him, though.

"You go ahead. I'll be right behind. Okay?" the redhead said, as he slowly let go of the other man.

He let go, but Naruto instantly turned around towards him, and grabbed his arm. He moved closer to the pale man and pressed himself against him. Really close. It made Sakura shiver with something she couldn't name.

"You won't take long, right?" the blonde spoke. His voice sounded strange. He looked strange. And he acted strange. At least in Sakura's opinion.

The redhead's bloodied lips turned into a small smirk. Sakura found it even more twisted than before. Maybe it was because of how close that sick smirk was to her husband's face.

"I won't", Gaara assured. His gaze glanced at the blonde's lips for just the split of a second. He didn't know if the woman noticed that or not.

Naruto was content enough with the answer. Sakura saw that he finally started to get back around. His gaze wasn't as hollow, nor as glassy. But it seemed that the redhead truly had some kind of power over him. Not once between grabbing his things, and leaving the house, did Naruto lay a glance at Sakura. And she noticed that. Not a glance, not a word. He simply disappeared out the door, leaving her alone with the redhead. She learned that being left alone with him seemed to become more unpleasant time after time.

"Do excuse your husband. He's having a rough time", Gaara spoke, startling Sakura away from her thoughts.

She turned to face him, only to regret it deeply. The bloodstained face, matched with a pair of hollow, cold eyes made it hard to find his words in any way kind. The redhead seemed to notice that. He flashed an apologetic smile, before moving on to wash his face in the kitchen sink. Sakura watched silently as the clear water became stained with red, slowly going down the drain. It was mesmerizing in a way. But made her feel sick, as well.

As the pale man got done with washing the blood away, and turned to face Sakura again, she couldn't help but to be taken aback. The blood was gone, revealing his snow white skin again. But what was slightly unsettling, was the fact that apart from a small cut on his lip, there was absolutely nothing indicating he'd just been beaten violently. It was as if he'd never been hit at all.

"As I was saying, please excuse him. He's not doing so good", the redhead said again, as he used the helm of his shirt to dry his face.

Sakura didn't reply at first. She felt so many mixed emotions, it was hard to contain herself. She wanted to shout and scream, she wanted to curse her husband to the lowest pits of hell. She wanted to cry and break things. She was so angry and disappointed, but couldn't bring herself to express those feelings. Not with that man there with her. Something about him made her mind and body shut down entirely, making her unable to react freely. It was as if that oppressive aura of his just sucked all life-force out of her. But that didn't mean she would just completely give into it.

"How can I fucking excuse him? He would've hit me", the woman hissed, evidently angered.

The twisted smirk returned onto the redhead's lips. Sakura shivered with some level of disgust.

"What makes you so sure?" he asked with that sick, twisted smile on his face. Sakura became confused.

"What do you mean? Wasn't it obvious?" she asked, finding his question absolutely stupid.

Gaara tilted his head slightly. He took a step closer to the woman, making her back away an equal amount. It simply amused the redhead.

"He's a tough one to handle. There ain't many that can. Can you?" he spoke, obviously ignoring the questions she'd presented.

Sakura frowned. Her confusion deepened. She could not understand the logic behind his words. The blonde was her husband. She knew him in and out. At least she'd thought so. She wasn't exactly sure anymore. But even then, she couldn't understand why this man was speaking as if he knew better than her. As if he knew him better. Sakura wasn't sure how to respond, so she simply said the first thing that came to mind.

"Who are you?"

Gaara felt further amused by her question. It was a valid one, he had to give her that much. But somehow he did find it funny that she would never actually get a true answer to that. It was wrong how much he enjoyed lying to her. But then again, hadn't it been wrong, he probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.

"Just a simple man from Tokyo city", he stated, not a hint of hesitation in his voice. Sakura failed to respond to that. She wasn't sure what she'd expected to hear when asking her question.

Gaara took her silence as a sign of the discussion being finished. With one last smirk, he let out a low chuckle, before turning around and walking to the front door. He placed his hand on the handle, about to pull it down, but paused. He turned to see the pink-haired woman once more, before leaving.

"Don't worry. I'll treat him the way he needs", he spoke, with a quirky undertone. It made Sakura flinch.

"I am a doctor after all", the redhead continued, an amused smirk on his lips.

Something about his tone and words made the woman shiver with disgust. But she never got to say that. The man was already gone.

Naruto stood outside, pacing back and forth, twitching with some sort of distressing feeling. His mind was still on the less sane side, only he wasn't aware of it. He balanced on the brink on insanity, just slightly over the crucial line. Gaara was taking too long. He needed the man to be there, with him.

When the front door of his house finally opened, Naruto stopped his manic pacing. He watched Gaara step out of the house, shut the door behind him and turn towards the blonde. In reality the redhead had been gone less than five minutes, but in Naruto's unstable state of mind, it'd felt like hours.

The redhead made his way towards the blonde, and stopped to stand before him. He said nothing, only waited for Naruto to speak. He never did. Instead, he simply stared for what felt like forever. When Gaara eventually opened his mouth to talk, the blonde cut him off abruptly. He gave the other one no chance to react, as he took him by the waist, roughly pulled him closer, and smashed his lips against the other's. A sound of surprise escaped the redhead's lips.

Had Gaara said he'd expected this to happen, he would've been the biggest liar on earth. It took several seconds of confusion, but eventually he pushed the blonde away.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked, keeping the other one far away enough to properly speak. He tried hard to ignore the hand trying to find its way under his shirt.

"What does it fucking feel like I'm doing?" the blonde growled, and closed the gap between them again. He got pushed away again.

Gaara said nothing, just looked at him. Naruto stood still for a while. Frustration overcame him soon. He forcefully pushed the other man against the wall, and pinned him hard against the cold surface. He brushed his lips against the other's.

"I thought you died", he said, his voice low.

The redhead's lips parted slightly, taken aback. The blonde pressed his lips against his, but got no response.

"I thought they took you away from me", Naruto continued, almost whispering.

He loosened his hard grip on the other man, instead holding him less roughly. He closed the gap between them again.

"I'm so fucking angry at you", he muttered against the other's lips. The tense redhead slowly relaxed under his touch.

"Are you?" the paler man asked, not really even registering the hand he'd placed on the other's waist. It became oddly difficult to push the blonde away.

"Yeah", was the simple answer.

As a hand came to grab his hair, Gaara stopped resisting the other's urge to shove his tongue down his throat. For a moment, he forgot that he was supposed to say no. He forgot he wasn't meant to enjoy this and especially wasn't supposed to ask for more. But the hand conveniently finding its way under his shirt, letting the cold air hit his skin, made it easy for him to forget all that.

"You can't just disappear. You can't do that to me. I need you", the blonde spoke against the other's lips.

Those words shot into the redhead like electricity. Only then did Gaara regain his sensibility. He tensed up again. His hands came to push the blonde away. He opened his eyes to meet an intense, displeased stare. Gaara realized that the hollowness hadn't disappeared from the blonde's eyes yet. He was still not himself. That was reason enough to push him away. He had no idea what he was doing.

Another valid reason were the words he'd said. 'Cause they were bullshit.

"Stop. You have no fucking idea what you're saying. And doing. Stop it", the redhead said, keeping the other one away.

Naruto's eyes flashed with anger. Gaara noticed that. He instantly wanted to make sure it wouldn't go any further. He pushed himself away from the wall, closer to the blonde and placed a hand on the side of his face.

"Don't even think about it. Not now. We're late already", he stated calmly.

It didn't seem to be much of a help. The anger in Naruto's eyes didn't seem to lessen, if anything, only grow. The blonde slapped Gaara's hand away, shot him a piercing glare and turned around to walk away.

Gaara clenched his jaw in frustrated.

"Fuck. Wait", he hollered after the blonde, now quite a distance away.

He got no response. Nor did he stop walking. With a grunt, Gaara rushed after Naruto, grabbed him by the arm, and forced the man to face him. That earned him an icy glare. The redhead did his best not to sound as blunt and cold as usually.

"You ain't yourself right now. Just calm the fuck down, okay?" he said, and pulled the blonde closer. He placed a hand on the side of his face. Naruto unintentionally leaned against his touch. A grunt escaped his lips.

"Okay."

Gaara gave him a half forced smirk. The blonde noticed it wasn't genuine, but said nothing about it. Even in the mess of a state he was in, he was aware that fighting wasn't the way to go right then.

"Good. We need to leave. When does the flight take off?" the redhead asked, and let go of the blonde.

"In an hour", Naruto replied, lowering his gaze. His remaining irritation and disappointment was evident. Gaara decided to ignore it for the time being. Instead, he rolled his eyes in frustration.

"Are you serious? We need a miracle to make it in time", he grunted. He instantly felt a piercing glare drill holes into his head.

"And whose fuckin' fault might that be?" Naruto hissed.

Gaara got no chance to reply, as the other man had already rushed past him to reach his luggage. A sigh escaped his lips as he watched Naruto march down the street, towards the city. With lazy steps, Gaara followed him. An irritating, nagging feeling stirred inside him. If the current situation was unpleasant, he could only imagine the blonde's reaction, when he'd have to take up an unavoidable subject.

The subject of leaving. For good.

* * *

**Oh my. Blondie went crazy. **

**Hope ya enjoyed, luvs. 'Till next week.**


	27. Bittersweet

Naruto could feel the warmth of somebody next to him. It was pleasant, it felt safe. He wanted to lean towards it, to get closer. But something seemed to stop him from doing that. He found it odd. As he did the darkness. And the vague human sounds, buzzing around him. The noises slowly got louder. They became irritating. Irritating to the point where he finally realized, he wasn't actually awake. He was asleep.

Naruto opened his eyes with a start. He instantly scanned around him, trying to understand where exactly he was. It slowly dawned on him that the noises he'd heard, were the 150 other people around him. The 150 other passengers on the flight he was on. He was on a plane.

The blonde let a sigh escape his lips. He hadn't intended on falling asleep. But obviously, he had, anyway. As he turned to his right, he learned that the safe, pleasant warmth next to him, was no other than Gaara. Naruto frowned. He wondered just since when and where had he started to feel that man was in any way pleasant or safe. He couldn't answer that.

"Good morning, drooler", a low voice said. Naruto glanced at Gaara, and made a face.

"You're totally exaggerating", he assured himself, and rolled his eyes.

Gaara seemed vaguely surprised by something. Naruto raised a questioning brow.

"Seems you've got your head back together", the man grunted, not really clearing up anything. The blonde's confusion deepened.

"Excuse me?" he asked, honestly not understanding.

Now Gaara seemed confused. "You don't remember?"

The next few seconds consisted mainly of deep, deep confusion and odd looks. Eventually Naruto just shrugged.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked, making it seem like he wasn't the one acting like an idiot.

Gaara seemed to take a moment to ponder whether or not to actually tell him. Eventually, he concluded he'd have to.

"You don't remember going fucking crazy on me, then almost on your wife and after that trying to rip my clothes off?" he bluntly asked.

Naruto stared at him for a long time silently. The look on his face indicated he thought of the other man as a complete moron. But slowly that look faded away and got replaced by some level of terror.

The memory of what'd happened before leaving the house started flooding his mind. He suddenly remembered the anxiety and fear he'd felt the entire day. How it'd eventually gotten him to the edge of sanity, and in the end, over it. He remembered hitting the redhead 'till he bled all over, the screams of his wife and, the least pleasant part, almost attacking her. The more he remembered, the less he seemed to keep his composure together. Gaara prayed the devil that the blonde wouldn't make a scene. On an aircraft, it was not highly recommended. Naruto buried his face into his hands.

"How could I fucking do that? How could I almost hit her?" the blonde whispered horrified.

Gaara glanced at him. He could've said something comforting, but that wasn't really his thing. And to be honest, he didn't give a shit about that woman. But he had to admit that seeing the blonde so far out of himself had been somewhat of a shocking experience. Not necessarily in a bad way. He'd known that Naruto had the potential to be that way. He just hadn't expected to see it at that moment.

"But you didn't", Gaara dismissively replied.

Naruto revealed his face again, his expression best described as 'you-can't-be-fucking-serious'.

"That's not the damn point. If you hadn't stopped me, I would've hit her", the blonde hissed, even risking other people hearing. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Get over it. You didn't hurt her. She's fine", he muttered, wishing this discussion wouldn't go on any longer.

He truly had zero interest in the subject. Naruto was silent for a moment, giving the redhead hope he was done. But after a while of staring blankly ahead, he spoke again.

"But I hurt you."

Gaara's interest perked up just slightly. He turned to see the blonde. Some vague level of remorse seemed to be apparent on his face. The redhead had to smirk at it.

"It wasn't you", he stated simply.

Naruto turned to face him. Confusion painted his fine features, as he had no idea what that was supposed to mean. Gaara tilted his head slightly, and silently watched the blonde for a while. His smirk soon returned.

"It was the little demon. You know, the one that likes spilling blood and making others hurt. The one that occasionally takes over you", he then said.

Naruto raised a brow. As much as this was a serious discussion, he couldn't help but to find it a little bit funny.

"Seriously? The little demon? I can't believe you've nicknamed it", he snorted. Gaara chuckled.

"Well, it's been around more than you even realize", he muttered.

Naruto amusement slowly faded away. He knew the other man was right. The separate mind he'd created to handle shitty situations had grown into something way more powerful. What'd used to be the demon of his inner self, had now gotten out. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to shove it back inside anymore. That was dangerous. And it would get him in trouble.

"Don't go crazy over it, blondie. You'll learn to live with it", Gaara suddenly said, startling Naruto awake from his thoughts. He turned back towards him.

"What if I don't?" he asked quite unsure of himself.

The redhead gave him a long stare. He hesitated, but eventually ran a hand through the other's blonde hair.

"You'll learn. I did. You can't be worse than me, can ya?" he then said.

Naruto watched him silently for a moment. He couldn't stop a small smirk from appearing onto his lips. It was enough of an answer.

It was past midnight, when the flight finally landed. And past one in the morning, when they finally got to the hotel. This time, Naruto had been wise enough to get separate rooms. Although, for some reason, he felt kind of displeased about it. He ignored the feeling.

"I guess it's time to get some sleep", Naruto muttered as they stepped into the elevator.

Gaara followed him inside, and pushed two buttons. One for the 12th floor, the other for 15th.

"Well, I guess you won't", the blonde continued, as the doors slid shut.

Gaara let out a grunt. "Yeah."

A heavy silence followed. Their discussion on the plane might've been nearing their normal standards, but as it'd come to an end, so had the more pleasant side of Gaara. He'd hollowed back to his cold, empty state. Naruto tried hard not to mind it, but always ended up being unable to handle it. It didn't make him angry anymore. Sad, mostly. He truly despised it.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. The man just stood silently, his face stoic as cold stone. The blonde tore his gaze away, only to take another glance a few seconds later. He eventually had to voice his question.

"Are you ever gonna tell me?" he asked, and let himself lean against the elevator's wooden back wall.

Gaara was silent for a moment, before answering.

"Tell you what?"

Naruto sighed. He knew the man had a perfect sense of what he was talking about. He was just taking the piss out of him.

"You know what I'm talking about. Why won't you let me near?" he eventually said with a huff.

Gaara seemed to tense up upon hearing his question. It told Naruto that the man didn't find the subject pleasant.

"There's no need to discuss this", the redhead grunted, trying to end their talk, before it even started.

Naruto obviously didn't agree with that. With a frustrated growl, the blonde turned to properly face him, and forced the other one to do the same. His touch did not help the tension one bit.

"Yeah, there is. If I'm supposed to run away from fucking death with you, there is a need for this discussion", Naruto hissed, demanding for proper acknowledgment.

The elevator came to a stop. It'd reached the 12th floor. Gaara yanked himself free from the other's grip. He then took a step to get out, but stopped at the doors. The doors started sliding back shut. The redhead reached out his hand to stop them. He stood there for a while, silently. He didn't turn around anymore, but spoke.

"When the trial's over…I'm leaving."

Naruto wasn't sure if he'd heard right. It took him a long time to really assimilate the other's words. But when he finally did, his heart dropped like a stone. His lips parted, but no words came out. He couldn't speak. But he didn't really have to either. Gaara had already left.

The elevator doors slid back shut, leaving the blonde alone. Only when he reached the 15th floor, did he realize he'd slid down to the floor. Naruto stared blankly ahead at the open doors. He found it impossible to move. He found it impossible to do anything. He must've sat still for fifteen minutes, unable to even breathe properly.

Miraculously, he eventually did get to his room. But that night, Naruto didn't sleep, after all.

The next morning came both too slowly and too soon. Naruto hadn't slept at all. He was sleep deprived to the point of soon slipping into a coma. He had spent the entire night just staring at the white, dull ceiling, trying his best not to lose his sanity. It'd taken him hours to fully understand what Gaara had said to him. The reality of it. What it would really mean. But understanding hadn't done much good. It'd only left him more anxious, more unstable. He'd realized that he would be left alone to deal with yakuza. He'd be left alone to live the same damn lie he was desperate to get out of. And worst of all, he'd be left without Gaara.

Naruto felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. The things he'd said to the man were most likely the biggest mistake he'd ever made. He felt so naïve for thinking that it'd been the right thing to do. Telling him to keep away, that is.

Actually, it probably had been the right thing to do. The problem was that Naruto just didn't give a fuck about righteousness anymore. Maybe he never had. Just pretended he did. It didn't matter. He had fucked up, and had no idea how to fix it. Most likely, he couldn't. At all.

"Shit", Naruto muttered to himself.

The second the clock had struck 8 am, Naruto had gotten out of bed, and dressed himself. He had patiently waited the whole night for morning to come, and when it finally did, he wasted no time to get the hell up. He had things to take care of. Things that would take his mind off Gaara. Hopefully. But before actually getting to that part, he would have to face the redhead.

It had slowly, but surely dawned on him, just how much he needed that fucking maniac. How much he needed him, wanted him and even…cared for him. That wasn't really the right word for it, but it was the best Naruto could come up with. But that realization had made Naruto determined not to lose him. He couldn't. He didn't fucking want to. He wanted to stay alive, and needed Gaara for that. He wanted to get free from the lie he'd called life, and needed him for that too. He also wanted to be miserably happy, and that was what he needed the man most for. To make his misery just a little bit more worth enduring. He couldn't let him go.

But there was a problem. He didn't actually have the balls to say that to his face. He had no idea how to tell the man he hated the most, that he also needed him the most. He'd spent hours trying to come up with a way to express how he felt about it, but failed, time after time. And the solution he'd ended up with wasn't the kind to be proud of, really.

In the end, he'd decided to just pretend it didn't even happen. That Gaara hadn't told he was leaving. How exactly Naruto had reasoned it was a good idea, he couldn't explain. Somehow he felt that ignoring it for the time being, would get him time to think of a way to make him stay. Instead of storming in and yelling at the redhead, he would get time to find a more pleasant way of forbidding him to leave.

Naruto took a glance in the mirror. Surprisingly, he was quite happy about what he saw. He hadn't been spending time in front of a mirror that much lately, which meant he could actually see the changes in him. His clothes no longer hung on him slightly too loosely, nor was he pale as a corpse. He looked like himself again. For the most part. The eyes bothered him. They somehow seemed to have lost some of their vibrant, blue color. Kind of depressing, to be honest.

With a slight ruffle of his hair and a long sigh, Naruto turned away from the mirror, walked to the front door and stepped out of the room. Time to pretend he wasn't fucking dying on the inside. How delightful.

Gaara sat on the bed of his hotel room. He hadn't slept. He was used to that, but this time, it felt like all life had been drained out of him. He didn't know what to think of it. So he didn't think. At all. With that level of exhaustion, he found it surprisingly easy to achieve a state of zero brain activity.

He had spent the entire night fighting the urge to bang his head against the wall. He felt like shit. He never felt like shit. Not emotionally. But apparently he now did. And as much as he hated it, it was all because of the blonde. Because he'd walked away immediately after telling he was leaving, he had no idea what kind of reaction he would've gotten. He guessed it wouldn't have been anything good. Hell, his own reaction wasn't good. In all honesty, he probably felt shittier than the blonde.

He didn't want to leave. He really, really didn't want to leave. He didn't want to push the blonde away, he didn't want to leave him. But he had no choice. Sasuke had been right. He hated it, but he'd been right. There was nothing he could give the blonde. After the trial was over, there would no reason for him to stay anymore. No matter how hard he tried to save the blonde, he would probably just end up getting him killed. After all, the yakuza wanted him, not Naruto. Not as badly, anyway. If he left, the blonde had a much bigger chance of surviving. He knew that. And because of some fucked up, twisted reason, he had come to actually care about the other man's life, he had to leave.

That alone wasn't the reason. Since the blonde had made it extremely clear he wanted nothing to do with Gaara beyond the absolute necessary, he had no choice but to do as told. Sure Naruto acted constantly against his own words, but Gaara knew better. He knew that the blonde would always end up regretting the things he did. He would always blame Gaara for letting him get too close. If Gaara didn't let him close anymore, Naruto shouldn't have anything to complain about. So that's what he would do, until it was time to leave him all together.

Gaara let out a frustrated grunt. He hated the idea of leaving him. Even more he hated the pain it caused him. And _even_ more he hated, truly despised, that he actually cared enough for it to hurt. Simply put, he mainly hated himself.

The redhead glanced at the clock. It was 8:30 am. He probably should do something. But what, he had no idea.

A knock on the door awoke him from his thoughts. He glanced at the door. There was exactly one person who'd knock on his door, and he wasn't too excited about it. The pale man stared at the door for a long time, eventually deciding not to open it. Another knock soon followed.

"Open the door. I know you're in there", a low voice flooded through the door.

Gaara rose up to stand. He hesitantly walked over to the door, only to stand in front of it. He still did nothing to open it. There were no more knocks. But that didn't mean Naruto had left.

"Open the damn door. I can hear you fucking breathe. Stop being ridiculous", the blonde grunted.

Gaara sighed and rolled his eyes. He took his time, but eventually gave in, and opened the door. As expected, a familiar blonde stood behind it. But what took the redhead by surprise, was the way he looked. He had not expected to see the sexiest thing a suit could contain behind his door. He had expected something more depressed and tired, not a fucking posterboy. He seemed in no way affected by last night. Gaara wasn't sure whether to be relieved or insulted. Or horny. In the end, he decided to be all of those things.

"Well, good fucking morning to you too", Naruto muttered, as he got nothing intellectual out of the redhead. Just a long, long stare.

With a roll of his eyes, Naruto made his way past the redhead, slightly brushing against him on the way in. It was deliberate. Gaara noticed it, but was too busy staring to care.

"Yeah…mornin'", the redhead eventually muttered, shutting the door.

He then turned back towards the blonde. Naruto stood in the middle of the room, glancing around.

"Hn. This is nicer than my room", he muttered.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the blonde. The man was acting as if nothing had happened the previous night. He had expected some sort of breakdown. Perhaps a violent fit. At least fucking sulking, if nothing else. But no. Nothing indicated he gave a shit about last night. Did he even remember? Gaara refused to ask. He didn't want to talk about it.

"I actually doubt that", the redhead replied to the other's remark.

Naruto stood silently, facing the other way for a while longer. He soon let out a low grunt, before turning around.

"Wanna go buy some illegal weaponry, love? We kinda need it", the blonde then asked, with a small smirk on his lips.

Gaara became further suspicious. Naruto wasn't the kind of guy who'd just shrug off things like the one he'd just declared the night before. He was being weird.

"Uhm…Yeah. Sure", the redhead muttered, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling he got from the other's attitude.

"Great. C'mon. I've got other stuff to take care of as well", Naruto stated, as he made his way back towards the door.

The blonde opened the door, stepped outside and turned to face Gaara. The redhead just stood and stared. He was still finding all this extremely odd and slightly disturbing. Naruto raised a brow.

"Yo. I said I've got shit to do. We ain't got all day", he pointed out, startling Gaara awake from his thoughts.

He remained actionless for a moment longer. He really wanted to point out the other's strange behavior, but knew it would be no good. Better to just do as told.

"Right", the redhead muttered slowly, grabbed his jacket and went after the blonde.

It wasn't much later when they'd already gotten their hands on the guns they'd been after. It seemed like the seller Gaara had found on their last trip to Fuchu was stupid enough to constantly reside in the same area. Thus, it wasn't that hard to find him. One man's stupidity can be another's luck, it seemed.

"For such an idiot he sells good quality", Naruto muttered, as he studied the weapon in his hand.

They had stopped at a quiet alley to take a look at what they'd actually bought. There wasn't much to complain about. It was as good as they could get on such a short notice.

"Should've gotten a silencer", he then continued. Gaara grunted.

"You do realize it won't make firing the gun sound like a fluffy kitten landing on a pillow?" the man asked, raising a brow. Naruto made a face.

"I've been shooting guns since I was twelve. I know it won't sound like a fucking kitten landing on a pillow. This ain't a movie", he muttered sarcastically. "But it would help in a big city. The shot would easily blend in with the traffic", he then continued.

Gaara shrugged. He doubted it would matter. Yakuza wouldn't target them in the middle of the city. They weren't that stupid. Probably.

"I don't think we'll be shooting in the middle of traffic, blondie", Gaara pointed out. Naruto huffed.

"Ya never know", he said, and shoved the weapon down the back of his pants.

Kinda risking somebody seeing it, but at least it would be easy to get a hold on.

"Yeah, whatever. You had some business to take care of?" Gaara asked, as the two of them started to walk back towards the city.

"Yeah. Later on", the blonde said, and took out a pack of cigarettes. Gaara frowned.

"I thought you were in a hurry?" he pointed out, and signed to be given a cigarette as well. With a grunt, Naruto gave him one.

"I lied. I just had to get you out of that room. Otherwise you would've just rotten in there the whole day", he said with a smirk, and lit up.

Gaara rolled his eyes. He felt like the blonde deserved an insult. Even knowing he'd get one back.

"Asshole."

"Prick."

After a couple of miles of walking, they made it back downtown. The busy streets of Fuchu lay before them, as they stopped at a small park-like area. They took a seat on an undeniably uncomfortable bench, and stayed there to watch the city. It was a warm day. Naruto slightly regretted being dressed in a suit. Being clothed in jet black from head to toes wasn't exactly the best idea on a sunny day. But it was too late to whine about it. And after all, he'd waited for a sunny day for a long time.

Gaara watched the cloudless blue sky. He wasn't a fan of the sun. It was irritatingly bright, hot and just too fucking shiny. He really didn't like it at all.

The redhead glanced at the blonde sitting next to him. The closed eyes, head tilted backwards and a small smirk on his lips indicated he was way happier about the sun than Gaara. They truly were like day and night. About everything. Even about the fucking sun. Typical.

"Thank god it's almost summer", Naruto muttered, as he slowly opened his eyes.

Gaara realized the blonde had felt his stare. But he didn't look away.

"I hate it", the redhead said bluntly.

Naruto glanced at him. A chuckle escaped his lips.

"What's there to hate? At least it ain't cold as hell. No need to dress like a fucking eskimo. And best of all, I get to go shirtless around the clock", Naruto pointed out the perks of summer.

Gaara's mind unintendedly drifted away to imagine that exactly. A constantly shirtless Naruto. He had to admit, that might've been the only good thing about summer.

"You can't go around shirtless around the clock. You're a fucking lawyer", Gaara muttered, forcing the disturbingly pleasant image away. A small snort escaped the blonde.

"Sure I can. I do. Although, they don't appreciate it that much at work. But I've been kind enough to compromise and only do it inside my own office", he chuckled, yet completely serious.

Gaara couldn't fight the amusement caused by the other man.

"Dear god, what a moron you are", he grunted, but couldn't stop the small smirk from spreading across his lips.

Naruto found himself liking it. It hadn't been around for a while.

Silence fell upon them. Not the tense kind, but slightly heavy. Gaara found himself wondering about the other's attitude again. About the way he acted. As if Gaara had never even told he was leaving. It irked him. Naruto knew exactly what he was thinking, but said nothing. Instead he stretched himself quite extravagantly, before rising to stand. Gaara glanced at him.

"I guess I'll be going. Got stuff to do", Naruto stated, giving the redhead a small smile. Gaara simply nodded.

"Okay", he replied shortly.

Naruto's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. With a small wave of his hand, he then turned around and started walking away, leaving the other one alone to sit. He lazily stepped along the trail, leading him away from the park. Slowly, an amused smirk planted itself onto his lips. He stopped walking. He didn't turn around. He didn't have to.

"Yeah?" he asked.

No answer came at first. But Naruto still didn't have to turn around to know Gaara stood behind him.

"I'm coming with ya", the redhead eventually muttered.

The blonde finally turned around. Gaara stood before him, a stern look on his face. Naruto felt the need to chuckle in amusement. It irked the paler man, but he let it be.

"I doubt you wanna go where I'm heading", Naruto said. Gaara didn't even hesitate to answer.

"I know where you're going. Doesn't matter", he informed sternly.

Naruto tilted his head curiously. He didn't have to present any questions to get an answer.

"It ain't safe in this city for you to wander around alone. I'm coming with ya", the redhead repeated.

A smug smile creeped onto the blonde's lips. Gaara clenched his jaw in irritation. With a grunt, he moved to walk past Naruto. But not without giving him a slap on the back of his head.

"Moron", the redhead muttered, making his way ahead of the blonde.

Naruto couldn't help but to chuckle. He knew that man too well not to be obnoxious about it. With a smirk plastered across his face, Naruto shook his head in amusement, and followed the irritated redhead.

An hour, three miles of walking and an equal number of cigarettes later, they had made it to the other side of the city. Why they hadn't taken a cab was a question Naruto had been asking himself more times than he could count. But it didn't matter anymore. After all, they'd made it to their destination.

"It looks even uglier in daylight", Gaara muttered in disgust, as he watched the building they stood in front of. Naruto chuckled.

"Stop whining. You came here willingly", he pointed out, before making his way towards the entrance of the building.

He pulled open the door, stepped aside and gestured Gaara to get inside.

"Pretty hitmen first", Naruto smirked. The redhead flipped him off, but stepped forward.

"I'm armed. Don't forget that", the pale man hissed to him, before stepping inside.

Naruto stayed to roll his eyes at the other's turned back, before stepping after him. He scanned around the familiar place. The bar where Sai worked at. The place was pretty much empty, as expected for a Wednesday midday. Even in this neighborhood, it seemed that the drunks rather stayed at home during the day, sleeping away their hangover.

Naruto made his way towards the long, wooden counter on his left. Gaara followed behind him, looking grim. Not much of a surprise. A man stood behind the counter, his back turned. Even then Naruto knew he wasn't the one he was looking for.

"Yo. Is Sai around, or did I walk three fucking miles for nothin'?" Naruto hollered the one behind the counter.

The man turned around with a start. It seemed he hadn't heard the two of them enter. Taken aback, it took the man a while to reply.

"He…Uhm, what's your business with him?" he asked, regaining his composure.

The man's gaze locked onto Gaara. The redhead's cold stare made the man instantly look away.

Naruto gave him a smirk. It seemed the man was suspicious of them. Naruto couldn't really blame him though. Around this area it was wise to be cautious in unordinary situations. And Gaara was an unordinary situation all on his own.

"Just some talking we need to do. So is he around or not?" Naruto repeated his question.

The man didn't reply. It was enough of an answer for the blonde. Naruto sighed and took a seat at the counter. Gaara stayed to stand behind him. The man on the other side of the counter seemed nervous. The blonde tilted his head slightly and gave the man a crooked smile.

"Just tell him cutie came asking for him. He'll know", Naruto then chuckled.

The man became less anxious and more confused. But eventually, after a long, suspicious stare, he disappeared to the backroom.

Naruto sighed and leaned backwards, knowing the redhead stood right behind him. He took the liberty to lean against the man's strong chest. Naruto shut his eyes.

"Hn. You're comfy", he muttered.

Gaara snorted, but said nothing. A yawn escaped the blonde's lips.

"I'm so fuckin' tired. Mind if I fall asleep?" he mumbled tiredly.

Gaara glanced down. The blonde was quite boldly leaning against him, his eyes closed and not hiding the enjoyment of it at all. The redhead tried hard not to, but ended up smirking in amusement. That blonde idiot might've made his life damn difficult, but he'd never stop being pretty as fuck. Not even thinking about it, Gaara ran a hand through the other's blonde strands.

"I wouldn't advise it. You'll just fall, like the moron you are", he sneered, but not as harshly as he'd intended.

Naruto cracked his eyes open, and tilted his head upwards to see the redhead.

"You're fucking mean", he muttered, but lifted the corner of his lips.

"You ain't any better", Gaara pointed out, moving his hand away from the other's hair, placing it on the side of his face instead.

They were silent for a while. The blonde eventually broke the silence with a question.

"Wouldn't you catch me?"

An odd expression flashed across Gaara's face. Something resembling surprise. He didn't seem to know how to answer. His reply ended up being a question as well.

"Would you let me?"

Naruto seemed equally as surprised. He didn't reply. He didn't know how to. He just stopped to stare at the man watching him from above. That was one of those moments one could call hauntingly peaceful. The entire place was so quiet they could hear each other breathe. Naruto shut his eyes again. He seriously could've fallen asleep there. If it weren't for the sound of a door opening, he probably would have. But as the door opened, so did the blonde's eyes. Gaara let go of him, and Naruto moved further away from the redhead. A familiar man appeared from the backroom.

"Hey, cutie."

Naruto flashed the man a smile.

"Hey, handsome. So he did go get you after all", he said, referring to the man's coworker.

Sai gave his trademark smile; kind, but seemed forced. Somehow, Naruto liked it. It suited the man, in an odd way.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout him. He came saying there's a creepy blonde and a walking corpse asking for me. Wasn't that hard to guess", the man joked. Naruto chuckled.

"Flattering. How are ya doin'?" he asked the pale man. Sai shrugged.

"I'm good. And you? At least you ain't got blood all over your face this time. Guess there's a first time for everything", the man chuckled. Naruto glanced at Gaara.

"Yeah, well, this one has been behaving oddly sophisticated", he muttered, referring to the redhead.

Naruto could feel the glare directed at him. He smirked, but said nothing.

"Right. Want something to drink, cutie?" Sai asked. Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. I came here to talk about the deal we made. Got any news?" he asked, not wasting time to get straight to the point.

Sai tilted his head and glanced at Gaara. The redhead returned the glance with a murderous glare. Sai smirked, and turned back towards the blonde.

"I'd rather handle this in private", he then informed.

Naruto wasn't really surprised. He'd expected it. And to be honest, he felt the same way.

"Sure. You go ahead", the blonde said.

With a small nod, Sai turned around and made his way to the backroom. After the man had disappeared from view, Naruto turned to face the redhead. The man didn't seem too happy. But he never did.

"You. Be nice. This won't take long", Naruto said sternly, not even trying to sound especially kind.

He got a grim look, but no verbal protest. Pleased enough, Naruto hopped down from his seat, and made his way to the backroom. Sai sat on an office chair, waiting. The other guy had disappeared from the room. Most likely through the backdoor. With a glance over his shoulder, Naruto shut the door behind him. He wasted no time to get down to business, so to speak.

"So. Tell me something I wanna hear", he said, with a smirk on his face.

Sai returned the crooked smile with one of his own.

"Would you rather hear about all the ways I could make you a very happy man, or get information about yakuza?" the man chuckled, not hiding the meaning behind his words. Naruto couldn't help but to grin.

"Yakuza. For starters, anyway."

Sai chuckled, and stood up from his seat.

"Well, I do have something to tell ya", he stated.

Naruto tilted his head curiously. Sai became more serious before continuing.

"It's not good news, cutie", he muttered.

The blonde frowned. He hadn't really been expecting to hear anything heavenly, but judging by the other man's tone, it really wasn't anything good. With a grunt, Naruto took out a pack of cigarettes.

"Do you mind?" he asked the paler man. Sai gave him a judgmental look, but sighed in defeat.

"Go ahead. But it's bad for ya", he muttered. Naruto chuckled and lit up.

"You sound like my wife", he said, letting smoke slip from between his lips.

Sai raised a brow and snorted. He took a step closer to the blonde.

"Watch your tongue, cutie. I ain't her. Trust me, I could do things to you she didn't even know were possible", the man purred, just an inch away from his face.

Naruto didn't mind. He had to admit, Sai certainly knew how to make a man question a shitload of things. Like sexuality, relationship status and self-control. He certainly was a pretty boy. Easy on the eye, hard to say no to. Exactly the kind that could lure absolutely anybody and anything to him. Or into him. As fucking dirty as it sounded, it probably was more accurate. Naruto couldn't deny that a certain amount of alcohol, a few pretty words and a dirty suggestion would easily make him give in to that pretty thing. But that's not what he was there for.

And to be honest, there was somebody else he needed to get as eager as the man before him.

"As appealing as that sounds, I'd like to hear what you've got to tell me about yakuza", Naruto said smirking. Sai sighed.

"You really are a tough one", he said, but followed it with a chuckle. He then moved further away, getting serious again.

"As I said, I've got bad news. It seems like Akatsuki is more serious about this than I first thought", he revealed.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, waiting for the other one to continue.

"Getting the two of you killed ain't just a one in a million job for them. It's one their priorities", he then stated.

The blonde frowned. This did sound pretty damn bad.

"What do ya mean?" he asked, not really understanding the reality of it.

Sai took his time to answer. But when he eventually did, Naruto found himself not liking understanding any better.

"They have built an entire battalion of hitmen to kill you."

The smoke Naruto had been exhaling got stuck in his throat. A cough escaped his lips. A whole fit of coughing followed it. He had to question his ability to hear.

"Excuse me?" he asked between strained coughs.

Sai tore his gaze away from the blonde and grunted.

"I know. I didn't expect something like that either", he then muttered, evidently sorry for being the bearer of bad news.

It took Naruto a long time to truly register the news. To someone who had no idea how the underworld worked, it might've not sounded so bad. But they wouldn't realize just how the hierarchy worked in that world. Prioritizing was the most important rule of that life. If it weren't, being a criminal would be a lot less beneficial.

Organized crime wasn't just a stain on the government's superficially perfect shell. It was a whole societal institution of its own. Its own world. With its own rules and orders. And one of the top rules of that institution was to prioritize the enemies. The less urgent, less threatening ones, were at the end of that list. The potentially dangerous somewhere in the middle. The prioritized list of enemies mainly consisted of only those two kinds. Yakuza killed a lot of people, but only when necessary. So, when it wasn't, they wouldn't.

For Gaara and Naruto to be at the top of that list was ridiculously terrifying. If Sai was being serious, if Akatsuki and yakuza had together built an entire battalion of hitmen, only to kill them, it truly was terrifying. The battalion didn't even have to consist of huge numbers in order to be extremely dangerous. The fact that they were serious enough to go that fucking far, was enough for Naruto to know he was even more of a dead man than he'd first thought.

The blonde slowly recovered from his shock. He turned to face the other man, not really knowing what to say.

"Wha-…How big are we talking here?" he eventually stuttered. Sai shrugged.

"No idea. But knowing yakuza, there's two options. Either they've been stupid enough to make a huge battalion of hitmen lacking skill, in which case you might actually survive. The other possible scenario is that they have a smaller group of highly trained hired killers. That, you won't survive", he said.

Naruto stared blankly at the wall. He actually had no idea how to react to this. Panicking would be stupid. It would be no use. But he did find it extremely difficult not to. He forced the rising anxiety away.

"You really can't give me any numbers?" he asked.

Sai glanced at him, taking a silent moment of thinking.

"If they're no good, maybe a few hundred. If they're pro, less than a hundred", he eventually estimated.

Naruto wanted to bang his head against the wall. He felt like melting into a pulp of liquid idiocy. Never had he imagined it would be this bad. This was bad. So bad.

"Please tell me you have some good news", he said after a while of silent desperation. Sai gave him a smile.

"I have. Kinda", he said.

Naruto lifted his gaze to meet his. He waited for the man to continue. Sai glanced down at the blonde's hand. The cigarette between his fingers had burned to its limit. The dark-haired man reached out to take it from him. He put it out.

"Have you ever heard how the Akatsuki started?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head. Sai let himself lean against the wall.

"The organization itself is about thirty years old. Quite young for such a powerful one", he started explaining.

Naruto shifted himself to a better position, waiting to hear more.

"The first few years of its life were a lot different than what it's become. The first leader of the organization never intended it to become a part of organized crime. It wasn't an organization at all. It was just a small group of people. Their initial goal was to make the underworld more peaceful", Sai spoke, gradually making Naruto more and more interested.

"The wars between clans, the violence between criminals and law enforcement…those were things they wanted to make less about killing and more about mutual understanding", the man continued.

Naruto found himself to be surprised. He had never thought about Akatsuki as a whole, really. He'd been too busy to run away from them. But he certainly hadn't expected for that organization to ever have been about anything but vengeful killing. Sai seemed to notice his wonderment. A knowing smirk spread across his lips.

"It didn't last for long though. The first leader got killed not long after founding the group. He got replaced by an original member. A close friend. Someone who shared his views and goals, but had another way of interpreting it. Another way of reaching those goals. According to him, those goals weren't reachable by mutual understanding. Instead, he used violence. He used violence to get peace", Sai carried on telling.

Naruto frowned. A sort of sad wave washed over him. Maybe it was because that was one of the saddest fucking things he'd ever heard. It was sad, because it would never work. It was sad, because it was naïve in a dark way.

"He wasn't a good man, but his desire for some form of peace was. That was perhaps the only thing that made him different from the rest of bad men in life of crime", Sai stated, following it with a grunt.

He took a moment to think in silence, before continuing.

"But it didn't really matter if he wanted peace or not. He still made Akatsuki violent. In fact, he made it into one of the most violent organizations in the world. Even beating yakuza", Sai muttered, having to smirk at the irony of it.

"It also grew in numbers. It always had ten high-ranking killers, himself included, pulling the strings. Below them worked hundreds of hitmen. Today that number reaches thousands", Sai explained.

Naruto wasn't really surprised.

"That man, the second leader, got killed seven years ago. By that pretty, but dangerous redhead you hang around", Sai then said, nodding in the direction of the door that kept Gaara on the other side.

Naruto passed a glance in that direction. He found it slightly disturbing that Sai spoke of Gaara as if he was the killer. He was, of course, but Sai didn't actually know that. Nobody knew, apart from him. The man's words irked him, but he let it slide.

"I don't know why that redhead of yours killed them all. I don't think anybody knows, but him. But after he did, Akatsuki fell disastrously apart. There was nobody to lead them, nobody to guide them. Akatsuki ceased to exist for a while", Sai spoke, pulling Naruto away from his thoughts.

"For a year or so, Akatsuki wasn't active. It didn't disappear altogether, but no work got done. You'd think that somebody would've rushed to get that throne, but it isn't an organization that can be ruled by incompetent hands. And everybody knew that", the pale man kept on going.

"But eventually, incompetence bowed before someone who was able of handling them", Sai stated. Naruto raised a brow.

"Whom?" he asked immediately. Sai shrugged.

"I don't know. Not many do. The current leader of Akatsuki is a complete mystery. Whoever they are, they are extremely secretive about it. Perhaps it is to avoid another incident like the one seven years ago", Sai guessed.

Naruto didn't really have anything to say to that.

"But yeah…my point behind this is that Akatsuki does not function without a leader. If by some miraculous chance you were able to get rid of that man, their priorities would take a big turn", Sai then said.

Naruto gave him a strange look. What the man was suggesting, sounded absolutely ridiculous. There was no way he'd ever pull that off. It would be virtually impossible. Sai seemed to know what he was thinking.

"I know it sounds ridiculous. But do consider that you have the biggest advantage anybody could ask for. You have Sabaku", the man said, with a smirk on his lips.

"You have the only outsider in the whole wide world who knows how the head of Akatsuki works. Their leader might've been replaced, but judging by the work of their hitmen, not much has changed. They're more brutal, perhaps, but that's about it."

Naruto didn't find much sense in that.

"What does it help if I have no idea who to target?" he questioned.

"He'll know where to look", Sai answered.

Naruto didn't reply. He couldn't do that without telling that Gaara was leaving. He didn't want to accept it himself, let alone tell others about it. In all honesty, the thought of him leaving had gradually become more and more terrifying. And Naruto was losing sight of ways to handle it.

Sai glanced at him. Naruto gave him a passing smile. He tried his best not to show how he really felt. He might've failed miserably, but at least Sai gave no sign of acknowledging it.

"That's all I've got to tell ya, cutie", Sai stated. Naruto nodded. "It's enough."

With a sigh, Naruto pushed himself away from the wall and towards the door.

"Better to go back before the maniac starts to worry", he mumbled, but knew Sai could hear him. The paler man gave him an odd look, but said nothing.

The two of them made their way back to the other side. Gaara sat by the counter, staring blankly ahead, flipping his gun in his hand. Naruto shot him a glare.

"Yo. Zombieboy. Don't play with that in the open. Not even here", he growled to the man.

Gaara seemed to wake up from whatever trance he was in, and turned to see the blonde. He raised a brow.

"There's nobody here", he pointed out, not seeing any problem with having the gun out. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"You look dangerous enough without it. Don't ya remember the poor boy behind the counter from before? He's probably scarred for life, thanks to you" he muttered to the redhead.

Naruto let himself take a leaning position against the counter, on the opposite side of Gaara. The redhead smirked. He leaned slightly closer to the blonde across him.

"Hn. I guess that pretty boy won't forget me for the rest of his life. Can't blame him really", the man sneered.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. No words could describe how irritated he became by those words. But he didn't let it show.

"Wow. You sure are obnoxious", he muttered.

Gaara's smug smirk remained, but he said nothing further about it. Instead, he pried about the discussion Naruto had had with Sai.

"What did ya talk about?" he asked, glancing at the dark-haired man who stood beside Naruto.

The redhead instantly became grim again. He really didn't like that guy.

Naruto bit the inside of his cheek. For a passing second, he actually considered telling the truth. But in the end, he decided not to.

"Nothin' that concerns you. Anymore", he muttered, emphasizing the last word.

Naruto noticed the suspicious glance Sai directed at him, but ignored it. Gaara on the other hand seemed aggressively irritated. He obviously didn't appreciate the blaming tone Naruto was using. The redhead still succeeded in keeping his annoyance inside. He didn't want to give Naruto the pleasure of seeing it.

"Hn. Right", Gaara grunted, dismissing the whole subject.

Naruto knew Sai was still giving him an odd look. It seemed like the man had realized something was fucked up. But Naruto couldn't really tell about it, now could he. He didn't want to, either. The blonde concluded it was best to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"Oh yeah. Before I forget…", Naruto muttered, as he searched his pockets for something.

Sai raised a brow, questioningly. It didn't take long for the blonde to find what he was looking for. He took out a pen and a checkbook. That's when Gaara's interest perked up as well, but he said nothing. Just watched from the corner of his eye, as Naruto scribbled a few lines on the first page of the checkbook.

"I don't really carry around this kind of money around, so I'll give you this instead", the blonde stated, as he ripped off the page, and handed it to Sai.

The pale man took the check offered, and took a look at it. He read the thing twice, before nearly chocking on his spit. Naruto gave him a smirk.

"I'm feeling generous today", he chuckled, amused by the man's reaction. It took Sai quite a while to regain his ability to speak.

"I…Wha-…What the fuck? This is almost double what we agreed on", the man stuttered eventually.

Naruto just nodded. Gaara's jaw clenched in irritation. He obviously wasn't liking the oblivion he was kept in. The blonde did nothing to change that.

"You did a good job, beauty. What kinda employer would I be, if I didn't reward you for it?" Naruto said, further deepening Sai's shock, and Gaara's irritation. Sai just kept on staring at the check.

"Just so you know, with this money I would've given you a fucking lap dance and a complimentary blowjob", the man muttered, evidently happy about the number on the paper.

Naruto chuckled amused, and took a step closer to the dark-haired man.

"I wasn't aware I need to pay for that", he said, deliberately lowering his voice.

The instantaneous murdering gaze Gaara shot him gave him sadistic kind of pleasure. Sai chuckled lightly.

"You know I'm joking. The backroom's all empty, by the way", the man purred, half-jokingly. And half not.

And just because Naruto knew it would tick Gaara to no end, he made the best of that other half.

"Sounds good. I guess I know what I'll be doing tonight", the blonde smirked, and placed a hand on the man's waist. It earned him a pleased hum.

"At your service, cutie", Sai chuckled, leaning slightly closer.

Naruto probably would've taken his provoking act further, hadn't he taken a glance at Gaara. The fact that the man was twitching with murderous intent made him reconsider. For the greater good, Naruto was forced to let go of the man just an inch away from him now. The blonde let out a sigh.

"I'm gonna take a leak", he informed. Sai nodded.

"All the way to the back and to the left", he instructed just in case.

With a small nod, Naruto went off to find the bathroom, leaving the two pale guys alone. To be honest, he hadn't really thought it through. Leaving the two men alone probably wasn't the best idea in the world. In fact, it absolutely wasn't.

Gaara glared at the man on the other side of the counter. Sai watched him back, his head tilted in curiosity. The longer Gaara stared at him, the more irritating he found the man to be. He started to feel the less controllable side of himself crawling out. He tried hard to shove it back where it came from, but failed. His anger didn't burst out in a violent manner, but didn't stop growing, either.

In a calm motion, the redhead left his seat. Sai watched as Gaara slowly made his way to the other side of the counter, and stopped to stand before him. The dark-haired man gave no sign of being intimidated, which only angered the redhead further. His tense shoulders and clenched jaw easily gave away his mood. Still, Sai didn't seem in any way frightened by him. After a while of silent staring, Gaara decided to change that fact.

Without a warning, he grabbed the man by his throat, and forcefully shoved him against the counter. He pinned the man between himself and the counter, making sure he wouldn't get away. Not that he seemed to have any intention to even try. Actually, it seemed like he didn't mind the redhead's actions at all. The look on Sai's face was more amused than anything. It made Gaara shiver with rage.

"Wipe that fuckin' grin off your face", he growled.

Sai raised a brow, but did nothing to comply. Gaara tightened his grip on the man's throat.

"I don't like you", he stated bluntly. Sai chuckled. "Really?"

"Really. Do you know what happens to people I don't like?" the redhead hissed.

Sai almost frowned. Almost. The slight smirk on his face remained, but a more serious expression nearly overcame it. The seriousness wasn't due to fear, though. It was to show Gaara he knew exactly who the redhead was.

"Yeah. They end up in pieces on office floors."

A flash of surprise passed Gaara's eyes. It was quickly gone, and replaced by even stronger rage. It seemed the other man did know who he was. There was only one reason why that could be. The blonde had told him.

Gaara decided to express his anger by turning the other man around, and violently pressing the side of his face against the counter. The lack of pained sounds irritated him, but he didn't have the patience to whine about it. Instead, he lowered himself enough to make eye contact with the man pinned against the counter. The poison in his voice was nearly lethal.

"Get your hands off of what's mine. Don't touch him, don't want him. He is only mine to touch and mine to want. Do you_ fucking_ understand?"

Sai's amused smirk faded away, as he frowned in confusion. He was silent for a while, but eventually shattered it with an amused cackle. And it lasted for a long time. Long enough for Gaara's icy glare to falter for just a second. His passing hesitation was enough for Sai to free himself. The redhead was surprised by the man's unexpected force, and thus ended up getting shoved against the wall. Now he was the one pinned. He hadn't expected for the other man to be that strong.

Gaara would've been able to get free, easily. But before he had the chance to try, Sai did something unexpected. He pressed himself against the redhead's tense body, brought his face as close as he could without touching, and smiled a twisted smirk. Gaara was taken aback enough to stop resisting.

"I get why he likes ya. Who wouldn't want to get fucked by an animal like you? I would", the dark-haired man chuckled lowly.

Gaara wanted to hit himself for ending up completely fucking dazed, but he _really_ hadn't expected something like this. The violence he was used to, usually didn't involve ridiculously easy gay men.

"But I have to say, I prefer cutie. He ain't as…tainted. And judging by the way he kisses, getting fucked by him would be like heaven", Sai spoke, making Gaara further tense. And murderous.

"That's why we want him. He's the closest thing to heaven either of us would ever get", the pale man continued, pressing even closer to the redhead.

It made Gaara shiver with rage and disgust. Sai simply chuckled.

"I know your trial starts tomorrow. You sure are risking a lot. It'd be easier to just run away now, wouldn't it?" Sai asked.

Gaara frowned. The man was right. Of course he was. And to be honest, Gaara wasn't sure why he hadn't just left already. Why was he risking losing the trial? He wasn't sure. But his hunch said it had something to do with the blonde. Fuck, everything had something to do with him. Absolutely everything.

"But even if you win, you'll leave him, won't you?" Sai suddenly asked.

Gaara was taken aback. Had Naruto told him?

"How do you know that? Did he tell you?" he asked, before even realizing it. Sai smirked knowingly.

"No. He didn't have to. It's pretty easy to read between the lines, you know. Cutie isn't exactly the most subtle guy", the man revealed.

Gaara flinched at his own idiocy. He'd just proven the man right himself. He was a complete moron. There was no reason for the other man to know anything about his plans. But it was too late to whine about it.

Sai's smirk became smugger. Gaara didn't like it. Even less he liked the words that followed it.

"But don't worry. I'll take good care of him. Really good."

The breathy ending of that sentence made Gaara's skin crawl with disgust and rage. In an instant, his urge to rip the man's head off shot sky-high. And that's what he would've done, had not the sound of a door closing startled him awake from his blinding rage. The redhead realized Naruto was coming back. He forcefully shoved the man pressed against him away. Gaara clenched his hands into tight fists, in order not to lose the remains of his control. Cause he really wasn't far from it.

Naruto stepped back into the company of the two men. It didn't take long for him to notice the tension in the room. Actually, that was an understatement. It wasn't tension, it was killer intent. Naruto could almost smell the burning rage that radiated off the redhead, even though he obviously tried to hide it. The blonde froze to stare at the other two men. Neither said a thing. But they didn't have to. Naruto easily spotted Sai's smug smirk and the way Gaara twitched with anger.

"What the fuck happened?" the blonde asked right away.

Gaara said nothing, just kept on fuming with his need to kill living things. Sai took his time, but eventually replied.

"Nothing, cutie. Nothing at all", he purred.

Naruto knew that was a big fucking lie. But as his glare demanding for an explanation had no effect on them, he just sighed in defeat.

"Right. Whatever", he muttered.

A sort of oppressing silence fell upon them. For a whole minute or so, nobody said anything. The silence didn't help Gaara's rage at all. After a certain amount of time, he found it almost impossible to control it anymore. He had to get out.

"I'm leaving", he stated bluntly.

Naruto glanced at him, raising a brow. He then turned towards Sai. The man just shrugged, not revealing any kind of reason for the redhead's mood. He also got no chance to ask about it, as Gaara moved to get past Sai, purposely shoving him on the way. Naruto frowned, but didn't stop the redhead from leaving. Soon, the man was gone. Naruto stopped to stare after him.

"You should go after him, cutie", Sai suddenly stated, sounding as kind as always. Naruto flinched, and turned towards him.

"What happened?" he repeated his recent question.

Sai looked at him silently for a long while. It seemed like he actually considered telling. But in the end, he just settled on smirking crookedly, and bluntly lying.

"Nothin'. But you really should go after him", he said again.

"Why?" Naruto questioned. Sai's smirk became more of a smile.

"Cause he needs you."

Naruto's lips parted. Realization flashed in his eyes. An odd feeling took over him.

"I-…Yeah. Yeah", he soon stuttered, somewhat stunned.

Sai gave him a kind smile. The blonde opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ended up closing it. He watched into the other man's pitch black eyes for a long time. A silent moment of bittersweet sadness happened between them. Naruto realized the man was right. He had to go after Gaara. He had to leave.

"Yeah. I'll go after him", Naruto eventually said with a weak smile on his lips. Sai nodded approvingly.

"Thanks, beauty. For everything", the blonde said, genuinely meaning it. The paler man shook his head lightly.

"Anytime, cutie."

Naruto reached out to take the man's hand into his. He got no resistance, as he gently placed his lips against the pale hand. Once he let go of the other's hand, and lifted his gaze to face Sai again, he found a pair of jet black, sad eyes watching him. Seeing those eyes made Naruto realize the reality of everything. The reality of everything Sai had told him. A sad huff escaped the blonde's lips.

"I hope I see you again", he muttered quietly.

Sai was quiet for a long time. Naruto knew what the man was thinking. It was easy to know. He was thinking the same things, after all.

They might never actually meet again. They both knew that. And they both found it to be such a shame.

Naruto couldn't help but to think it'd been a miracle he'd ever even met the man. He'd found an actual friend. Someone he'd come to like, genuinely. To know it would most likely end, felt painful.

Sai eventually broke his silence with a light chuckle. As it came to an end, a smile remained on his lips.

"Me too, cutie", he said. After a short pause, he continued. "I'll wait. You're a friend worth waiting for."

Those words made it easier for Naruto to leave. It gave him hope. And as he rushed after Gaara, he proudly carried that hope away with him.

Sai watched the blonde go. As Naruto disappeared from his view, a wave of sadness washed over him. He sighed. It really was a shame.

Sai couldn't help but to smirk just a little. Knowing how the blonde's story most likely would end was sad. But what was worth smirking about, was the redhead. Sai knew he'd wound the man up badly. But that had been his intention. It hadn't even been hard.

Ever since the blonde had first come by the bar with that pale redhead, Sai had known they weren't just a felon and his attorney. Sai doubted they themselves knew how evident it was to other people. Most likely, they weren't actually aware just how much they were anything but professional acquaintances, so to speak. And that's why he'd felt the need to help the matter.

Sai couldn't deny he'd enjoyed seeing the redhead squirm with anger. But his intention hadn't been exactly what the man had come to think. Sure, Sai happily would've made the blonde one of his conquests. He really was fucking cute, after all. But more than that, Sai had found something in him he had never found before. Trustworthiness. For some strange reason, he had trusted that blonde from the second he'd met him. He never would've told him about yakuza, if he hadn't. And because of that trust, he wanted to give the blonde something he didn't even know he needed.

A smack across the face, by reality.

But he couldn't do that himself, really. The only one who could was the redhead. Only he could make Naruto see that he was missing out on something unique. As was the redhead. They were both equally as oblivious. It was ridiculously naïve. But Sai hoped that perhaps his provocation could make a change. It wasn't all that impossible.

Jealousy is a funny thing. Makes people realize what they really want. And that's what the two of them really needed. To see the things that were obvious to everybody but them.

* * *

**I kinda question why I write these two to be so damn blind and idiotic. Maybe cause they're more fun that way.**

**Oh yeah, I've now been going through the previous chapters, making small changes and correcting typos. I haven't done any big or relevant changes, so don't worry. The story's still the same. I still have a couple chapters to check. And if any of you pick up typos etc., feel free to point them out. Helps my load of proofreading.**

**Hope ya enjoyed the chapter, sweeties.**


	28. Knock, Knock on Death's Door

Naruto ran as fast as he could. There was no real rush, to be honest. It wasn't as if Gaara would just disappear into thin air if he didn't run like his life depended on it. But for some reason, Naruto felt the undeniable urge to reach him as fast as possible.

"Wait!" the blonde hollered after the redhead, who was walking a considerable distance ahead of him. The man gave no sign of stopping. Naruto frowned.

"Hey. Asshole", the blonde hissed, as he'd nearly reached the redhead.

Gaara came to an unexpected halt and turn. Naruto was close enough to run into him. He collided with Gaara's strong chest, and ended up losing his balance. But thanks to the redhead's quick reflexes, he caught the blonde before he was face first on the ground. Naruto grabbed the man in order to stay standing.

"Watch it, moron", the redhead growled, but held up the panting blonde.

Naruto intended to give an insult in return, but only ended up nearly choking on air. How that was even possible, he wasn't sure. He leaned against the redhead and tried to catch his breath. Eventually, he was able to speak again.

"Thanks", he muttered instead of an insult, surprising Gaara. The redhead raised a brow.

"Did you hit your head on the way here?" he asked, obviously implying it wasn't normal behavior for the blonde to thank for anything. Naruto grunted, still struggling to breathe.

"Shut up", he said. Gaara rolled his eyes. "Thought so."

After a few minutes of catching his breath, Naruto stood up on his own again. He had to admit that as much as he liked smoking, it really did have its downsides. Like not being able to fucking breathe. But it didn't stop him from lighting one up, anyway. Blowing out a puff of smoke, he turned towards Gaara and offered him one as well. The man took what was offered. Naruto watched him curiously.

"What?" Gaara asked after a while of getting stared at.

The blonde didn't reply at first. He just watched him silently. Eventually a small smirk formed onto his lips.

"Nothin'. Just watching", he said dismissively. The redhead grunted, but said nothing.

They smoked in silence. Naruto felt like asking about what'd happened, but knew it'd be in vain. Gaara on the other hand knew exactly what the blonde was thinking, but ignored it. There was no use in discussing it. They would've ended up fighting anyway. That's what they always did.

Gaara took a few passing glances of the blonde. He remained somewhat stunned that Naruto still hadn't said a thing about the night before. He was quite impressed, actually. But also slightly disturbed. He couldn't help but to wonder if the blonde simply didn't care about him leaving, after all. That possibility made him feel…odd. In a bad way. He wasn't sure what to call that feeling.

The redhead shook his head to clear his mind, taking one last drag from his cigarette, before throwing it away. He slowly let the smoke slip from between his lips, watching it dance in the air. He was about to finally say something, when suddenly he saw something from the corner of his eye. He turned his gaze to get a better view. Gaara frowned. The smoke he'd exhaled, hit something in midair. A red line of light. A laser.

"Shit", the redhead growled, startling Naruto.

The smoke was gone, as was the red line, but Gaara didn't have to see it in order to know where it was heading. Before Naruto got the chance to question the other's odd change in mood, Gaara forcefully shoved the blonde.

"What the fuck?" Naruto hissed, struggling to stay up.

Gaara gave no explanation, and bluntly ignored the other's angry tone. Instead of speaking, he grabbed the blonde by the wrist, and started to drag him away from the open spot they'd been standing at. He got some resistance.

"What are you doing?" Naruto growled, trying to get free from his grip. Gaara only tightened his hold, picking up their pace.

"Run. _Just fucking run_", the redhead hissed.

Naruto frowned. He stopped resisting. He realized something was wrong. Really wrong. Instead of being a stubborn bastard, the blonde started running as well. He had no idea what was happening, no idea where they were going, but he concluded it was just best to follow the redhead.

They didn't go very far, just around the corner to a quiet, empty alley. Gaara glanced around, trying to find something to hide behind. The best he could find was a large, rusty dumpster. It had to do. Hastily, he pulled the blonde behind it, and forced him to crouch down. He then kneeled down next to him, rushing to take out his gun. The confused blonde watched him load the gun and take the safety off.

"Take your gun out", Gaara commanded, not even trying to sound kind. There was no time for that.

"Why?" Naruto asked, but did as told. He loaded the weapon, waiting for a reply.

Gaara ignored him for the time being. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, took a deep breath and then moved away from hiding, just enough to see the street at the other end of the alley. Nobody was there. Neither was there anybody on the roofs surrounding the alley. Gaara found it just slightly easier to breathe. But not enough.

Gaara took his previous position, and turned to face the blonde.

"Listen to me. There's been two guys following us the whole day", he stated. Naruto froze. His jaw fell open.

"Excuse me?" he hissed.

Gaara immediately signed him not to make a scene. Naruto complied, concluding it probably wasn't the best timing for a fit.

"I didn't tell you, cause I knew you'd go crazy", the redhead muttered.

He glanced towards the streets again. Still nothing. He could feel the blonde direct a cold glare at him. He ignored it.

"I came with you, cause I knew there would be trouble. But I didn't expect this", Gaara grunted, leaving Naruto confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

The redhead's jaw clenched. Naruto became gradually more anxious, seeing that even the famously stone cold Gaara was struggling to keep calm.

"There's a sniper on the roof of that building", the pale man eventually said, pointing away from the alley.

Naruto decided to risk it, and glanced behind the dumpster. He instantly noticed a twenty story building towering not far from them. It was high enough to be seen from the alley, but not high enough to be seen from their hiding. That meant that if Gaara was right, if there was someone pointing a gun at them, they wouldn't have a clear view either. Not as long as they stayed in hiding.

Naruto let out a frustrated grunt, before turning back towards the redhead.

"I can't fucking believe you didn't tell me", he hissed, obviously pissed.

Gaara gritted his teeth. He really wasn't in the mood for any blaming.

"Yell about it later. We've got bigger problems right now", he growled, demanding to be obeyed.

Naruto didn't hide his anger, but also didn't push the matter any further. The information Sai had told him, suddenly became extremely relevant. The blond once again considered telling Gaara about it, but just like last time, didn't. The redhead had his hands full with the sniper, even without knowing why one had been sent after them.

"Now listen, blondie", Gaara said sternly, getting the other's attention. "This is no fucking game anymore. A sniper is the real deal. You hear me?"

Naruto frowned, but nodded.

"You have no idea how lucky we just got. It was just by chance I saw the damn laser. A second later, and your brain would've been all over the street", the redhead spoke, slightly flinching at the image of that.

He shook the oddly suffocating feeling away and glanced towards the street again. As he still saw no movement, he had to make a difficult decision. He sighed, and turned back towards Naruto. The blonde instantly knew he wouldn't like this. He didn't even have to hear what the man had to say in order to decline.

"No", he stated harshly. Gaara lowered his gaze, and shut his eyes in frustration.

"I'm not asking", he muttered. He didn't have to look to know the blonde was gritting his teeth in anger.

"_No._ I won't let you", Naruto hissed, grabbing the redhead by the front of his shirt.

For some reason, Gaara found it hard to face him. But forced himself to. He stared at the blonde for a while, before gently detaching the man's hand from his shirt. Somehow he forgot to let go of it.

"This is my job, blondie. This is what I do best. You need to do as I say. Understood?" the redhead spoke, not as demandingly as he'd planned.

The blonde's blue eyes suddenly seemed so sad. And they were. In fact, the whole blonde was. Naruto knew what Gaara was asking for. But he doubted Gaara knew how much he really was asking. An angry growl escaped the blonde's lips. How did this happen? How did they go from being just fine to this, in less than a second?

"Fuck", Naruto hissed. He took a deep breathe in order to not lose his shit. He then laid a stern pair of eyes at the redhead.

"If you die, I'll never forgive you", he said.

Gaara felt a shot of pain in his chest. The tone and the look the blonde gave him made it obvious just how serious he was. And the redhead heard the pain in his voice. He was taken aback by it. How overpowering it was. Nobody had ever spoken to him in that way before. Nobody had ever felt pain for him. Because of him, yes, but never for him. It was oddly hard to dismiss as nothing.

The redhead just watched him for a while. He didn't know what to say. He had no way of putting his feelings into words. So he didn't. Instead, he grabbed the blonde by the back of his neck, and pulled him as close as possible. A pair of strong arms came to hold him. Gaara closed his eyes, an inhaled the scent of the blonde. It had a slightly calming effect. He couldn't remember ever embracing somebody for the need of it. And knew that the man in his arms was the only one he ever would. But that was okay. That was more than enough.

"Promise me you'll do as I say", Gaara muttered, almost whispered.

The arms around him came to hold him even tighter.

"You promise me you'll come back", Naruto said in turn.

Gaara didn't. He couldn't. And they both knew that. So instead of speaking, he held the other one as tightly as he could.

They let go of each other eventually, and after a brief trip back to reality, Gaara became stoic again.

"Okay, listen to me, and do as I say", he repeated again.

This time, Naruto nodded in agreement. The redhead felt relieved for that.

"There are two guys waiting behind the third building on the left. I need you to take out the other one. As soon as you get done, hide. Hide for fifteen minutes. Then leave. Go back to the hotel. And just…wait", the redhead began instructing.

Naruto clenched his jaw, wanting to protest, but just nodded.

"And when you do leave, stay among crowds. Do not fucking wander off alone anywhere. And 'till you get to a crowded place, just run as fast as you fucking can. Okay?" Gaara continued. Naruto nodded again.

"Run, but not a straight line. If for some reason I…fuck up, it'll be harder for the sniper to hit ya. Understood?" the redhead said, slightly hesitating when voicing the possibility of failure.

Naruto shut his eyes when listening. It was easier that way. It didn't sound so bad, when he didn't see the other man. He could almost pretend it wasn't him speaking at all.

"Okay", he then replied, his voice weaker than he'd intended.

Gaara watched the evidently anxious blonde for a while. He eventually forced all nervousness away, and emptied his mind. It was necessary in order not to get distracted. Distraction was not an option in this profession.

"Right. Time to let the monster out", Gaara muttered, lifting himself up from the ground.

Naruto stayed down. The redhead glanced at him.

"C'mon, little demon. Showtime", he said, forcing a smirk.

The blonde turned to face him. After a while of sad gazing, Naruto forced his anxiety away, letting the hollowness behind his eyes take over the rest of his body as well. It was getting surprisingly easy.

"Hn. As you command", he then said, returning the smirk given to him, and got up.

Gaara chuckled lightly. Naruto watched him, hoping he'd hear that chuckle again. As much as he hated to admit it, day after day, it became less and less probable.

Naruto knew it was time to go. Time to shoot people down. Time for Gaara to do his job. But before he let the redhead walk away, Naruto decided to ignore the man's recent need to take distance, and boldly pressed his lips against the other's. The redhead tensed up. The blonde one ignored it. Instead of backing away, he placed his hands on both sides of the other man's face. The surprisingly gentle touch made Gaara's tense shoulders relax. He stopped resisting it. But they were short on time. It didn't last long. Naruto pulled away. He said nothing. He didn't have to. It'd been enough of a statement on its own.

With nothing more to say or do, the two men left their hiding, and started walking away from the alley. The bigger street ahead of them was fortunately mostly free of any traffic and people. That was good, considering there was no pretty way of handling this.

They made it to the sidewalk. Gaara knew that if the sniper hadn't moved, they wouldn't have a view to that spot. But as soon as the two would start moving around, that fact would change.

They stood still for a while, scanning around them. There were approximately ten people in their view. It was a quiet street. That was good. Not many cars went by, either.

From the corner of his eye, Gaara noticed a figure walking towards them. He turned to get a proper view. It didn't take him long to conclude it was one of the men who'd been following them around. The redhead narrowed his eyes. For the man to suddenly just boldly approach them, made him suspicious. It probably meant that the other one had gone into hiding, waiting for an opportunity to make an easy attack.

Gaara glanced at Naruto. He gave a small nod, as a sign to get moving. Naruto returned the nod, turned around, and started walking towards the stranger approaching. He came only a few feet away from the stranger, then just a step, and eventually reached their side. The expected happened. The stranger's hand came to grab his arm. They both stopped walking. Naruto didn't face the stranger, nor did he say anything, but the small smirk that spread across his lips made the man's eyes narrow.

The amount of time it took for the man to realize that there was a gun pressed against his side was embarrassing. But when it finally dawned on him, he seemed taken aback by how fast the blonde had been. The stranger instantly let go of the blonde. He had no choice. Naruto glanced over his shoulder.

"All yours, luv", he spoke to the redhead standing some distance behind him.

Gaara gave him a small smirk. Naruto then tore his gaze away again and never directing it at the stranger, walked past the man, leaving them behind.

Once Naruto had taken a turn to the left, leaving Gaara and the yakuza behind, he immediately started running. He knew there was a big chance the sniper had a view on him. He also knew he had another guy waiting to attack him. And had no idea where they might be. All he could do was to run through every street and alley in the area, hoping he'd come across that guy. Easier said than done.

Or so he'd thought. But as he had run only around a couple of blocks, he passed a narrow alley. Or would have, had he not seen movement from the corner of his eye. Whatever miracle it was that made him stop just in time, saved him from getting stabbed. An extended arm shot forward, trying to sink a knife into the blonde's leg, in order to make him unable to run. Miraculously, he dodged it.

Naruto didn't really have time to celebrate his luck, as he got a proper look of the guy waving around that said knife. The man probably didn't have a gun, considering that it would be too risky so near the town. But that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous as hell. As the blonde realized this guy was twice his size, and eight inches taller, he was forced to think quickly. Acknowledging that there still was a sniper, potentially aiming right at him, he had to get away from the open street. In order to do that, Naruto did what first came to mind. He hit the man in his abdomen, as hard as he could. The man barely flinched, but became distracted enough for the blonde to get past him, into the dim alley. From there, the sniper shouldn't be able to get a clear shot.

It didn't take long for the monstrously huge man to regain his awareness. He turned around, and started to make his way towards the blonde standing at the other end of the alley. Naruto started to rush through the options he had. There weren't that many. He couldn't shoot the man yet. He would only get one chance at it, and wasn't confident enough about the range. He had to get closer.

Naruto patiently waited for the man to come closer. Just by the way he carried himself, the way he moved, the blonde could tell this man wasn't an amateur. He knew what he was doing. And Naruto didn't. Not really. He had no plan as of yet. And that wasn't a good thing.

The last few steps the man took towards him, were a lot quicker than the first few. Before Naruto had time to even start making a plan, the man lunged forward, the knife in his grasp. The blonde realized he wouldn't get a chance to make any fucking plans. He had to give in to his instincts and just go with it.

Naruto dodged the knife, but not the fist that came to collide with his jaw. Unfortunately for the blonde, the guy was just as strong as he seemed. The hit hurt like a bitch. Naruto's vision blurred for just a second. He could feel a tooth crack and blood fill his mouth. It took him way too long to recover from the hit. And that's why the man got a chance to kick him in the head. That hurt twice as much as the punch.

Naruto's balance faltered. He fell backwards, and ended up hitting the brick wall behind him. But as he finally succeeded in emptying his mind from everything unnecessary, such as pain, his concentration remained stable. Thanks to that, the next punch didn't hit its target.

The less Naruto tried to think reasonably, the stronger he could feel the demon inside him, as Gaara liked to call it. He wasn't a big fan of that thing, but it sure came in handy at moments like these. Not even hesitating, Naruto just gave in to the raging killer intent awakening within him.

Naruto turned to face the ridiculously strong man before him. They had a brief moment of eye contact. As their eyes locked, surprise flashed in the man's face. It seemed he noticed the change in the blonde. But it didn't distract the guy for long. He quickly rid himself of the sudden surprise, and brought the knife forward again.

But this time, Naruto didn't dodge.

The man frowned. He lowered his gaze down, glancing at the knife in his hand. An expression of confusion stained the man's features. And thick, red blood stained his hand. The man lifted his gaze back up, to see the blonde. Naruto's cold eyes watched him back.

Naruto knew he was bleeding. Naruto knew he had a knife shoved into his side. He'd only moved enough for the man to miss his vital points, after all. But he didn't feel pain. He didn't even flinch. He just shot a cold glare at the other man, making his focus falter just slightly. It was enough.

Naruto reached for his gun. The man wasn't fast enough to react. Before he even knew it, Naruto had pressed the gun against his forehead, and pulled the trigger.

A loud bang echoed from the brick walls surrounding them. Fragments of bone fell to the ground, followed by bloodied pieces of a human brain. The back of the man's head was blown open, a hole decorating the center of his forehead. His eyes dimmed instantly. He fell to the ground. Naruto stopped to watch the corpse.

"Hn."

The blonde tore his gaze away from the man lying on the ground, and glanced at his side instead. The knife remained sunken into his flesh. It bled like a bitch, but Naruto knew the wound wasn't lethal. And to be honest, it wasn't his biggest issue. Issue number one was to get the hell out of there.

Naruto turned to look towards the street that passed the alley. There were no people walking by. But that didn't mean nobody had called the cops. In a neighborhood of this kind, the police were never far away. It wouldn't take long for them to appear.

The blonde let out a long sigh. He shut his eyes and leaned against the wall. He knew he had to get going. He couldn't risk getting caught. But knowing that Gaara was still somewhere nearby, made it hard for him to do that.

Naruto opened his eyes. Nobody still seemed to be nearby, and he couldn't hear any sirens. That was good, considering he'd been stabbed and couldn't get away very fast. The blonde took a look at his wound again. It wasn't pretty. At all. And Naruto knew he would have to leave the knife in place, till he was able to get back to the hotel. If pulled out, he'd probably bleed himself unconscious. So there was no choice.

With a grunt, Naruto pushed himself away from the wall and started dragging himself towards the street ahead of him. As he reached the end of the alley, he glanced around. He was in luck, as that street truly was free of other people. Naruto stopped to think where to go into hiding, since that's what Gaara had told him to do.

The blonde let out a frustrated groan. He hadn't considered getting stabbed as being a part of the plan. That made things more difficult. The wound might've not been lethal if treated, but it didn't mean he could just go around with a knife in his side. And he couldn't, much longer. His anger was starting to give up its hold on him, meaning there was no more rush of adrenaline to keep the pain away. And the pain truly was hellish. Naruto had to get back to the hotel. Otherwise, he'd die.

Against Gaara's orders, Naruto started to make his way back towards the city. Clothed in black, he hoped the blood wouldn't be visible. He also hoped there was no sniper around anymore.

Naruto had made it down the street, when suddenly a loud gunshot reached his ears. The blonde froze. He stopped walking, and hastily turned around, ignoring the pain in his side. There was nothing to see. The street was as empty as before. But the shot still echoed in his ears. Fear filled the blonde's head.

Had Gaara been shot?

Naruto started walking back, not even realizing it. It was a reflex. But he quickly came to a stop. Police sirens went off somewhere in the distance, and Naruto regained his sense of reality again. He stopped to stare at the empty street. The urge to just run back, after Gaara, was almost overpowering. Almost.

As the sirens slowly became louder, Naruto forced himself to turn around again. He rushed to get away from the scene of crime. The pain grew gradually stronger, making every step feel like pure hell. But he didn't give up. He kept on going, till he no longer could hear the sirens. He kept on going, till he'd fulfilled his promise to Gaara.

Gaara held his breath. He was as still as he could. His hands steady, his body relaxed, but shoulder's tensed, he took his aim. His target, approximately 150 yards away, had their back turned and was utterly clueless of what was coming.

The redhead took several deep breaths. The distance gave him a hard time to stay positively confident. It wasn't the furthest a handgun could fire, nor was it the furthest he'd shot with one. But the strong wind, bright sun blinding parts of his view and the fact that he only had one chance at this shot, made him uncomfortable. The faint sound of police sirens didn't help the matter. There were several buildings between him and his target, but the aim was clear. It gave some hope. He had to make it.

Slow exhale, a soft pull of the trigger and the sound of the gun firing. And that's how Gaara used the only chance he had.

He made it. He took his target down. The sniper that'd been crouched down, watching through the telescope of his rifle, dropped dead in the split of a second.

Gaara shut his eyes relieved. He wasn't one to usually get nervous about long distance shots, but this time hadn't been like most. He'd had nothing but a simple handgun, cops running around in the area and was forced to estimate the weather conditions. He seriously didn't have the easiest job at all.

The redhead had no time to celebrate his achievement though. Since there were cops everywhere, and he'd had no silencer, it would only take minutes for the law enforcement to get there. The blonde had been right after all. A silencer would've been a nice thing to have. But it was too late to whine about it. Gaara now had only mere minutes to get the hell away from there. With that thought in mind, the redhead put his gun away, and turned to leave the roof of the building he'd shot from.

Gaara made it down to the lobby of the building. There were several people gathered near the entrance to watch the police cars flood the streets. The redhead tensed up just slightly, but forced himself to relax. He would have to get through the sea of cops, without coming off as suspicious. It'd be a challenge.

Gaara stepped outside. He started walking down the street, away from the building and the police. He had nearly made it far enough to be sure he'd gotten away, when a loud voice called after him.

"Hey! You with the red hair", a female voice hollered behind him. Gaara stopped walking. He shut his eyes in frustration. He was not in the mood for this.

With a sigh, Gaara forced a smile onto his face, before turning around. A female officer was rushing down the street, towards him.

"Excuse me, may I ask you a few questions?" the woman asked, upon reaching him.

Gaara felt like smirking, as the woman struggled to breathe, but decided against it. It probably wouldn't look that good.

"Sure. What has happened here? I don't think I've ever seen this many cops before", the redhead marveled, obviously faking the wonderment in his voice.

Of course he'd seen this many cops. The numbers that'd come to arrest him had been triple the amount on this street.

"There has been a shooting. I unfortunately cannot be too specific about it. I'm very sorry to disturb you, sir, but I have to ask…have you seen anything out of the ordinary?" the cop asked, finally regaining her ability to breathe evenly.

Gaara realized the woman just gave him the chance of his life to boldly lie his way out of the situation.

"That's terrible. But now that you asked…my friend lives in that building, and I was just visiting them. I do recall seeing a few people running down the street a while back. They seemed to have been in quite a hurry", the redhead spoke, like it wasn't a huge lie.

He followed his speech with a charming smile. The one that Naruto hated, but made every single straight woman wet like the Niagara Falls. It'd never let him down before, and neither did it now. The woman's gaze lingered just slightly too long on the redhead's lips for it to be exactly professional. Upon realizing that, the woman cleared her throat and tore her gaze away.

"Uhm…right. I see. Do you by any chance remember what they looked like?" the woman then asked, remaining slightly embarrassed.

Gaara looked slightly past the woman before him, at the groups of cops flooding the street. He acted as if he was trying to actually remember. The woman bought it eyes bright.

"I do remember there being four men, perhaps one woman. Three of the men had dark hair, one slightly lighter. None of them were very tall. One of the men was slightly overweight, I believe. I do apologize, I didn't get a very good look at them", Gaara vaguely explained, but faked a very convincing tone.

The woman just listened, mesmerized by his low voice. He'd truly been in luck for getting a female cop running after him. It was a lot easier to charm her than some middle-aged father of five children.

"Oh, don't worry about it. You've been a big help. Thank you very much", the woman said, somewhat flustered.

She scribbled down the descriptions Gaara had given, before offering the piece of paper to him.

"May I ask you to please write down your name and sign the statement?" the woman then requested.

With a really, really forced smile, Gaara took the paper and pen offered, and did as told. He wrote down his name, and signed the document. Obviously, it was an alias. And written with his left hand, despite the right being his dominant one. He then handed the paper back to the woman. His eye caught a small piece of paper in her hand.

"Uhm…I usually don't do this, but…here's my number. Call me", the woman muttered slightly nervous, and offered the small paper to Gaara.

The redhead stared at it for a while. He had to fight his urge to show the disgust he felt, but forced himself to take it with a smile on his face.

"Sure thing, luv", the redhead purred, trying not to throw up in his mouth.

The woman looked like she would faint any second. Gaara actually hoped for that.

"Ahem…right, I need to get back to work. It was nice to meet you", the woman said smiling.

"Yeah, you too", Gaara stated, so close to losing the remains of whatever forced charm he was pushing through.

With one last blushing smile, the woman finally turned around and left. Gaara frowned as soon as she'd turned her back. He watched the woman walk away, back towards the patrol she'd come with. As she reached them, Gaara couldn't help but to smirk. There she stood with her coworkers. Four men, and her, a woman. Three male cops with dark hair, one with lighter. One guy fat. All of them short.

"What a fucking idiot", Gaara chuckled to himself, as he threw away the piece of paper containing her number.

The redhead turned away, continuing his walk out of the crime scene, and wondered just how long it would take for that dumb bitch to realize she'd just written the description of the suspects to match her own patrol.

Gaara had made it back to the hotel. Several cop cars had passed him on the way there. It seemed they had found all of the bodies. And Gaara seriously hoped there were three of them. He had no idea after all, if Naruto had succeeded in killing the one he'd gone after or not. And that made the redhead's chest tighten with something painful.

Gaara had easily taken down the first one. Akatsuki obviously still thought he'd gotten rusty while rotting in prison. That misinterpretation was their loss, but his luck. He knew that it wouldn't be that way for long though. The fact that they had actually sent a sniper after him meant that they were getting more serious at last. To be honest, it was just by chance they weren't dead already. Hadn't it been for the sniper's mistake to use a laser, they would've been killed. He would've liked to think that the guy had been a total moron to use the laser, but knew it'd been necessary in those conditions. And he thanked the devil for that.

Gaara stepped through the hotel's entrance and into the lobby. He had hurried to get there as fast as possible, yet avoiding attracting too much attention to him. After all, the cops were alert at the moment. But now that he was at his destination, there was no reason to act like he wasn't worried as fuck about the blonde. He needed to make sure he was alright. And that's why he went straight to the 15th floor, to bang on the blonde's door.

There was no reply. At first, Gaara suspected the blonde just hadn't made it back yet. He might've stayed in hiding for longer than just fifteen minutes. But as the redhead concluded that the blonde was too impatient to sit in hiding for longer than necessary, his worry started to grow.

He knocked again. Still, no reply. The strangling feeling in his chest started to become less tight and more suffocating.

The redhead knocked several times more, not getting an answer. After what felt like the millionth time of knocking, he gave up. The door wouldn't get opened. Not by Naruto, anyway.

Quickly going through his options, Gaara tried to think of what to do. He could go to his room and wait for the blonde to show up at his door, but there was no way his lack of patience would let him do that. Another option was to kick the damn door down. He actually was about to do that, but changed his mind upon seeing a hotel worker walk down the corridor. He doubted they would like him taking down doors. But it gave him another idea.

"Hey. You", he said to the young man walking his way.

Actually, he was still a boy. 18, at most. The boy looked up to meet his gaze. He positively worked at the hotel. That was good enough.

"Yes?" the boy asked politely. Gaara didn't even hesitate to go straight to the point.

"How much do I need to pay ya to open this door?" he asked bluntly.

The boy was evidently taken aback. It took him a moment to reply.

"Uh…is this your room?" he then asked, not knowing what else to say.

Gaara wasn't going to lie. "No."

The boy's surprise turned into nervous amusement.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you inside, if that's the case. We respect the privacy and safety of our customers", he stated, still trying to stay polite, but seemed nervous.

Gaara couldn't help the anger that momentarily washed over him. But he forced it away. Instead of even thinking about threatening the boy, he decided to take another approach. The redhead dug out a considerable amount of money.

"I'll give you all this, if you open the door", he stated.

The boy's eyes widened in shock. Gaara instantly knew he'd get his way. He hadn't even doubted it. The guy most likely had never seen so much money, and was young enough to be easily persuaded.

"I…uh…yes. Yes. I'll open the door for you, sir", the boy stuttered after a while of marveling.

He already reached towards the ridiculous amount of cash, but stopped as the redhead moved it away from his reach. Gaara gave him a meaningful look.

"I'll wait here", he said, his voice chilly enough to make the boy shiver with something unpleasant.

Realizing he wasn't going to get the money before the door was open, the boy turned around, and started walking down the corridor. Before he even reached the end of it, his hasty steps became leaps of running. Gaara would've smirked, hadn't his amusement been on a faraway holiday. He was too anxious to get inside the room to find anything amusing at the moment.

The time Gaara had to wait for felt like forever. Even though he felt like he was totally overreacting, he couldn't ignore the nagging feeling telling him something was wrong. And the longer he had to wait to know for sure, the angrier he got. By the time the boy came back, he was seriously pissed. Not at the boy, but he did get his share of the redhead's foul words.

"Took you fucking long enough", Gaara hissed, as the boy reached him.

His voice was poisonous enough to kill, but the young guy was too ecstatic about the money waiting for him to even listen. The breathless boy handed Gaara a smart card to open the door. Gaara handed him the money he'd promised. The boy's eyes lit up like fire.

"Jesus Christ. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much", the boy babbled breathlessly, fondling the wad of money in his hands. Gaara grunted.

"Yeah, whatever. You can fuck off now", he muttered through gritted teeth. He didn't have to tell him twice.

As soon as the boy was gone, Gaara rushed to insert the card inside the device attached to the door. The card got declined. Gaara froze. A wave of rage hit him like a tsunami. He tried, but couldn't stop himself from throwing a fist at the door.

Had that piece of shit tricked him?

The redhead was so close to going after him and just strangling the boy lifeless, no matter who was around, but forced himself to calm down. He decided to try again. This time, it worked. The door opened. Gaara sighed. So he wouldn't have to kill more people today after all.

The redhead hurried to push the door open. He quickly stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. The room was quiet. He heard nothing, saw nobody. But he also couldn't see the entire room from where he stood. In order to change that, Gaara took a step further into the room. He turned around the corner to get a full view of it.

He found nobody. Naruto wasn't there. Gaara frowned. Had he really not come back yet?

The possibility that maybe the blonde hadn't succeeded in killing the guy after all passed his mind. But he dismissed that thought as soon as it came. He knew the blonde was better than that. There had to be another explanation.

After a while of standing still, the redhead sighed. He really had no other option than to wait for him to show up. Deciding it'd be better to go to his own room, Gaara turned around and made his way back to the front door. Before leaving, he took one more glance over his shoulder. He had already cracked the door open, but froze as something caught his eye. The bathroom door, which located across the front door, was ajar, showing just a sliver of the white tiles that covered the bathroom floor. But there was something that made Gaara's breath hitch.

The seams of the tiling were stained with red. A red liquid had traveled along the seams, towards the door.

Gaara had never moved that fast in his life before. He slammed the door back shut, rushed to the bathroom door and with force, pushed it open. What met his eyes, was worse than he'd even imagined.

On the other side of the room, leaning against the tiled wall, laid the blonde he'd been looking for. But he wasn't awake. He wasn't conscious. And the reason was obvious. A huge army knife stuck out from his side. Blood had stained the floor in a three feet radius, as well as his clothes. The blonde was drenched in blood. His upper body was partly bare, indicating he'd tried to treat the wound. His tattooed skin was stained with red to the point of not much being left clean. But the gruesome look of the blood wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that he looked dead.

"Fuck", Gaara said, his voice almost inaudible.

His lips were parted with shock. His body was paralyzed for several seconds, before his mind regained its ability to work properly. But as soon as that happened, the redhead rushed to get to the blonde. He dropped down on his knees, not caring that he was practically swimming in the other's blood. He just hurried to lift the blonde's head that hung low, placing his hands on both sides of his face. The man's skin felt cold to the touch. To Gaara, it felt like a stab to the heart.

"Hey. Wake up", he said demandingly, lightly shaking the man's head.

Nothing happened. His worry deepened.

"Seriously, wake up", the redhead repeated, feeling panic awakening inside him.

He still remained somewhat calm. The blonde would wake up, after all, wouldn't he? Gaara chuckled a strained laugh.

"C'mon. Wake up. You ain't this weak", he said, trying not to sound alarmed. He failed.

The longer he tried to wake the other one up, the faster the hope behind his eyes dimmed away. The light shaking in order to get the other to awaken became a strong, panicked one. And even then, Naruto didn't wake up. He remained unconscious. He remained cold. He still looked dead. Gaara eventually got brave enough to try for a pulse. He found none. Only then did he realize how bad this was.

"Wake up", Gaara demanded one more time, his voice no longer whole, just breaking.

Nothing happened. Naruto didn't wake up. Pain unlike anything before hit the redhead like a bullet. The pain was emotional, but made him physically hurt. Something burned behind his eyes. He didn't know what it was.

"No. No, no, no. Don't do this to me", he whispered, finding it hard to breathe, let alone speak.

Gaara suddenly felt like he was about to break into pieces. Strange things happened inside him. Things he couldn't push away. He felt pain. He hurt so much, it was worse than any bullet that'd ever hit him. He didn't know what was happening, but knew he had the need to hold the other one close.

With slow, clumsy movements, Gaara slumped down against the wall, next to the blonde. With shaking hands, he reached to pull the other one into his arms. The blonde's limp body fell against him, feeling cold to the touch. Gaara held him as close as he could, bringing a hand to touch the other's bloodied face.

"You can't do this to me. You hear me?" the redhead fought to speak.

Obviously, he got no answer. He held the other one tighter, not being able to stop the shaking of his hands. He pressed his forehead against the other's, not caring about the blood staining him as well.

"Don't fucking do this to me. _Don't fucking do this to me_", the redhead croaked, no longer caring if he wasn't supposed to feel this way.

The blonde was so cold. And Gaara wanted to make him warm. Even though he knew it wouldn't matter. But because he felt the need, he laid his jacket over the blonde, keeping him close to his body.

The question of what the fuck was he supposed to do played in Gaara's mind over and over again. And he couldn't answer it. All he could do was hold the other man, gently trailing his fingers on the other's face. It hurt to look at him, yet he couldn't look away.

He couldn't believe it'd come to this. When they'd parted ways to get their job done, Gaara had thought he would be the one who might not make it. The possibility that Naruto would end up stone cold hadn't even pass his mind. And he hated himself for it. He felt like it was his fault. He'd never felt guilty about anything in his life, but this…this he did. And it hurt more than he knew anything could.

He watched the other's bloodied, pale face. It was as if he was asleep. Gaara preferred to think that in a way, he was. He would just never wake up again.

The redhead was at a loss as of what to do. He knew he had to do something. He just couldn't find the strength to move. He didn't want to move. He didn't want to let go of him. He wanted to hold on, and not let go. It wouldn't change anything, he knew that.

His hold on the blonde tightened, his lips pressed against the other's. They were ice cold.

Gaara forced himself to function. He couldn't leave the blonde in that state. He glanced at the knife sticking out of the other's side. He wanted to take it out. The redhead reached towards the knife, deciding to rid him of it. He took a hold of the knife and gently pulled it out. Something unexpected happened. A squirt of blood flooded out.

Gaara froze. He hastily glanced at the blonde's face. He threw the knife away, just the slightest hope stirring inside him. The redhead hesitated for a long time, but eventually reached out his hand to touch the other's neck. His heart dropped in relief.

He found a pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

Gaara rushed to lay the blonde down on the bloody floor. His hands still shaking, he carefully removed the blonde's shirt, revealing the wound. He found what he'd suspected. It still bled. There was still blood flow. Upon removing the blade from the other's side, blood had flown out. Gaara had noticed that. It'd given him enough hope to try for a pulse again. The blonde bleeding was a good sign. Only the living bleed. The dead don't.

Taking a deep breath to keep his focus, Gaara studied the wound. The blade hadn't gone all the way through. And upon closer inspection, the redhead realized no vital organs were hit. Gaara frowned. He suddenly didn't understand why the blonde was in such a bad condition. But since he was, the reason didn't really matter. Gaara had to get him to wake up. He had to wake up.

The redhead used the blonde's shirt to add pressure to the wound. He tried to keep the man warm by covering him with the jacket again. It took several, painfully long minutes, but eventually, the bleeding stopped. And it wasn't because Naruto had run out of blood, but because the pressure was enough to stop the bleeding.

As soon as the bleeding had stopped, Gaara rose up to stand. He then carefully lifted the blonde into his arms, cautious of the wound. The redhead carried him away from the bathroom, to the bed and laid him down to lie. The white sheets became stained with red, as the blonde's body remained covered in drying blood. But it really was the least of his issues.

Gaara covered the blonde with every blanket, jacket and cover he could find. He had to be kept warm. The redhead kneeled down beside the bed. He took the blonde's hand into his, trying to determine if he was warming up at all. He couldn't say for sure. So probably not.

Gaara clenched his jaw in anger. He was so fucking angry at himself. He'd followed the blonde nearly everywhere, not losing sight of him if at all possible, and then he'd let this happen. He felt like a fucking failure, while watching the other's expressionless face. Never before had anybody made him feel shitty about himself. But the blonde had. And that was the moment Gaara made a discovery about himself, he never thought he would.

Somebody else's life had become more important than his own. Naruto had become more important to him, than he himself.

That was never supposed to happen. That had never been his intention. He wasn't supposed to give a shit about other people at all, let alone see them as something truly valuable. But he'd made a mistake. He'd broken the most important rule of his entire life. To never care about anybody else but himself had been the guideline to his way of life. And now he'd fucked that up. He'd broken his rule completely.

Gaara watched the unconscious blonde. He gently touched his face again, trailing his finger along the man's lower lip. A small smirk found his lips.

He'd made a mistake, yeah. But it still was the best mistake he'd ever made.

The redhead hesitated, but eventually lowered himself enough to place his lips against the blonde's. They remained cold as ice. But he didn't mind. They still felt the way he remembered. Even if he didn't get a response.

"Please just wake the fuck up", Gaara hissed through gritted teeth, holding the other's hand tighter.

He carefully tilted Naruto's head towards him, and gently wiped away traces of blood. It didn't help much. The ridiculous amount of blood on the blonde made Gaara's insides burn with rage.

"I'll kill them", he growled, even though he knew the blonde couldn't hear him. But that didn't mean he wasn't serious.

"I'll kill them for what they did to you. Every fucking last of them."

And he meant it. Every word of it. The hate he'd felt towards Akatsuki for years had now multiplied a million times. He would kill them all. Every last one of them. He didn't care if it meant thousands. He didn't care if it'd take the rest of his life. He wouldn't die before he'd made every fucking one pay for what'd happened to Naruto.

"I'll rip their hearts out. I'll tear their fucking flesh off their bones. With my bare hands", Gaara spoke, as he stood up, and cautiously sat himself onto the edge of the bed.

Even though the blonde was unconscious, he was careful not to hurt him. As uncharacteristic as it was for him, he feared the man would just break if he wasn't careful enough. He felt ridiculous for it, but couldn't stop the need to keep him safe.

"I'll break every bone in their bodies. I'll gouge their eyes out", the redhead continued speaking, gently touching the blonde's face.

The tone of his voice didn't fit his gruesome words. He spoke gently, as if to comfort the other one. Gaara knew the blonde couldn't hear him, but felt like he still needed to tell him this.

"I'll dismember them while they're still alive. I'll hang them from hooks to bleed out slowly", he spoke softly, running his fingers through blonde hair.

"I'll make them hurt. Just for you", he then promised.

A strained chuckle escaped his lips. There was no sense in denying the truth anymore.

"It's always for you. Everything I do."

Gaara became silent. It was true. Everything he did anymore, was for him. Absolutely everything. Every day, every second he carried on living, was for him anymore. Every fucking breath he took, was for him. He wouldn't have kept on fighting against death, if it wasn't for him. He wouldn't have kept on becoming even better at killing, if it weren't for him.

Everything was for him. Just like leaving him, was for him.

Gaara had to leave so Naruto could keep on living. He had to leave and take their certain death with him. For some reason, the thought of the blonde dying had become truly suffocating. Just thinking about it made him near the line of insanity. He had to save him. Even if it meant he'd never see him again.

A weak movement against his hand awakened Gaara from his thoughts with a start. He realized that the blonde's hand was gently grasping his. The redhead intently watched the other's face, looking for signs of waking up. Naruto didn't open his eyes, but after what felt like forever, a raspy voice escaped his lips.

"Am I dead?"

Gaara let out a breath he wasn't aware of holding in. He rushed to brush away the bloodied strands of blonde hair away from the other's face. The three ton weight that lifted from his heart made him feel like it hadn't beaten for minutes.

"No. You're not", Gaara eventually said, not even trying to hide the relief in his voice.

He didn't realize he kept on neurotically touching the other's face, but Naruto didn't voice any complaints, either. A few weak coughs slipped from the blonde. The redhead's ridiculously overreacting state made its debut for the blonde.

"Don't fucking cough. Don't fucking speak. Just…don't do anything", he said, while frantically uncovering the blonde of all the covers he'd laid on him.

He took a look at the wound. It wasn't bleeding. He felt a little bit more relieved again. Gaara's tense shoulders fell under the weight of desperation mixed relief. Fighting to keep his eyes open, Naruto watched him confused.

"Hey…calm down. I'm fine", he croaked, his voice hoarse as hell.

It hurt to speak, but the redhead was acting too weird for him to just say nothing. Gaara didn't seem to care. He actually seemed to become angry upon hearing his words. The pale man jolted to stand up, evidently nearing insanity.

"Fine? _Fine? _I thought you fucking _died_. Have you any idea how bad you fucking scared me?" the redhead hissed through gritted teeth, aggressively offended by the other's belittling.

Naruto coughed again, his confusion deepening. Soon though, a small smirk spread across his bloody lips.

"Were you worried about me?" he asked, slightly obnoxiously.

Gaara frowned and felt like flipping him off. But instead of that, shut his eyes in frustration and looked the other way.

"Yeah. I was. I am", he muttered, barely audibly.

Naruto's smirk faded away. His lips parted, not prepared to hear him say that. Never in a million years would he have thought the redhead would admit something like that. He wasn't sure what to say. So he said nothing. Gaara grunted, evidently pissed off, but then lowered himself down to the floor, next to the bed. He watched the blonde for a while, silently. An expression of hesitation painted his features, but it disappeared soon. A pale hand came to take Naruto's. The blonde became shocked to the core all over again.

"I found no pulse. I thought you were fucking dead", the redhead soon muttered.

Some level of fear shadowed those words. Pale green eyes met blue ones. Naruto just waited.

"I never would've forgiven myself", Gaara then stated.

The blonde just stared at him, stunned. It was as if Gaara was speaking a foreign language to him. That's how strange it sounded coming from him. But at the same time, it also felt like he'd been waiting forever to hear him say words like that. He just hadn't known it. The blonde felt the need to say something, even though he wasn't sure what.

"It wasn't your fault, idiot", he eventually mumbled, slightly tightening the hold on the other's hand.

It felt weird to hold it. He never had before. But he liked it.

"It doesn't fucking matter. I should've been there", Gaara growled.

Naruto saw that he was getting angry again. At himself, most likely. Perhaps a bit at the world. He concluded he'd have to do something to stop it. After a while of thinking, Naruto weakly pulled on the other man's hand.

"C'mere", he said. Gaara seemed slightly reluctant. The blonde sighed.

"Just fucking come here. I didn't stay alive for this", he said, rolling his eyes, but followed it with a smirk.

The redhead stayed still. He stared at the other one for some time, before slowly standing up, going around the bed, and laying himself down. On the other side, that was. Naruto gave him a glare.

"Here", he ordered, not even trying to sound pleasant.

Gaara took his time, but eventually moved closer. Naruto used whatever little strength he had, and pulled him even closer, until he was able to rest his head against the man's chest. It hurt like hell to turn, but he did, anyway. Just to rest his head on the redhead's chest. The paler man tensed up for just a little while, before relaxing. They lay like that for a while. Naruto then pulled himself a bit upwards, ending up face to face with the redhead.

"Jesus it hurts to move", the blonde hissed, gritting his teeth. Gaara grunted. "Then don't."

Naruto chuckled. "But I want to. I want to see you."

Gaara's eyes softened slightly. It seemed like after his mini-meltdown, he was trying to pick up the pieces of his composure. And Naruto, being the little fucking devil he was, was effectively making him fail. It took maybe ten second for the redhead to let out a frustrated huff, and press his forehead against the other's. His hand came to touch the side of the blonde's face. Naruto shut his eyes. Gaara did as well, after a while.

"I'll never fucking forgive them. I'll make them pay for it. I promise. I'll kill every last one of them", the redhead whispered.

His voice was quiet, but the tone was murderous. Naruto was silent for a while. He then laid his own hand over the one on his cheek, and smiled weakly.

"Okay."

The next few minutes were totally silent. They just lay there, listening to the other one breathe. Gaara actually had no words to describe how fucking beautiful it was to hear Naruto breathe. After fearing he never would again, it was like a miracle.

"This seriously is the worst timing ever to get stabbed", Naruto suddenly said, sighing. Gaara realized he was talking about the trial. The redhead frowned slightly.

"Can you make it?" he asked. Naruto didn't even hesitate to nod. "Yeah."

Gaara wasn't exactly convinced. Naruto saw that.

"Seriously. I'll be fine", he tried to assure. The other one just frowned.

"Bullshit. Look at you. You almost fucking died", he hissed. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't have passed out if it weren't for the fact that I haven't slept or eaten in two damn days. That, and then blood loss, ain't good. But the wound ain't that bad. I'll live", he stated.

The redhead remained vaguely pissed off, but said nothing further. Naruto was content enough. A small smirk crept onto his lips. Gaara raised a questioning brow. The blonde chuckled.

"You've got blood on your lips, ya know", he said amused.

The redhead seemed slightly embarrassed. Not like normal people, since he didn't really have the ability to do that, but Naruto read him well enough to know it was something resembling it.

"And I know why", Naruto said tauntingly.

Gaara seemed vaguely pissed off at first, but after a while, he smirked as well.

"Really?" he asked, equally as sneeringly. Naruto chuckled. "Yeah."

Since both actually did know why, it presented a certain question. Naruto decided to answer it by pressing his lips against the other's. But only for a second, before pulling away again. It was a test, and Gaara knew it. The redhead knew he wasn't supposed to fall for it, but he'd never been that good with tests anyway. That's why when Naruto closed the gap between them again, he reached to bury his fingers into the other's hair. And as the blonde backed away again, Gaara pulled him back. Naruto smirked against his lips.

"Gotcha", he chuckled.

Gaara grunted, but kissed him again anyway. The blonde didn't complain. A small moan escaped his lips.

"I'll never get tired of the way you taste", he muttered with a low voice. The paler man snorted.

"And what might that be then?" he asked amused. Naruto didn't even have to think about it.

"Like ice. And sugar. And blood. You taste like death", he muttered between kisses. Gaara chuckled darkly, and pulled away.

"And that's what you like? The taste of death?" he asked, obviously amused. Naruto lifted the corner of his lips.

"No. I like how _you_ taste. You just happen to taste like death", he stated. Gaara had to laugh just a little.

"You're a fucking sicko", he said, trailing his finger along the other's lower lip. "I like sicko", he then muttered.

Naruto would've laughed, but found it to be too painful. So he just settled on smiling. He brushed his lips against the paler one's.

"What do I taste like?" he asked after a while.

The redhead looked at him for a while, before inching even closer and kissing him again. But more gently, more slowly. Not expecting it to be like that, the blonde moaned into his mouth. The redhead had the urge to pull him closer by the waist, but considering the man had just been stabbed, he couldn't. It made him somewhat frustrated. He would've wanted to touch him properly. To be closer.

"You can touch me, you know", the blonde muttered, as if reading his mind. Gaara grunted.

"I don't want to hurt you."

Naruto pulled away just enough to see the other's eyes. He watched them silently for a while, before leaning forward again. But kissing his neck instead.

"You won't. I know you won't", he muttered against the pale skin.

The redhead shivered slightly. It was hard not to. After all, there was a ridiculously fuckable blonde thing sucking on his neck, knowing exactly where to touch to make him go insane. He kinda hated it. But mostly not.

"Insanity. You taste like insanity", Gaara suddenly said, trying not to let out any additional noises. Kind of failing. Naruto let out a small laugh.

"Insanity?" he asked. Gaara pulled the blonde closer, trusting himself enough he wouldn't hurt him. "Yeah."

To be honest, Gaara wasn't sure if he tasted like insanity. But he knew that whatever it was the blonde really did taste like, it drove him crazy. That was enough to make it taste like insanity.

"Do you like it?" Naruto chuckled. The redhead couldn't help the groan. "More than you know."

The kiss following that wasn't as gentle as it probably should've been. Naruto somewhat forgot he was actually in hellish pain, and Gaara forgot he was supposed to _not_ grip the other one like his life depended on it. But you know, hearing that bloodied blonde thing moan into his mouth was hard to ignore. Really. Damn. Hard.

Only when Gaara suddenly felt something wet run down his hand, did he wake up to reality again. He pulled away from the blonde and lifted up his hand. He instantly hated himself again.

"Fuck", he hissed and glanced down.

The blonde's wound was bleeding again. Not badly, but still. Gaara was ready to panic, but Naruto cut him off before the man had the chance to even start.

"Uhm, that's not…it's not bleeding because of you", the blonde muttered, pulling Gaara back down to lie.

"Bullshit", the paler one growled, rising to sit up again. Naruto pulled him back down again, sighing.

"Well…yeah. It's kinda your fault", he said, and grabbed the other's hand, placing it against his chest.

The redhead frowned. He could feel the blonde's heartbeat. It pounded against his palm like it was about to come through his rib cage. Gaara's frown deepened.

"Why is it doin' that?" he asked honestly confused.

Naruto rolled his eyes and snorted. He then slowly slid the other's hand down his chest and stomach, below his waistline. And then even Gaara understood.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

To be honest, if there was enough blood left in Naruto for that to happen, he would probably be just fine.

The next 24 hours after that went by too quickly in Gaara's opinion. The blonde had mainly just slept, not moving much. It seemed Naruto had been right. The wound wasn't that bad, after all. The lack of sleep and food, mixed with blood loss had been too much together. But nothing worse. Gaara was relieved for that. But he still remained scared something would go wrong anyway. There was no guarantee, ever.

The trial was just a night away. Thankfully, there had been an entire day for Naruto to recover. Hopefully it'd be enough.

Gaara had thought about the time when he'd eventually have to leave. Or go back to prison. Either way, he'd be leaving Naruto. He didn't want to. Every second, less and less. But he knew he'd have to. To make sure the blonde wouldn't die. And also, to take care of unfinished business. There were things he had to do alone. Things that weren't anybody else's to do. Burdens that were only his to be carried. And today, he'd taken another burden to carry.

He didn't see it as much of a burden as he did a goal. To kill every Akatsuki there was, that is. It would take the rest of his life, he knew that. But even then, he hadn't hesitated to give that promise. After all, everything he did, was for him.

Gaara sighed. He put out the cigarette he'd been smoking, and turned away from the hotel room window. Behind him, on the bed with once white sheets, lay Naruto. He wasn't asleep anymore. He'd woken up about an hour ago, after sleeping for an entire day. He seemed to feel better. At least he looked better. Not that he ever did look exactly bad. Not in Gaara's eyes anyway.

Gaara kind of wanted to slap himself for thinking that. It sounded too cute to suit his twisted mind. But he couldn't really deny it, either.

"Ready for tomorrow?" Gaara asked. Naruto turned to look at him.

"Yeah. You?"

The redhead had to stop and actually think about it. He wasn't sure how to phrase the true answer. So he lied instead.

"Yeah."

Naruto gave him a small smile and nodded.

"Gimme one of those cancer sticks, will ya?" the blonde then asked.

Gaara tossed him a pack of cigarettes. Naruto placed one between his lips, lit it up and took a deep drag. He slowly let smoke slip from between his lips. He sighed.

"Hn. I really need to quit smoking this shit", he muttered, and took another drag. Gaara watched the smoke dance around the blonde.

"I don't really wanna. I like it too much. There's just some things that are bad for ya, but you'll still miss them like hell once they're gone, y'know?" Naruto babbled, mostly to himself.

But Gaara was listening. And a sharp pain stabbed him right in the chest, as a result. He turned to look away from the blonde.

It wasn't the trial tomorrow what he wasn't ready for. It was leaving behind the best mistake of his life. It was leaving Naruto. The worst thing that'd ever happened to him, yet better than he ever could've imagined. He'd miss him like hell. Leaving him would become his hell.

"Yeah. I know. I really fuckin' do."

* * *

**Yes, I made you think blondie died. I'm terrible, that's why. **

**By the way, I'd just like to let you kind people know that I've been writing another fic on the side of this. GaaNaru as well. I just can't get enough of them. I wonder if I should be diagnosed with some sort of obsessive disorder. But yeah, another fic coming up at some point. I haven't posted any of it yet. I'm not sure if I'll start posting anything before this one is done. We'll see.**

**Hope ya enjoyed, my luvs. See ya next week. *kiss***


	29. Overkill Defense

It was nearly 90 fucking degrees outside. The sun shone like a motherfucker, and no wind was present to even it out. Everything about that day was hellish. Physically, emotionally. Mentally.

Naruto sat in the rented car, not being able to move. Or breathe. Even fucking blinking was impossible. The idea of getting out felt overpowering. He was nearing a mental breakdown. He could feel it. He was so close to having some kind of seizure. And he gladly would've just given in to that feeling, if it wasn't for Gaara. The redhead sat behind the wheel, equally as tense and quiet. Naruto forced himself to seem calm and collected, in order to not make the other man further anxious.

It was the day of the trial. The day of the sentence. The day of a lot of horrible things, actually. Naruto knew that whether or not Gaara got sentenced to prison, maybe even death, didn't matter. He'd lose him anyway. He would leave. Naruto knew that and felt like killing living things because of it.

They hadn't talked about it at all. What was there to talk about? Talking wouldn't change shit. It would've been useless.

Naruto glanced out the window. Across the street, just a few hundred feet away, stood the grand courthouse. There it was in its cold glory, mockingly watching down on those who stepped inside. Naruto didn't feel like being one of those people. Neither did Gaara. He didn't say it aloud and tried hard to hide it, but to Naruto it was obvious. The car had been parked for five whole minutes already and the redhead still gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white. Naruto had a feeling the man might've considered starting the car again, and driving as far as he could. That thought had most positively passed his mind. But so far, he hadn't acted on it.

Naruto turned to look at Gaara. The man didn't face him. Just stared blankly ahead, white as a sheet. He always was, but it was a different kind of white. More dead-like, with a catatonic feeling. The blonde felt like he should've said something, but simply had no words to voice. There was nothing he could've said to make this any better. Any easier. For either of them. And even if he'd spoken, he doubted he would've gotten an answer. Not long after Naruto had woken up from his near death experience, Gaara had gone cold and hollow again. Naruto had kind of expected it. But it made him feel like shit, nonetheless.

A sigh escaped the blonde's lips. He tore his gaze off Gaara, as just glaring at him was no use at all. Realizing that there was no use in trying to avoid it anymore, Naruto reached to open the door and stepped out of the car. He slammed the door shut, and stayed to stand next to the vehicle. He patiently waited for Gaara to get out as well. It took a long time. The blonde glanced at the man still inside the car. Seeing the redhead hunched over, forehead pressed against the steering wheel, Naruto shifted just a little closer to that meltdown of his.

Gaara eventually stepped out. With a stone cold face, he walked to Naruto and stopped to stand next to him. The redhead's pale green eyes gazed the courthouse before them. His icy cover faltered for just a second. Nobody else but Naruto would've noticed it.

For that moment the blonde decided to ignore Gaara's will to keep his distance, and took the man's hand into his. The redhead didn't even flinch.

"Ready?" Naruto asked. Gaara didn't hesitate to tell the truth.

"No."

The blonde let his head fall against the other's shoulder. He knew exactly where they were, and was aware he was risking somebody seeing, but simply didn't give a fuck. He needed this. And even though the man would never admit it, so did Gaara.

Naruto pressed himself against the paler man. It took a while, but eventually an arm wrapped itself around his waist, pulling him closer.

"Somebody could see, ya know", Gaara muttered, but held him tighter. Naruto groaned frustrated.

"I don't fuckin' care. How 'bout you just take your hand out of your damn pocket and do this properly?" he hissed, a somewhat desperate undertone in his voice.

Gaara did as told. He took his free hand out of his pocket, and held the blonde with both arms. He let himself fall slightly backwards to lean against the car. Naruto leaned against him.

"Fuck", Naruto muttered against the nape of the other's neck. The redhead shut his eyes. "I know."

Knowing they were nearly late already, Naruto soon pulled away from him. He stopped to watch the pale man for a while. The man's hand found its way back into the pocket. The free one came to brush against the side of Naruto's face.

"Try to keep me out of death row, okay blondie?" Gaara said, with a forced smirk.

Naruto gave him a glare. That was enough of an answer.

With nothing more to say, they turned towards the courthouse and started walking. The steps between the parking lot and the actual destination were the heaviest steps either of them could ever remember having taken. To be honest, it felt like a miracle to make it to the second floor, and stop behind familiar doors. Behind those doors waited something that could be described only as a reason for pure terror. And outside it waited something Naruto liked to call pure idiocy.

Hyuuga Neji was the first person to notice their arrival. He, of course, had the need to act like the little bitch he was.

"Hn. So you did show up", the man bluntly stated.

Naruto immediately felt the need to rip his eyes out. But naturally refrained from doing that. Instead he made his way over to the man and stopped to stand before him. The blonde was slightly taller, which of course gave him ridiculous, testosterone filled pleasure.

"Would've made my job easier if you hadn't", Hyuuga then continued.

Naruto twitched at his words. And voice. He hated it. He hated the way that man could've called somebody's mother a whore, and it still would've sounded polite.

"I know you find anything but the absolute easy overpowering, but try to hang in there, princess", Naruto said, with a sneering smile on his lips.

The other man's eyes flashed with vague anger. Naruto saw that he was about to hear something that'd make him go instantly murderous. Gaara saw that too, and decided to take control over the situation. He stepped to stand right behind Naruto, laying piercing cold eyes on Hyuuga. Just a glance at Gaara made the man shut up in an instant, before he even got the chance to start. Naruto knew it wasn't appropriate behavior, but had to smirk. Then again, he and Hyuuga hardly acted civilized around each other anyway.

"C'mon, blondie", Gaara muttered, turning around and walking further away.

After a lingering cold gaze on Hyuuga, Naruto followed his steps. He made his way towards the redhead who'd gone to lean against the cold marble wall a few feet away. While making his way over, Naruto couldn't help but to drool just a little over the fact that Gaara was dressed in a suit. He'd never seen the man look that way before. Like he'd just walked out of a million dollar meeting. At least he looked a million dollars. Dear sweet devil did he look like million dollars.

Naruto reached the redhead, and stopped to stand next to him. Gaara glanced at him. The man raised a brow.

"Are you fucking drooling?"

"No."

And that was the end of that discussion.

It didn't take long for the large, wooden doors next to them to open up, a young woman stepping out.

"You may enter", the woman spoke shortly, before turning back around again, and walking back.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. The redhead's jaw clenched and his eyes grew cold. Naruto instantly felt the need to just reach out and hold him close, but obviously couldn't do that.

"We need to go", he said quietly.

The paler man stood still for a while longer, before pushing himself away from the wall, and wordlessly walking past the blonde, into the courtroom. Naruto watched him go. He took a deep breath before following him. As the blonde stepped inside the huge, cold courtroom, he felt his knees nearly buckle under him. A wave of nausea hit him like a slap across the face. He felt like throwing up. But did his best not to.

As Naruto walked towards the seat meant for him, he scanned around the room. There were twice as many people as last time. Obviously he'd known that beforehand, but somehow it made him anxious.

On the left side sat the so called injured party. Naruto couldn't help but grit his teeth at the sight. A dozen coldblooded killers sat on a wooden bench, all staring straight ahead, eyes cold like fucking winter. There was nothing injured about these people. Nothing at all. But on the same side, behind the yakuzas, sat someone who made Naruto's shoulders further tense.

The kid. The witness.

As much as Naruto felt like no kid deserved to experience the shit the witness had, he couldn't help but to wish they had died seven years ago, along with the rest of the participants. A kid or not, all Naruto cared about was Gaara. And getting him off the hook. Even if it meant casting away all remains of morality.

Naruto glanced on the right side. It was empty. There was nobody there. Of course there wasn't. Apart from Naruto, Gaara had nobody. He knew that the redhead himself didn't give a fuck about being all alone, but it made Naruto feel like shit, anyway.

Naruto reached the table he was to be seated at, and took a glance over his shoulder, before taking his seat. The blonde realized that Sasuke wasn't there. Even though he'd said he'd be coming. That idiot seriously was always late. No matter what the occasion.

Just as the judge entered the room and took his respective stand, the sound of hasty footsteps reached the courtroom. Naruto turned to see the entrance. The doors that'd been in the process of getting closed, had been left open to let in a panting pale man. Naruto cringed at the embarrassment of it. Sasuke stood in the doorway, trying to catch his breath, looking like a moron.

"I'm am _so_ sorry, your honor", the raven spoke between pants. Naruto cringed again. He didn't just seem like moron, after all. He was a damn moron.

"Being late is not acceptable in my courtroom, sir. Take your seat immediately", the judge stated, evidently displeased.

Sasuke said no further, just stumbled his way over to the prosecution's side, and seated himself down. Naruto watched his breathless friend try his best to stop choking on air. After a while of catching his breath, Sasuke's eyes met the blonde's. He saw the displeased look in the blue eyes, and laid an apologizing gaze on him. Knowing that Naruto hated his habit of always being late, he had the courtesy to be at least vaguely sorry for doing it even at a time like this.

The raven's gaze then moved slightly to the right, locking on Gaara. Sasuke's eyes grew cold immediately. His jaw clenched as if he was angry. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man, questioning the odd reaction. He knew the two men weren't exactly ecstatic about each other, but the pure hate that radiated from the raven's eyes made Naruto slightly uncomfortable.

"All rise", the strong, low male voice of the judge spoke. The entire courtroom rose to stand up.

"The re-trial for Sabaku Gaara begins", he then declared. A bang of his gavel followed, finalizing his statement.

"You may be seated", he permitted. The court sat down.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. The blonde was surprised. It seemed that somewhere between almost having a breakdown on the parking lot and now, the redhead had rid himself all anxiety. His face was stoic, his eyes ice cold and the usual dark aura surrounding him had become poisonously grim. He was himself again. And even though Naruto probably should've been worried about how it would look in the jury's eyes, he was simply content. The monster was back. As it should be.

"Now, first things first. Defendant, please rise", the judge requested.

Naruto watched his client rise to comply. He couldn't help but to just stare. The redhead stood there, tall and stoic, carrying himself confidently. There was no guilt, no remorse in his eyes. The entirety that Gaara was, was truly mesmerizing. In a sick way. Even sicker, when Naruto knew what the man really had done. But as twisted as he felt for admitting it, the sickness of the man's mere existence was what made him so hard to resist. On all possible levels.

"Defendant, please state your full name", the judge requested.

Just a few seconds of silence followed, but they felt like forever.

"Sabaku Gaara", the pale man then spoke.

Even Naruto flinched at the ice in his voice. This would not look good. At all. Naruto glanced at the judge. The expression on his face proved the blonde's point quite positively. It took a good ten seconds for the judge to continue speaking.

"And how will you plead?" he then asked, his strong voice just slightly weaker.

Even though the entire room already knew how the redhead would plead, every single one present there tensed up like iron bars. Even Naruto.

"Not guilty."

The tension didn't leave the room even after hearing the plead. If anything, it worsened. Naruto watched the man standing next to him. He could've sworn there was a small smirk trying to break its way through on Gaara's lips. Naruto hoped to god it wouldn't get through. It didn't.

"The defendant has pleaded not guilty. We will now proceed to presenting the evidence in favor and against the defendant. You may be seated, Sabaku", the judge said after a slightly nervous exhale. Gaara did as told.

Naruto was tense to the point of no return. He knew that the judge there today was a man who'd seen pretty much everything. He had been doing this for decades, and built the character to match that experience. But to see that man, that judge, falter under Gaara's piercing gaze…it was bad. Really bad. Naruto suddenly realized why they'd been so damn quick to throw him in jail in the first place. Who wouldn't have? He looked like a wild animal, ready to kill everything in a hundred mile radius.

"You are not making this fucking easy for me", the blonde hissed, leaning towards the redhead.

Gaara didn't reply, just stared straight ahead, eyes empty. It looked like he wasn't really even present in the room. Naruto sighed and gave up on even trying to make a connection.

"Prosecution, the stand is yours", the judge stated.

Naruto watched the Hyuuga stand up, lay a sneering look on the blonde, and then make his way towards the front.

"Please state your name and purpose in this courtroom", the judge requested.

"Hyuuga Neji, prosecutor, attorney of the injured party", the long-haired man answered.

The judge nodded in approval. Hyuuga opened the presentation of evidence.

"As the prosecution attorney, I am to present the evidence against the defendant, Sabaku Gaara. I would like to begin with the presentation of crime scene photos. I'd like to request permission to use the screen, your honor", the man said.

The judge nodded. "Permitted."

Naruto wanted to dig a hole to die in. It seemed Hyuuga was determined to win this. Starting the whole thing with the crime scene photos was an obvious sign of that.

The man was handed the remote for the flat screen located near the stand, and with just one press of a button, a detailed picture of the crime scene was visible to all those in the room. Naruto studied the reaction of those around him. The ''injured party'' had no reaction whatsoever. Not surprising. Neither had Sasuke. He'd been there, in the middle of it, after all. But the kid sitting behind the yakuzas…he was horrified. Naruto easily detected the evident terror on his features. The same could be said about the jury. They looked equally as disturbed. Naruto shut his eyes in frustration. This wasn't a good start.

"As you can see, the crime itself was horrifically executed. The victims suffered severe blood loss, bullet wounds, stab wounds, even detachment of limbs and decapitation", Hyuuga started speaking.

The sound of breaths hitching could be heard around the room.

"And the victim over here", he then continued, pointing a faint laser at one of the victims in the photo. "They died of a direct hit in the head by shotgun fire."

Naruto glanced at the photo. The victim he was talking about was seen in the corner of the picture. On the floor, partly leaning against the wall. Most of their head was gone. Just a stump of it was left, as the top part had been more or less blown off. Naruto felt no empathy watching the picture. He just became pissed off.

"The shotgun used to kill this victim has been proven to have belonged to the defendant. A shotgun, owned by Sabaku Gaara, killed this person", Hyuuga stated.

It was a fact that even Naruto couldn't shoot down. And since the man said nothing about who'd been the one to use the gun, the blonde had no way of objecting the statement.

"The shotgun was found on the scene. A fingerprint was recovered, matching the defendant's. I'd say that tells a story. I believe it is safe to assume that the chances of somebody entirely else having fired the shot with Sabaku's weapon are quite small. If existing at all", Hyuuga said.

And that gave Naruto his chance to butt in.

"Objection, your honor. It is not time for closing speech yet. Direct accusations are not to be made at this point of the trial", the blonde stated audibly. The judge glanced at him.

"Sustained. Hyuuga, refrain from all accusations for now. Please proceed", the man said.

Hyuuga tried, but couldn't keep himself from looking like he'd been kicked in the balls. That man's ego was ridiculous.

"Hn. Please forgive me, your honor. As I was saying, the shotgun used in the killing, belongs to Sabaku. We have a fingerprint and legal documents to prove that", the man muttered.

"Do have these documents in your possession?" the judge questioned.

"Yes, your honor", Hyuuga said, and handed the man said documents.

After a while of reading, the judge handed them back, and nodded.

"They are legit. Approved as evidence", the man said, giving Hyuuga something to gloat about.

"Thank you, your honor", he said, with a suck up grin plastered on his face.

"Any further evidence to present?" the judge questioned. Hyuuga shook his head. "Not at the moment."

Hyuuga was gestured to take his seat again. The judge turned to Naruto instead.

"Defense. You're up. Take you stand", the man said, watching him from above his glasses.

The blonde nodded, stood up and made his way to the front. Once there, he took a quick glance at Gaara. The redhead remained looking like a manic murderer, even though it wasn't the best time for that. Naruto wanted to sigh, but forced that urge away. He then turned towards the documents in his hand and cleared his throat.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, defendant's attorney", the blonde stated.

The judge nodded, permitting him to start.

"As the defendant's attorney, I am to present the evidence favoring him. And the most crucial matter at this point is the fact that the shotgun the prosecution presented as evidence, was reported stolen _prior _to the murders. The report was made under an alias, but Sabaku has proven the alias belongs to him", Naruto began.

"Do you have legal documents supporting your claim?" the judge asked.

"Yes, I do, your honor", the blonde stated, and handed the man a sheet of paper. After a quick glance through it, it was returned.

"Approved."

"The shotgun should not have been approved as evidence in the first place, as there is nothing supporting that it was even in the possession of my client. The gun was stolen, the theft was reported, and nothing, absolutely nothing, indicates it was even in Sabaku's possession at the time", Naruto spoke, making his point as clear as day.

A small shift of attitude could be seen in the jury. It was better than nothing.

"The fingerprint that was found on the gun might've been there for a long time. The print wasn't bloody. Nothing indicates it was left at the time of the crime. Nothing indicates he was there at all", Naruto said.

Hyuuga was quick to be an asshole, again.

"Objection. Uzumaki is making conclusions based on assumptions. Not all evidence has been gone through yet", the man stated.

A vein probably popped inside the blonde's head.

"Sustained. No concluding yet, Uzumaki", the judge stated. Naruto tried hard not to grit his teeth. He more or less failed.

"I apologize, your honor", he muttered through gritted teeth, but forced himself to calm down.

"Hn. As the prosecution's attorney kindly pointed out, making conclusions based on assumptions is not permitted. Thus claiming that my client's gun should be considered as evidence, falls under the same accusation. There is no proof the gun was in his possession and should no longer be used as evidence", Naruto pointed out.

The judge seemed thoughtful. He was silent for some time, seemingly weighing options. Eventually the man's furrowed brows relaxed, and he sighed.

"The shotgun is no longer considered as evidence", the man stated, and finalized his decision with a bang of his gavel.

Hyuuga's face fell. Naruto's lightened up. Gaara's stayed the same as always. Expressionless and stoic. But that aside, it was good news. The blonde had to contain himself from giving a sneering dance of victory to the sour Hyuuga. He didn't really have to dance like an idiot for the long-haired man to see the gloat on Naruto's face. Needless to say, it didn't make him happy. The blonde almost rolled his eyes. That man's egoistic competing was ridiculous in his opinion. But he had to admit, it was hard not to go along with it.

"Does the defense have further evidence to present?" the judge asked. Naruto flashed him a smile.

"Nope. Not at the moment, your honor", he said, before returning to his seat. A glance at the bitter Hyuuga gave him sadistic joy beyond belief.

"Prosecution, do you wish to continue?" the judge asked.

Hyuuga laid a cold glare on Naruto, before turning back towards the judge. He said nothing, didn't even nod, just walked up to the front again, evidently pissed as hell. Naruto realized the man was starting to get seriously irritated. The possibility that he might actually start acting unprofessionally crossed his mind, but he dismissed the thought as being ridiculous. That proud bastard was way too touchy about his reputation to do that.

"As it seems a piece of perfectly justifiable evidence has been taken out of the equation, I will be tak-", Hyuuga started speaking, obviously slightly faltering at his composure.

Naruto was about to rise and object, but the judge was quicker.

"Hyuuga. The evidence got disqualified. That means it is no longer justifiable evidence. At least try to remain professional", the man nearly roared.

He was obviously quickly getting tired of the lack of composure going on. Hyuuga clenched his jaw in irritation, but seemed to listen.

"Yes. Of course. I apologize."

The amount of apologies that'd been heard in just the past twenty minutes was ridiculous. It was an obvious sign that this trial wasn't going exactly according to the book.

"Setting the shotgun aside, I believe we'll have to move on to the next piece of evidence. Which in this case is the overall health and sanity of the defendant. Yes, Sabaku was concluded completely sane, and free of any physical or mental illnesses, but we have reason to believe there are aspects that have not been taken into consideration", Hyuuga spoke.

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. Was that prick really going to go after such a far-fetched accusation?

"Objection, your honor. Hyuuga just stated himself that the defendant has been cleared of all illnesses. There is no reason to discuss this", Naruto immediately stated.

The judge didn't get a chance to comment, as Hyuuga acted against all protocol, and opened his mouth like an idiot.

"That man is not sane, Uzumaki. He lacks all ability to feel normal, primitive human emotions. He does not show any empathy, sympathy or remorse. He is a psychopath", the man hissed.

Naruto froze completely. He couldn't believe that the Hyuuga, the damn stuck up piece of shit, actually went that far. He actually crossed every line possible, and stepped on not only Naruto's, but the judges toes as well.

"Hyuuga. I am giving you a warning", the judge said, raising his voice.

But it had little to no effect at all. It seemed Hyuuga was determined to show just how much he despised the blonde. And Naruto couldn't believe how far he was prepared to go for that.

"You are cradling the devil on your lap. I can't believe you're this stupid", the long-haired man growled.

As much as Naruto tried, his composure was falling apart as badly as the other man's. With a jolt, he rose up. Gaara finally became aware enough of the situation to take a look at him. But there was nothing he could do, before shockingly unthoughtful words fell from the blonde's lips.

"Excuse me, fucker?"

Even Gaara was shocked enough to show some level of horror upon hearing those words. That multiplied about a million times, was what painted the faces of everybody else in the room. This was the last place on earth to start a fight of any kind. For Naruto to start talking that way in a place like this meant he wasn't far from going crazy.

"You heard me. Your client is a sociopath. And you're an idiot", Hyuuga repeated, not even hesitating.

Naruto's bafflement was far gone by then. Rage had come replace it, and absolutely everybody saw what was going to happen. The judge was starting to lose the last of patience as well.

"Uzumaki, sit down! Hyuuga, shut your mouth, before I accuse you of contempt of court", the low voiced man threatened.

It was no good. The two men were far beyond listening. Naruto shivered with the urge to rip the other man's head right off his shoulders. The more he thought about that image, the more tempting it became.

"I ain't getting arrested for scum like you. Do your job, or get out", Naruto growled.

He was well aware he didn't actually possess the power of throwing the man out, but it didn't seem to bother him. Hyuuga was silent for a while. It seemed he actually considered letting it go, and proceeding professionally. But in the end, being the piece of shit that he was, he just couldn't act like a grown human being.

"I ain't gonna let a lunatic like him walk out of here as a free man. That is the job my clients gave me. And I'll finish what I started", Hyuuga eventually hissed.

Naruto's eyes lit up like raging fire. As did the rage inside him. It didn't take him long to realize what the Hyuuga had done. He'd sold his soul to the fucking mafia. He was getting dirty money.

"You piece of shit", Naruto growled.

And before anybody had time to react, he lunged at the other man. And not just rushing, but actually jumping over the table to reach him. Hyuuga was equally as eager to return the favor. Since it usually wasn't the attorneys fighting in court, it took quite a while for anybody to even register what was happening. The judge spent a short moment silently gaping at the scene. In his forty something years as a judge, he had never seen two respectable lawyers attack each other. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. And neither could anybody else. Sasuke had jolted up to stand, not knowing what to do. If he went between them, he'd get arrested as well. The jury was shocked to the core. And Gaara…well, he was being himself. At least on the outside. The inside was a matter of its own.

"Guards! Restrain them", the judge eventually roared, regaining his ability to function.

Guards were on their way before the judge even had the chance to finish his sentence. Three men, all tall as skyscrapers and wide as barn doors, rushed to separate the two. But even with the power of all three men, the two were impossible to get apart. One guard called for backup, while the two others tried their best to restrain them. Had they been criminals facing trial, the conflict would've been easier to handle. But they weren't. They were lawyers. They weren't in cuffs, they weren't under the will of any correctional facility. They were impossible to get apart.

The noise inside the room started to go up in volume. The judge was about to rip his hair out. No matter how many times he demanded order in the courtroom, it was in vain. The guards were getting ready to use tasers. This was not going to end well. Gaara saw that. And even under the risk of getting arrested himself, he stood up and moved closer to the two men still trying to rip each other apart. The guards didn't get hyped over the fact that the accused murderer of seven people decided to approach a violent fight.

"Get back! Do not come closer", a guard demanded.

Gaara ignored him, and simply walked past The guard tried to grab him, but the redhead yanked himself free, not keen on potentially ending up in a headlock. Before the guard had a chance to get a hold of him, Gaara had already reached the two men wrestling on the floor. With an effortless move, he grabbed the blonde and pulled him onto his feet. Naruto immediately protested.

"Let go. I'm gonna rip him the fuck apart", he hissed, and struggled to get free.

The guards were ready to taser all three of them, cautiously getting closer. Gaara couldn't be bothered to care about the guards. He simply pressed the blonde's back against his chest, and forced one of Naruto's arms behind his back.

"Stop", the pale man calmly said.

Naruto's struggling stopped like he'd hit a wall. The entire room became silent in the split of a second. Hyuuga, who had pulled himself up from the floor, glared at the two of them, still shivering with rage. Even the guards stopped to stand still. They remained tense, ready to reach for a gun if necessary. Even though Gaara wasn't officially guilty, not one person in that room was confident he wasn't dangerous. As nobody was sure if the redhead was trying to calm the blonde down, or to hurt him, the tension grew rapidly. The entire room held their breath. Even the yakuzas, most likely hoping for Gaara to make a mistake he couldn't take back.

"We are in a fucking court room. Stop it", Gaara said to the blonde.

He was demanding, but kept his voice calm. He knew what worked on the blonde. Naruto clenched his jaw, but the rage inside him was slowly calming down.

"I…yeah", he eventually muttered, relaxing under the redhead's touch.

Gaara slightly loosened his grip, but didn't let go. He glanced at the longhaired man, standing not far from them. Even his anger seemed to have come down a notch. He just stared at the redhead, partly disgusted, partly amazed. As did the rest of the room.

"Guards. Arrest Hyuuga and Uzumaki for dishonoring the court", the judge eventually spoke, breaking the heavy silence in the room.

His voice wasn't as strong and confident as it'd been so far. It sounded mostly confused and taken aback. But it was effective, nonetheless.

The three guards stepped forward. One of them placed cuffs on Hyuuga. One grabbed Naruto away from Gaara. And the last one seated the redhead back down. The entire room watched as the two arrested men got walked out of the room. Sasuke gaped eyes wide at the blonde. Naruto refused to meet his gaze. Even after the two had been taken away, the courtroom remained silent. It seemed as if the judge wasn't sure what to say. But he had to say something.

"I…The trial will be postponed until the issue of…attorneys gets solved. I…uhm, we thank you for your help, Sabaku", the man eventually stuttered.

Gaara didn't reply. He doubted the man really meant it anyway.

"I'll request you all to wait outside the courtroom for a while. I will look into our…problem", the man then continued, still somewhat unsure of what to say.

The loud bang of the judge's gavel echoed through the room, permitting people to leave. Gaara wasted no time to do just that. He was the first one to step out the doors, despite being seated at the opposite side of the room. On his way out, he passed Sasuke. Gaara gave no sign of acknowledging him. Sasuke found himself not appreciating it, and grabbed the redhead's arm. He should've known better than to do that, but concluded that Gaara wouldn't make a scene at that place. Not after what'd just happened.

Gaara stopped walking, but still wouldn't look at him. Sasuke still held onto his arm, a bit too tight in the redhead's opinion. A small smirk appeared onto Gaara's lips. The raven narrowed his eyes at it.

"Don't think you won't pay for that", the redhead stated, his voice cold as ice, but the smirk never leaving his face.

Sasuke unintendedly flinched and pulled his hand away. As much as he hated to admit it, Gaara was a man one didn't want to underestimate. Under any circumstances. The raven knew what he was capable of. And aware of the fact that he'd probably already angered him more than enough, it was better not to push it any further if not necessary.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke hissed. The redhead finally turned to look at him.

"Why are you?" Gaara asked in return. The raven became confused.

"It's my job", he then replied. The redhead raised a brow. "There's you answer."

With that, Gaara walked away. Sasuke was left to watch him go, and wonder what his answer was supposed to mean. After a while, it dawned on him. The man had implied that ending up in trial was an inevitable part of his job. Sasuke couldn't really deny that. But he had to admit, the redhead sure had a suspiciously strong work ethic for showing up. Not many in his line of profession did that. And that's why Sasuke became pretty damn sure it wasn't the real reason at all.

Gaara had waited outside an office door for an hour already. He was getting damn tired of just sitting on his ass, waiting for that dumb bitch that'd left him to sit there, to show up. He wanted to know where Naruto was and what was going to happen to him.

The redhead couldn't help but to feel deep, deep anger and second-hand embarrassment for the blonde. He hadn't expected for him to get out of control like that. It was as if he'd completely forgotten where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. Actually, he probably did forget. Gaara had started to realize that the blonde had a shitload of work to do, if he intended on keeping that demon of his under control. Just the slightest bit of anger seemed to set it lose like there was no tomorrow. And like it'd just been proven, at the wrong place and time, it would be a serious problem.

Gaara hadn't really been bothered by Hyuuga's ridiculous behavior. He'd felt no need to go crazy in a full courtroom. Not when he could just go and shoot his head off later, when there was nobody to taser him. Or maybe he wouldn't even have bothered to kill him at all. But now that the blonde had decided to act like a complete moron, and ended up fighting the man, Gaara would have to dispose of him. First of all, he would have to make sure the Hyuuga wouldn't start filing any lawsuits against Naruto. That wasn't needed at all. Secondly, nobody touched his blonde and got away with it. No one.

As Gaara sighed at the thought of all the people he would have to get rid of, the sound of a door opening cut him off. The woman he'd been waiting to show up again, peeked from behind the office door he'd been seated next to.

"You may enter", the woman informed, before disappearing back into the room.

Gaara grunted tiredly, before standing up and stepping inside the office. The woman had seated herself behind a desk, gesturing Gaara to take the seat across her. The redhead did as told, and seated himself down.

"So…I heard you've had quite an…interesting start of trial today", the woman begun.

Gaara immediately hated her. Her voice, her face, her everything. And especially the fact that she obviously was the kind to babble till the end of time.

"Yeah", Gaara answered simply.

The woman seemed slightly offended by his lack of words, but shrugged it off.

"Right. So, your attorney, Uzumaki Naruto…well, he's cuffed in a holding cell right now. I'm afraid he'll have to be bailed out", the woman said, going straight to the point.

Maybe she realized Gaara wasn't interested in her idiotic small talk.

"Hn. That fuckin' idiot", the redhead muttered, mainly to himself.

"Sorry?" the woman asked, as she couldn't hear him clearly. Gaara shook his head dismissively.

"Nothin'. How much?" he asked instead.

The woman raised a brow. "How much what?"

The pale man gave her a long stare, indicating he thought of her as a complete twat.

"The bailout money. How much?" Gaara eventually clarified.

The woman actually blushed at her own stupidity. It was entertaining in a way. Like watching a chimp dance.

"Oh. Right. Uhm…seems it's been set at just 120.000 yen", the woman said, looking the number up. It wasn't too bad, to be honest.

"And whom can I give that to then?" the redhead asked, getting tired of sitting in that office.

It seemed like he had to literally ask for every individual piece of information. As if the woman just wasn't capable of simply stating the facts, and get done with it. And as the lady's face once again seemed to deepen into some state of confused stupidity, Gaara was ready to shoot his own head off.

"Am I misunderstanding something here, or are you saying you want to bail him out?" the woman asked.

Gaara was positive that this womanlike creature before him was the dumbest thing he'd ever encountered. He strongly felt that idiocy of this level should be punishable by law.

"I still have a trial to go through with. So yeah, I'm bailing my attorney out of jail", the redhead hissed, slowly but surely losing his patience with that lady.

But he had to find the irony of it slightly amusing. Not everybody got to say they were bailing out their attorney. He did.

"Are you sure about that, sir? I mean…we could recommend someone more…suitable. Less unstable. I doubt he will be receiving a very warm welcome in the cour-"

The woman never got the chance to finish her sentence. The freezing cold that washed over her, as she made eye contact with the redhead's pale, hollow eyes made her stop talking instantly. Gaara was actually happy for that. Otherwise, he absolutely would end up in death row. Killing aggravatingly idiotic secretaries inside a courthouse usually had consequences like that.

"Yes. Of course. Uhm, I'll just…I'll just make a call. Please excuse me for just a second", the woman stuttered hastily, dropping the subject of the blonde immediately. She rushed to pick up the phone, dialed a number and waited for an answer.

Gaara waited for the woman to finish the call. He was not a fan of unnecessary fuss. And that woman was full of it. She was the definition of it. Thankfully, it didn't take too long for her to get done. As she lowered the phone down, Gaara just gave her a questioning look.

"A guard will direct you to the courthouse's holding cells. You'll find your attorney there", the woman informed.

Gaara nodded. Without anything further to say, he stood up, turned around and just walked away. He could've of course at least have tried to be even vaguely polite, but to be honest, he was not in the mood for it. So, he just left. Outside the office stood a guard, already waiting. Gaara couldn't stop himself from feeling growing irritation upon seeing the man. He wasn't a fan of guards. Seven years in prison kind of had that effect.

"This way, please", the guard stated, and started walking down the hallway.

Gaara followed his steps. They walked through several corridors, down a couple flights of stairs, before finally reaching a larger door that stood out from the others. It wasn't a pretty wooden one, but instead a heavy, grey iron door. The kind that he'd seen on several occasions. In every location he'd been locked up in. He hated them. No surprise.

The guard stopped in front of the door to unlock it. With the swift turn of a key and a slight pull, the door opened. As the man opened the door properly, a familiar blonde caught the redhead's eye. Naruto sat on an evidently uncomfortable wooden bench, his hands cuffed behind his back, and face dark as midnight. Gaara tried hard not to, but ended up smirking. He had to. How could he not?

"Hey, little demon", the redhead chuckled.

Naruto slowly turned his gaze towards the other man. He showed no joy upon seeing him. Only looked even grimmer, if possible. Gaara chuckled again, and stepped inside. The guard followed after him, shutting the door behind them.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked, turning away again.

Gaara tilted his head slightly, and took the liberty to lean against the wall. He glanced at the guard.

"Is there any possibility to get you out of this room?" the redhead asked bluntly.

The guard turned to see him. It took a while, but eventually the man replied.

"Depends. How much?"

Gaara raised a brow. He'd been sure the man would decline. But obviously the power of money was something never to be underestimated. The redhead reached to take out all the cash he was carrying. After some quick thinking, he kept half of it himself, and handed the other half to the guard. The said guy took the money, counted through it, and eventually nodded fairly pleased. He then glanced at the two others.

"I dunno what filthy shit you're up to, but it'll cost more if you want the cuffs off him", the man stated, quite straight forward. Gaara had to laugh.

"Nah. That's not what I'm up to. Not today, anyway. Besides, even if I was, the cuffs would stay on", he said, with a crooked smirk.

The guard seemed vaguely disturbed, but didn't comment.

"Whatever. Suit yourself", he muttered, before opening the door again, and leaving.

The two got left alone. Naruto still just stared blankly ahead, not acknowledging the other man. Gaara rolled his eyes, and walked closer to the blonde. He stopped to stand in front of him, just waiting to get attention. He knew he'd get it at some point. Naruto was too impatient not to give it. And he was right. After a while, the blonde lifted his gaze to see the redhead.

"Did ya come to laugh at me, or are you being a prick just for the love of it?" Naruto muttered, leaning against the wall.

"A bit of both", Gaara admitted.

Naruto would've flipped him off, hadn't his hands been restrained. The redhead had absolutely no complaints about it.

"You could've at least paid him to take the cuffs off", Naruto complained, shifting himself slightly, so he the metal wouldn't press against his wrists as painfully. Gaara just smirked.

"Nah. I don't feel like getting punched today", he said. Naruto rolled his eyes. "Right."

Gaara sighed. With a grunt, he crouched down before the blonde, and forced the man to face him.

"Yo. I'm the one who's supposed to be pissed here. You fucked up the trial, and once again made my list of people to whack a bit longer. So thanks", the redhead said, but ended it with a smirk.

Naruto stayed a stubborn bastard for a while longer, but eventually grunted.

"I fuckin' know. I'm sorry, okay?" he muttered, not facing the redhead.

Gaara was slightly taken aback. He hadn't actually expected Naruto to be that considerate. But he rewarded the blonde by gently touching the side of his face.

"Hn. Idiot."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah."

Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly, upon realizing something relevant.

"How's your wound? If it ain't bleeding, it's a miracle", the said. Naruto sighed.

"Dunno. It hurts like hell", he admitted.

Gaara frowned. Having his hands restrained, Naruto hadn't had a chance to take a look at the wound. Even though it would look seriously bad in case somebody waltzed right in in the middle of it, the redhead decided he'd have to do it for him.

"Can you stand up?" Gaara asked, rising on his feet again.

Naruto grunted, but stood up as well. A hiss of pain escaped his lips. The redhead had to ignore it. Instead, he opened the button of the blonde's suit jacket and rid him of it as much as the cuffs enabled. It was enough. As soon as the black jacket was out of the way, Gaara could see that the white shirt underneath it had been stained in red. Red with blood.

"Well. Fuck", was Naruto's intelligent input.

Gaara said nothing. Instead he rushed to open the million fucking buttons of the once white dress shirt. Halfway through he lost his patience, and just ripped it open. Needless to say, loose buttons would look absolutely fucking fantastic lying around a confinement room's floor. But that wasn't really the big issue here. The big issue was that the blonde's wound was bleeding again. Not badly. But enough to make a mess.

"You are moron. Why did you have to start fighting with a gaping hole in your side?" Gaara grunted, while pulling the shirt off Naruto, as much as the cuffs allowed. Naruto snorted.

"I have this memory of a certain someone getting shot and then wrestling me, Sasuke, yakuzas and on top of that, totally neglecting taking care of the wound", he listed in return. Gaara glanced at him.

"Shut up."

The discussion of that ended there, but the sneering smirk remained on Naruto's lips. Gaara ignored it.

"I gotta stop the bleeding. Lie down", the redhead ordered. The blonde glanced at the bench he'd sat on.

"There? Are you kidding me? It feels like motherfuckin' suicide", he whined, but upon getting a demanding glare, did as told.

With a hiss of pain, he lowered himself down to lie on the cold, hard bench. He didn't have to voice complaints for it to be evident how little he enjoyed lying there. Having his hands cuffed behind his back didn't help the matter. It was most likely the most annoyingly uncomfortable position he'd ever been in. The redhead gave no sympathy. Instead he tried to figure out what to use in order to stop the bleeding. In the end he settled on taking off his tie, and pressing it against the wound. Its black color hopefully wouldn't give the blood away later on.

"This needs to get stitched up", Gaara said, while adding pressure. Naruto bit his lip, not enjoying the pressure at all.

"Yeah, well…kinda impossible right now", he hissed through gritted teeth.

The bleeding stopped surprisingly fast. Not that it wasn't a good thing. They didn't exactly have all the time in the world. Naruto was more than happy to get up from his uncomfortable position. Though it wasn't as easily done as it was said. Not with cuffed hands and an open wound. In the end, Gaara had to help him up. Once standing again, Naruto gave him a questioning look.

"Are ya just gonna leave me half naked?" he asked. The redhead smirked. "I sure feel tempted to."

That was about everything he had time to say, before the sound of a key turning inside the door's lock cut him off. Both men turned towards it with a start. Naruto immediately started panicking.

"Oh shit. Oh s_hit_. Have you any idea what this looks like?" he hissed.

"Well of course I fucking know", Gaara hissed, rushing to pull the other's shirt back on.

But since there was what felt like a million buttons to take care of, some of them even missing, he didn't get it buttoned up.

The door opened. Naruto prayed from the bottom of his heart that the judge was not standing behind it. As the guard from earlier peeked from behind the door, he felt somewhat relieved. But the startled look on the man's face told that he wasn't alone. Naruto panicked all over again. There he stood, hands cuffed, bloody and bare-chested. In the cell of a fucking courthouse.

"What the fu-…uhm, I think you'll have to wait for just a bit", Naruto heard the guard stutter to whomever stood outside the room.

Naruto tried to wordlessly tell Gaara to dress him the fuck up, but as the one waiting to get inside became too impatient to wait, it was a hopeless attempt.

"Uhm, sir, don't go in there. Sir…s_ir_", the guard tried hard, but obviously failed. Naruto didn't know whether to laugh or cry once he saw who stepped inside.

"What the _fuck_?"

Sasuke stood in the doorway, eyes wide. Naturally, he hadn't expected this. Naruto shut his eyes, teeth gritted. He then turned towards Gaara, and faced him with 'pissed-as-hell' written all over his face. The redhead kind of smirked. How could he not?

"Would you kindly button my fuckin' shirt, _s__weetheart_?" the blonde hissed, piercing sarcasm painting the last word.

Gaara glanced at the raven still standing in the doorway, jaw hanging open. The redhead chuckled.

"Sure, angelface", he sneered, and did as requested.

Just painfully slowly. Deliberately. And Naruto knew that. Hence the icy glare he directed at the redhead. It only worsened the other's amusement. Gaara took a step closer, so that he stood nearly pressed against the blonde. Naruto obviously would've gladly kicked him in the face for it. He couldn't understand the sick pleasure Gaara got whenever he had the chance to wind Sasuke up.

"You are so annoying", Naruto hissed, but quietly enough for the still gaping moron not to hear. Gaara just chuckled again.

"Hn. That's not what you usually say when I do this", he pointed out, speaking low enough for Sasuke not to hear.

Since Naruto couldn't really deny that, he just rolled his eyes and turned to look the other way. Not a good idea, after all. He met a confused, pissed off, and most of all shocked Sasuke staring back at him. Naruto grunted.

"Stop staring like an idiot. It's not what you think, twat", he growled, waking the other one up from his trancelike shock.

"Well what the fuck is it then?" Sasuke asked, and walked up to them.

Needless to say, Gaara got a dirty glare from him. The redhead just returned it with an obnoxious smirk. Which wasn't appreciated. But he finally got done buttoning the blonde's shirt, and pulled on his jacket as well.

"Hn. Good as new", the redhead chuckled, earning a glare from Naruto as well. The blonde sighed, before turning towards Sasuke.

"I got stabbed. The wound's bleeding. He just took care of it", he muttered, making sure the guard wouldn't hear him.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel happy about hearing it wasn't what he'd first thought, but he sure as hell didn't feel that way.

"Stabbed?" the raven hissed, perhaps a bit too loudly.

Naruto gave him a piercing look, telling him to keep it down. Fortunately the guard seemed to be busy listening to a message coming through his walkie-talkie.

"Yes. Fuckin' stabbed. Wanna go and shout it to the whole damn world?" he growled.

Sasuke shut up, but remained grim. He probably would've said something stupid, but fortunately, the guard behind them interrupted him.

"Oi. The judge is on his way. Act like I haven't been bribed and you ain't having sex in the cell", he demanded, before copying the notification he'd gotten about the judge's arrival.

Sasuke gave Naruto a look. The blonde gritted his teeth. Gaara just looked smug as a lottery winner.

"We didn't have fuckin' sex. Are you a complete moron? That guard sure as hell is", Naruto muttered, so done with the discussion.

Sasuke glanced at Gaara. The twisted grin on his face fought aggressively against the blonde's statement, but since the raven knew Naruto was pretty much the straightest being on the planet, he didn't really have to doubt him.

Boy was he wrong. But what he didn't know, wouldn't hurt him.

"Right. What do we have here then?" a low voice asked.

All three men turned towards the door. The judge had appeared to stand into the doorway, watching them curiously.

"First of all, why are you here?" the older man asked Gaara. The redhead took his time to answer.

"I'm bailing him out", he then stated coldly. Sasuke gave him an odd look. It got ignored.

"Is that so? What about you then?" the judge then questioned, pointing at Sasuke.

Since Gaara had stolen the best explanation, he felt kind of stupid for answering honestly.

"I came to bail him out as well."

Naruto raised a brow. Gaara snorted. The judge just sighed.

"Right. Great. You sure are popular", he muttered to the blonde, and made his way over. The man stopped to study Naruto for a while.

"Sit down, son", he then demanded.

Naruto did as told, not even considering protesting. The judge took a seat next to him, and let out along sigh.

"Now. One of you leaves. The one who bails him out, stays", the man told the other two.

The staring competition that followed truly was intense. But like always, Gaara won. It was hard to fight against his ice cold glare. With a pissed off grunt, Sasuke turned around and left the room with an angry step. Needless to say, Naruto would never hear the end of it.

After the raven had disappeared from view, the judge sighed again. He slightly surprised the blonde by taking a relaxed position on the bench, leaning his back against the wall.

"I ain't gonna lie, boy. You're not just gonna walk away with that behavior", the man began.

Naruto grunted. "Hn. I know."

The older man glanced at him. Soon, a small smirk came to decorate the thin line below his mustache. Naruto raised a brow.

"You sure are trouble, but I kinda like you. You remind me of myself, when I was younger. I _was_ young once, you know", the man chuckled lightly.

Naruto made a face. He wasn't sure how to react. He had expected to get his ass beaten old school style, not an understanding speech about youth and the good old days.

"I'll have you know, I do not approve of such behavior in my courtroom. At all. You'll have to get bailed out, and I'll fine you for dishonoring the courtroom. But I checked your work records. You're a good lawyer. You've done a good job so far. I like to have some faith in the youth, you know. So I won't dismiss you from the case. I'll allow you to proceed, if you wish", the man then continued.

Naruto could've fallen from his seat. Was this man an angel? And if so, was he stupid?

"So in case you are able to bail your ass out, we'll proceed with the trial as planned. How's that sound?" the man asked.

Naruto gaped at him, his jaw hanging open. Even Gaara seemed vaguely shocked. It took a long time for the blonde to answer.

"I…Yes. Of course. Sounds good", he eventually stuttered.

He wasn't sure if the old man was naïve, senile or just a Samarian for no good reason, but he had no complaints. Neither did Gaara. Naruto couldn't help but to wonder what he'd done to have Karma treat him this good. Or maybe he'd just have to pay for it later. He didn't care. No matter the reason, he took what Karma was offering.

"Well, that's settled then. How fast will you get bailed out?" the judge asked, standing up. Naruto glanced at Gaara.

"Now", the redhead stated. The judge seemed thoughtful.

"Normally you'd have to be taken to the nearest station to get bailed out, but…let's make an exception. Come with me, let's go do some paperwork", the man then said, turning around and walking away from the cell.

Naruto sat still for a while, remaining dumbfounded. Only when Gaara lightly kicked him in the leg, did he realize he was actually supposed to follow. He hastily stood up, nearly tripping over. The redhead sighed and caught him.

"Idiot", he muttered. Naruto huffed. "Yeah, yeah. I know. C'mon."

The blonde took off to follow the judge, the guard trailing him. Gaara rolled his eyes and grunted, but proceeded to follow them with lazy steps. A small smirk crept onto his lips, as he watched the still cuffed blonde hurry after the judge walking ahead. That blonde moron seriously was a handful. But even then, Gaara couldn't get mad at him. He wondered if it was because he was already mad for him. He wasn't sure. It probably didn't matter. At least he had something to be mad for. Not many got that privilege. A good reason for madness, that is.

After half an hour, and a shitload of signing papers, Naruto was finally bailed out. It wouldn't have normally taken that much effort, but since the bailing happened at the courthouse, instead of city jail, there was a lot more shit to sign for Gaara. To be honest, he didn't like signing anything with his own name. But once again, for the blonde idiot, he'd strayed from his usual patterns. It was ridiculous how much he was ready to do for that twat. Truly ridiculous.

When they finally stepped out of the cramped office where the paperwork had taken place, Naruto could almost taste the freedom of having no handcuffs. But before he got the chance to celebrate soon getting rid of them, he met a pair of angry, jet black eyes staring at him.

Sasuke stood in the hallway, and looked like he'd been waiting there for the whole thirty minutes it'd taken to get things done. And most likely he had. Naruto couldn't be bothered to acknowledge the man's glaring before getting the cuffs removed. And being the impatient idiot he was, he made it very clear he wanted out of them.

"My hands are gonna fall off if somebody doesn't get me out of these things", he whined, giving the guard a pleading gaze. The judge chuckled.

"Take 'em off. I think he's suffered long enough", he permitted.

The guard nodded, and then proceeded to find the right key. Among the million that he had. Fabulous. Gaara smirked at the blonde's uncomfortable state. He found the cuffed thing perhaps slightly too desirable. The redhead took a step closer to the blonde, to stand next to him. Naruto raised a questioning brow. The redhead chuckled, and leaned closer to voice what was on his mind.

"I kinda wish I could take those things with me. There's a few things I'd like to do with them. And you", he muttered, his voice low enough for nobody else to hear.

Naruto stared at him for a while. He couldn't say he didn't like the sound of it, but sure as hell hadn't expected Gaara to suddenly get so blunt in a place like that. Especially since he'd made sure not to even imply anything of that kind anymore. Seemed like the redhead had a serious thing for cuffs. Naruto smirked.

"Hn. So all this time you just enjoyed seeing me suffer in these?" the blonde muttered, still waiting for the guard to find the right key. Gaara tilted his head a little.

"Maybe. Yeah. Fuck yeah", he said, gradually more honest. The blonde had to laugh.

"Damn. You lost your chance. You were halfway there just a while ago", Naruto chuckled, referring to the fact that he'd in fact been half-naked in cuffs not long ago.

The blonde saw that the image of what he potentially could've done instead crossed the redhead's mind. And how he found that image to be was evident on his face. Had it been possible to eat someone up with their eyes, Naruto would've been long gone.

"Fuck. You sure like driving me insane", Gaara muttered.

Naruto noticed that the paler man had trouble standing still. It wasn't really that hard to determine why.

"Wow. And you sure know how to choose the worst timing ever", Naruto muttered, pointing out the redhead's potential problem.

Gaara didn't seem to find it as one. He just smirked.

"Wanna solve my problem?" he chuckled. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Weren't you supposed to stop doin' this shit?" he asked, raising a brow. The other man shrugged.

"Well don't get yourself into cuffs", he said.

"So you're blaming this on me?" Naruto chuckled. Gaara smirked. "Totally."

The guard finally found the key to open the cuffs. As the metallic bands were being opened, Naruto's wandering gaze locked with Sasuke's. The raven's pissed off look had become less that and more questioning. The blonde realized that his friend was wondering about the almost inaudible exchange of words he and Gaara had been engaging in. In order to make it less weird, Naruto flashed him an idiotic grin. The raven only rolled his eyes.

The cuffs finally got removed. Naruto let out a grunt, and instantly rubbed his wrists to numb the pain.

"I don't get how you could stand these things for seven years", he muttered, glancing at Gaara. The man grunted.

"Hn. You get used to shit", he reasoned.

Sasuke decided to butt in. He stepped to stand right in front of the blonde, and narrowed his eyes at him.

"Moron."

That was all he had to say. Naruto made a face. "Gee. Thanks."

Thankfully the raven got no further chance to insult him, as the judge joined them.

"Well, you're free now. Hyuuga's being bailed out as well, at the station. He's getting a second chance as well. That means the trial can proceed as planned", the man stated.

He was less carefree than a while back. Naruto concluded it wasn't really suitable for his position to begin with. He hadn't really expected it to carry on that way, so it was no shock.

"Yeah. Thank you, your honor. I appreciate your kindness", Naruto spoke politely. The man nodded.

"You are welcome. I hope you don't misuse my compassion. Behave yourself from now on", the man demanded.

The blonde nodded in agreement. The older man's professional cover faltered just enough to spare a smile.

"Good. The trial will proceed in two hours. Be there, be ready and behave", he then said, before just walking away.

The guard followed him. Naruto nodded again, but froze as he realized what the man had said.

"Eh? Two hours? As in today?" he hollered after the man.

The judge turned around enough to see the blonde, but kept on walking.

"Of course. What did you expect? We ain't on vacation here, boy", he chuckled, before disappearing from view.

Naruto was left to stare after the man, somewhat looking like an idiot. As did the two other men. They hadn't expected for the trial to carry on the same day. The blonde had expected some kind of hellish paperwork, settlements and at least a two week postpone. For an old man, the judge sure was efficient.

"Two hours? Seriously?" Naruto muttered to himself.

"So it seems", Sasuke commented. Gaara said nothing. As usual.

They stood silently in the middle of the empty hallway for a while, before the dark-haired one had to voice his thoughts.

"Are you gonna tell me about it or not, moron?" he suddenly asked. Naruto raised a brow. "About what?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes quite dramatically.

"Well how about, hmm, you getting stabbed?" he said sarcastically.

Naruto scowled. He'd completely forgotten he'd told Sasuke about it. The blonde glanced at Gaara. The redhead turned his gaze away. It was as if he felt guilty for it. And he did. Naruto sighed.

"It was nothing big. Just a few yakuzas. I made a mistake. That's it", he eventually said.

Sasuke seemed unconvinced. Gaara remained quiet. He hated the fact that the blonde made it sound like it wasn't his fault at all. He'd never felt guilty for anything in his entire life. But now that he did, and couldn't get away from it, he sure as hell was going to at least face it. The reality of it.

"That's bullshit, blondie. Don't make it into something it isn't", he growled, and turned to face Naruto.

The blonde seemed taken aback, but said nothing. Sasuke's interest perked up instantly.

"You didn't make the mistake. I did. You got hurt because of me. And you know that", Gaara continued, stepping a little closer to the blonde.

He didn't actually care that Sasuke heard it all. He'd been right after all.

"You don't have to lie to my face, blondie. I ain't stupid", the redhead stated, before turning around, and starting to walk away.

Naruto just gaped after him. The redhead seemed to be suffering from severe mood swings. He'd had way too many verbal outbursts that day for it to be even remotely normal for him.

"Oi. Twat. Wait", the blonde called after him. Gaara gave no sign of complying, so Naruto ran after him.

Sasuke considered following, but in the end decided not to. He just watched the blonde reach the other man, stop him by taking a hold of his arm and then frantically explaining something Sasuke was too far away to hear. The redhead didn't seem too convinced. Not at first anyway. But as always, Naruto succeeded in getting a smirk out of him. And eventually, a chuckle. They ended up walking the rest of the corridor shoving each other playfully a few times, until the blonde nearly got knocked over. But Gaara caught him. He didn't let him fall. He held him up. He made sure he stayed on his feet. And in the end, he made the blonde laugh by saying something apparently worth laughing for.

They had nearly disappeared behind the corner, when Sasuke saw Gaara give the blonde a slap on the back of his head, most likely for something characteristically idiotic he'd said. He slapped hard enough for it to hurt. But then that same hand, the one that'd slapped the blonde, came right away to gently touch the back of his neck. The touch lingered. And even though it was almost unnoticeable, Naruto leaned against the touch. And then they were gone.

Sasuke watched the empty corridor before him. Even the steps echoing between the cold marble walls were gone. A grunt escaped the raven's pale lips.

As he turned to walk away, to the opposite direction of the other two, he couldn't help but to feel just a little…strange. Like there was something he should've realized. He felt like an idiot for no apparent reason. And that's the worst kind of idiot there is.

* * *

**Well...the trial could've started a little better, eh?**

**I have to say, I'm not sure why I made a complete prick out of Neji. I actually like the original character. But then again, let's face it; he would've had the potential to be a total asshole.**

**Hope ya even remotely enjoyed the chapter. Do tell me. Luv ya.**


	30. Confessions of a Murderer

**Attention!**

**I must take this moment to tell you all good people that I absolutely fucking adore you. **

**That's it. Please, do proceed. Hope ya enjoy.**

* * *

The two hours went by faster than necessary. Before they even realized it, they were sitting in the courtroom again, ready to proceed with the trial. It was as if nothing had happened at all. Well, minus the freezing tension between Naruto and Hyuuga. But this time, they kept it under control.

The judge took his stand once again, laying meaningful looks on both attorneys. Both men cast their gazes down in respect. And embarrassment, to be honest. Naruto might've not been the most courteous being on earth, but even he was smart enough to truly respect the judge's good-heartedness. It was a miracle people like him still existed.

"All rise", the judge demanded. And rise they did.

"Despite the slight setback, the trial will proceed as planned. This is gonna be a long day, folks. Be prepared. Now, everybody but Hyuuga and Uzumaki, you may be seated", the man said.

People took their seats again. The two men mentioned stayed standing. The judge cleared his throat.

"To clarify the situation for everybody, I shall inform that these two hotheads have been bailed out of arrest and been fined an appropriate amount for dishonoring the court. I now expect your behavior to match the status you have. Don't let me down, boys. You may be seated", the judge spoke, with just a hint of judgment in his voice. But slight amusement as well.

The two men sat themselves down and couldn't help but to hunch over just a little under the immense shame they'd put themselves in. But then again, mistakes were made to learn from. At least that's what Naruto tried telling himself.

"Right. The trial of the defendant, Sabaku Gaara, will now be continued. Without interruptions", the judge stated, nearly muttering the last past under his breath.

"Prosecution, take your stand", the man then demanded.

Hyuuga stood up and made his way to the front. The guy was stiff as a lamp-post. He obviously was taking the judge's lecture seriously. And Naruto had a hunch that maybe, just maybe, yakuza had given him a piece of their mind. They most likely weren't exactly ecstatic about their attorney's behavior.

"Thank you, your honor. To not make this any longer than necessary, I would like to move straight to the most crucial piece of evidence we have. Our eyewitness", the man spoke.

He sounded slightly nervous. Naruto then became positive that yakuza had made their view on the incident clear as day to him.

"So you would like to have your witness take the stand?" the judge questioned. Hyuuga nodded.

"Yes, your honor." The older man nodded. "Permitted."

Hyuuga turned towards the young boy sitting in the back of the room. Naruto glanced at the boy. He was obviously afraid. And shaking like a leaf. The blonde narrowed his eyes. Was that shivering little thing just a second away from passing out seriously going to take the stand and give a statement?

"The prosecution calls forward Sarutobi Konohamaru for witness' statement", Hyuuga said.

Apparently the boy was prepared to go through with this, even if he was just about ready to drop dead from fear and anxiety. The boy took a few nervous glances towards Gaara. The fact that the redhead wasn't restrained and guarded the way he'd been seven years ago, seemed to make the boy extremely fearful. Naruto didn't blame him. He knew what kind of a man Gaara truly was. What he was capable of. What he'd done. It was no wonder if that boy had been seeing nightmares about him for the past seven years. And he probably would for the rest of his life.

Naruto watched as the boy stood up, and cautiously started making his way towards the front part of the room. The blonde did feel kind of bad for him. He might've become heartless when it came to killing bad men and those who he found dangerous, but he still didn't, nor ever would he, think that a child should suffer that way. He felt like the biggest asshole on the planet when thinking that he was going to bring this kid's absolutely true statement down like a house of cards. But he had to. He felt bad for the kid, but not enough for it to sway his loyalty towards Gaara.

The kid's shaky steps came to a stop as he reached Hyuuga. A middle-aged woman, who'd sat in the corner of the room, came forward. She stopped to stand before the boy and voiced a question.

"Do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under pains and penalties of perjury?"

The boy swallowed nervously, before nodding.

"I swear", he stated.

The woman nodded contently, gave him a small smile and then signed him to take the stand. The boy seated himself down behind the tall witness stand, and scanned around the room. Every time his eyes met the redhead, the boy quickly tore his gaze away.

"Would you please state your name and purpose in this courtroom?" Hyuuga requested.

"Sarutobi Konohamaru, prosecution's eyewitness", the boy peeped weakly.

Naruto frowned. Just why did the witness have to look like the most pitiful thing on earth? Compared to his stoic, coldblooded client, the boy was like an angel sent from heaven. Not exactly a fair competition.

"I will now ask you a few questions, Sarutobi. First of all, I want you to confirm that you were in fact present at the scene of the crime, at the time the incident took place", Hyuuga began.

The boy glanced at Gaara again. This time, the redhead had his eyes on the boy. The look of pure horror on the boy's face was ridiculous.

"Yes. I was", the witness eventually stuttered.

Naruto noticed Gaara's jaw clench just slightly. The blonde rushed to brush his hand against the man's, quickly enough for nobody to notice. But it was enough for the redhead to regain his calm.

"Sarutobi, I want you to look at the defendant and tell me, is this the man you saw at the scene seven years ago?" Hyuuga then asked.

The boy's anxiety rocketed sky-high. Everybody could see that. But he bravely forced the statement out, nonetheless.

"Yes. He was there."

"Tell me, is this the man you saw cold-bloodedly kill seven people?" Hyuuga asked.

The boy looked like he was about to cry. The piercing stare Gaara had directed at him didn't help. Naruto glanced at the redhead and cleared his throat as if in passing. Gaara watched the boy for a while longer, before tearing his gaze away.

"Yes. He killed them", the boy admitted after a long time of nervous shaking and sweating.

Naruto had expected the statement, but still found it deeply disturbing. Kind of funny, since the boy wasn't actually lying.

"Thank you. No further questions", Hyuuga stated simply, and left the front to seat himself down again. The judge laid a thoughtful look on Gaara, but said nothing that involved him.

"Defense, do you wish to question the witness?" the old man asked, glancing at Naruto. The blonde nodded.

"Yes, your honor", he stated as he made his way to the front.

Naruto stopped to stand before the boy sitting behind the stand. For just a passing moment, he just looked at him. The boy seemed to get further nervous under his gaze.

"So, you've stated that the man you saw murdering seven people was my client. How sure are you of this?" the blonde asked. The witness once again glanced at Gaara.

"I'm positive", he then stated, slightly more confident.

Naruto was vaguely surprised. Seemed like the boy was slowly getting over his overpowering fear.

"I see. Well, I have some evidence I'd like to present to the court. I believe it might turn the case around quite dramatically", Naruto stated.

He glanced at his competition. Hyuuga looked grim. It seemed that he knew what was coming.

"I'm asking permission to use the screen for showing evidence", Naruto continued. The judge nodded.

"Permitted."

It didn't take long for a picture to appear onto the flat screen. It was a photo of the grave he'd dug open with Gaara. Nobody obviously knew they'd been the ones to dig it up. Naruto turned towards the jury, to speak directly to them.

"A body was dug up not long ago. An anonymous caller reported finding a body in the woods, about a hundred miles from the east coast. This is a picture of the scene", Naruto began telling, pointing at the screen.

"The body was taken in by law enforcement and was then sent to the closest criminal investigation laboratory. An investigator of that said laboratory is present here today. I believe he is willing to testify these statements to be true later on", the blonde spoke, glancing at Sasuke. The raven seemed tense, but nodded.

"Now for all this to not sound entirely irrelevant, I will clarify the connection between the body and the case. As I was saying, the body was handed over for investigation. And even though it seemed improbable, the body was identified", the blonde carried on. The jury's interest finally perked up.

"Well, sort of. Their name was never recovered. Actually, there was little to no information on them at all. But what makes this body relevant to us, is that the DNA matched with the unidentified one found on the ax used in the murders, which was held in hiding by the witness. For years", Naruto revealed. The jury seemed somewhat surprised.

"But that isn't all. The dug up corpse is the body of a man who was like a walking ghost when alive. It was impossible to find out his name. There are virtually no records of him, apart from an arrest in 1999. And turns out that the name he got to decorate his mugshot wasn't actually his at all. It was a stolen identity", Naruto spoke, slowly making the jury more and more confused, but at the same time, interested.

"These things put together, it is easy to assume that this man was a hardcore criminal. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been almost invisible", the blonde stated.

He glanced at the judge. The man furrowed his brows. Naruto smirked. It seemed that further explanation was needed. And that, he would give.

"This…", the blonde said, as he directed the remote control in his hand towards the screen.

After the push of a button, the picture of the grave got replaced by the one Gaara once gave to him. The picture of the man he'd called Sasori.

"…is him. This is the man whose DNA was found on the ax", Naruto finished the sentence he'd started.

The jury let out a unanimous gasp. Naruto couldn't blame them, really. The man on the screen was almost an exact copy of Gaara. Not identical, of course, but the overall appearance was extremely similar. And the witness, who sat closest to the screen, looked more shocked than the whole jury put together.

"This man's DNA was found on a weapon used in the murders. He was there. He had a shady past. And he is nearly identical to my client. That's why, Sarutobi, I ask you…can you still state to me, without hesitation, that it was my client you saw on the scene, instead of the man in the picture?" Naruto asked the witness.

The boy was unable to answer. He just stuttered out nonsense and gaped at the picture. Hyuuga decided he absolutely had to butt in.

"Objection, your honor. The information Uzumaki is giving is too vague. He has not explained the origin of the picture, nor can he prove that the man in the picture isn't just another victim. He didn't bury himself, now did he?" the man growled. The judge frowned.

"Sustained. Uzumaki, are you able to explain these grievances?" he asked. The blonde nodded.

"Obviously this man did not bury himself. But imagine a man who has brutally murdered seven people and gotten fatally wounded in the process. The likeliest outcome is that he would seek help from someone who'd make sure his invisible existence would even in death stay that way; invisible. That is the most reasonable scenario the investigators gave us knowledge of. But absolutely no evidence supports that that someone would've been my client", he reasoned.

Hyuuga's narrowed eyes might've stirred some vague amusement in the blonde. But he made sure not to show it, instead moving on to shoot down the next supposed grievance.

"The picture on the other hand was found on the dug up corpse. It is believed to be a passport photo. Facial reconstruction proved it to be him. And what comes to this man being just another victim…there is no indication of it. None of his DNA was found on the scene itself. And why would have the killer taken just one body with them, leaving seven behind?" Naruto spoke.

Hyuuga was quick to be little bitch again.

"Objection. Uzumaki just confessed none of the man's DNA was found on the scene. There is no proof he was there at all", he stated. Naruto gritted his teeth in irritation.

"Yeah, none was found on the scene. But it was found on a murder weapon that has been proven to have been on the scene. I'd say it's safe to assume the man was there as well. Unless you are saying that it was your witness who got the man's DNA on the ax. He's the one who possessed the weapon ever since the murders, now isn't he?" the blonde hissed.

The judge instantly saw that the tension between the two attorneys was becoming too much.

"Uzumaki. Stay professional", the man ordered.

Naruto relaxed his tense shoulders, but kept on glaring at the Hyuuga. The longhaired moron wasn't appreciating the blonde implying their witness could potentially have been the one to kill the man in the picture.

"Objection. Uzumaki is implying accusations towards the witness based on groundless assumptions", the man said.

Naruto had to roll his eyes. He felt like throwing the damn remote controller at Hyuuga, but restrained himself. The judge sighed.

"Sustained. Uzumaki, at least try not to act like a five year old", the man old man muttered.

Considering that his words weren't exactly the kind that a judge usually would use when addressing somebody in court, Naruto figured it was best to do as told. The old man was obviously getting tired of their childish behavior. With a grunt, the blonde decided to close his presentation of evidence.

"I apologize, your honor. But I am still waiting for the witness to answer my question. Sarutobi, did you, or did you not, see my client at the scene?" he repeated the question left unanswered.

The boy glanced between Gaara and the picture on the screen. After a while of nervous hesitation, he finally answered.

"I cannot say. I am not sure."

Naruto sighed and turned off the screen. The picture disappeared.

"Thank you. No further questions", the blonde muttered and right away went to take his seat again.

Naruto slumped down and glanced at Gaara. The redhead was once again impossible to read. His face was blank and cold, not giving away any of his thoughts.

"Well. That sure did give us something to think about. Prosecution, do you still wish to continue questioning the witness?" the judge asked.

"No, your honor", Hyuuga muttered, obviously pissed off by how things had turned out.

"Sarutobi, you are excused", the judge said.

The boy nodded and was quick to leave the stand. He made his way back to the benches and seated himself down. The boy's posture slumped down, looking like he wanted to just disappear underground. Naruto wondered if it was because of the boy's obvious anxiety, or the fact that the blonde had just made him question something he'd been positive about for seven years. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

"Right. Like Uzumaki said, we have a criminal investigator present. He has knowledge of both the case we are dealing with, as well as the body that has now been linked to it. Uchiha Sasuke, I will now ask you to take the stand. Are you willing to testify?" the judge spoke.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder. Sasuke rose to stand up, nodded and then made his way to the front. Like the eyewitness, he too gave his oath of sworn testimony. While swearing, he glanced briefly at Naruto, but didn't let his voice falter. Not even though he was lying his eyes out. The raven then took his place behind the stand.

"Please state your name and purpose in this courtroom", the judge requested.

"Uchiha Sasuke, criminal investigator, witness for all evidence presented here today", the pale man said, his voice as boringly steady as always.

"Thank you. You are here today in behalf of the court of law. Both the prosecution and the defense are allowed to question you. Is this understood?" the judge asked.

"Yes."

The first one to question Sasuke was Hyuuga. The man made his way to the raven, and stopped to stand before him. The two of them were familiar with each other, vaguely. And just like Naruto, Sasuke didn't like Hyuuga either. And vice versa. But since their personal preferences of people weren't relevant at the moment, they just stuck to professionalism.

"As the current lead investigator of this case, can you state with positivity that all evidence has been presented and handled appropriately?" Hyuuga asked. Sasuke didn't even hesitate to reply.

"Yes."

"Can you state that the processing of evidence and the investigation itself has been done according to protocol?"

"Yes."

"Can you state that no foul play or corruption is involved with this investigation?"

The silence that followed was just a little bit too long.

"Yes."

Hyuuga narrowed his eyes at the raven.

"No further questions", he then muttered, his gaze lingering on Sasuke.

The paler man returned the gaze with a cold glare. Hyuuga eventually tore his gaze away, and took his seat again. Apart from himself and Gaara, Naruto doubted anybody noticed the suspicion that'd awakened within Hyuuga.

"Defense, you're up. Do you wish to question the witness?" the judge asked.

Naruto nodded, stood up and made his way to the stand. He felt the gaze Sasuke directed at him. He had a feeling the raven was anything but happy about sitting there, lying through his teeth in front a court of law. Naruto decided he couldn't let the man's displeasure distract him.

"As the current lead investigator of the case, tell me, is there any reason to believe that the man I just presented to the court was one of the original victims?" Naruto asked. He could feel the ice in the other's gaze.

"No."

"Is there reason to believe he was on the scene seven years ago?"

"Yes."

Naruto hesitated slightly before asking his next question. There was a chance it would be seen as an unqualified question, but he had to try.

"Is it possible he was the killer?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly. Naruto was obviously not trying to make this easy at all.

"Yes."

Hyuuga instantly protested. "Objection. Uchiha can't possibly determine that."

"Overruled. Uchiha is the lead investigator. If he feels comfortable stating it to be possible, we are to take him seriously", the judge immediately stated.

Hyuuga sat back down, his face sour as a rotting lemon. Naruto had to find it pleasing.

"Thank you. No further questions", he then said, and left the stand.

"Prosecution, do you wish to continue questioning Uchiha?" the judge asked.

"No", was Hyuuga's blunt answer.

With that, Sasuke got dismissed. Only one person remained to be questioned. To be honest, it was the one Naruto was most nervous about.

"Defendant, please rise", the judge demanded.

Gaara rose to stand. Naruto tensed up unintentionally.

"Do you wish to testify?" the judge asked.

Gaara had the right to refuse. If he didn't testify, there was no risk of slip-ups. But then again, if he refused, he'd also leave too many unanswered questions hanging around. Naruto knew the man was a good enough liar not to say anything stupid, and thus didn't feel nervous once the man agreed.

"Yes."

"Step forward", the judge stated.

The redhead did as told. He walked up, stopped to stand before the judge, and waited. The woman who'd taken the oaths of the other two came forward again. She stood before Gaara, looking ridiculously small compared to him. But she didn't let it bother. Impressive, kinda.

"Do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under pains and penalties of perjury?" the woman asked.

Naruto watched the redhead. He could see the small smirk trying to make its way out. But the man forced it away.

"I swear."

The blonde shivered with something unpleasant as he heard those words. Somehow the way Gaara was able to make lies sound like the absolute truth was both impressive, and terrifying. Mostly terrifying.

"Take your stand, Sabaku", the judge said.

Gaara did as told. He seated himself behind the tall stand. That same stand had seemed massive when the kid sat behind it. He'd been nearly invisible. But now that it was Gaara who sat behind it, it was as if the stand simply disappeared. Naruto remembered Sasuke once saying that even though the redhead had been in serious shit seven years ago, he'd still seemed to have all control over the entire courtroom. The blonde no longer wondered what it'd meant. That guy's dark aura filled the room like poison. It was oppressing. It was impossible to ignore. That man could claim anything and everything his, with just one look. And as Naruto realized he was the one whom that look was always laid on, he couldn't help but to feel just the slightest shiver go down his spine. The good kind.

"Prosecution, come forward", the judge invited.

Hyuuga did as told. Naruto instantly saw the look on that man's face. It was this sickly mix of resentment and sadistic anticipation. It made the blonde's madness spike for just a second.

"State me your name", Hyuuga demanded.

The redhead's eyes flashed with something dangerous. The man didn't notice it.

"Sabaku Gaara."

Hyuuga smirked. Naruto had a bad feeling about this.

"I see. I have understood that you've lived under quite many aliases along the years. Is this correct?" the long-haired man asked. Gaara didn't let his sneering tone get to him.

"Yes", he stated truthfully.

"And the reason for that is?" Hyuuga asked immediately.

Gaara's shoulder's tensed with vague anger. Naruto saw that and knew it wasn't a good thing. Thankfully, the redhead's gaze found his. The meaningful look in the blonde's eyes was enough to remind him of how to behave. Even if it did sound a bit hypocritical. The redhead turned back towards the attorney questioning him.

"My father is a hated man. For as long as I've lived, he has been hated. The way he chose to live his life ended up putting the whole family in danger. I left my family and created new identities in order not to get killed. Wouldn't you have?" the redhead then said.

Naruto's lips parted in surprise. He'd never imagined the man would speak of his family under any circumstances. Although, that was probably the best excuse he could've given for the aliases. It was hard to shoot down. Naruto was relived for that. But he also felt the pressure of guilt on his shoulders. The blonde suddenly remembered that Gaara's father was dead. Only Gaara did not know that.

Hyuuga's smug smirk faltered. He had asked his question with obnoxious confidence, knowing that it would be a tough one to answer. But since the redhead had given an explanation after all, it took his confidence down a notch.

"Hn. I'll be asking the questions, Sabaku", Hyuuga said, not having a better answer.

The man then seemed to take a moment to plan his next question. It was evident he was starting to feel like he was being cornered. His confident accusations were getting shot down, one after another. The slightly nervous glances towards his clients indicated he couldn't afford losing this. With that in mind, the man turned back towards Gaara, a mischievous look in his eyes. And as he then asked his question, Naruto nearly had a heart attack.

"What kind of relationship do you and Uzumaki have?"

The blonde froze. Gaara showed no shock or surprise, but Naruto knew the redhead was enjoying mental images of ripping Hyuuga's head off. Naruto wished he could've shouted instructions to his client, but at that moment, even a slightly too long glance would've been a bad thing.

"He's my attorney", Gaara said calmly, not giving away the murder happening inside his head. Hyuuga snorted.

"Is that so? Nothing more? You did bail him out of jail", he pointed out. Naruto was done listening to his bullshit.

"Objection, your honor. Hyuuga is asking leading questions and making groundless accusations. Not to mention, of things that are absolutely irrelevant", the blonde stated, raising his voice. The judge glanced at him, and then at Hyuuga.

"Sustained. Hyuuga, do not stray off topic. Do you have any actual, serious questions to present?" the judge asked, watching the man from above his glasses. Hyuuga seemed irritated.

"Yes, I do", he hissed and took the liberty to turn on the flat screen again.

It was positioned next to the stand Gaara sat behind of. The picture that Naruto had shown the court not long ago, appeared into view again. Naruto was afraid the redhead would somehow react to seeing it, but nothing happened. He remained stoic and hollow.

"Do you know this man? Do you know the man in the picture?" Hyuuga asked demandingly. Seemed like he was going short on both patience and options.

"No. Never seen him", Gaara stated.

His voice didn't falter. His face showed no flash of remorse upon saying that. His reply was steady, calm and absolutely indifferent. It was perfect.

Hyuuga stared at him, trying to find some evidence of unreliability, but found none. His motive of showing the picture again must've been a desperate attempt to get an unintended reaction out of Gaara. That'd obviously failed. Eventually Hyuuga sighed, turned off the screen and glanced at the redhead.

"No further questions", he muttered, before leaving the stand and seating himself down.

Naruto let out a breath he hadn't been aware of holding in. To see the Hyuuga just give up was a delight. The blonde knew that his competition had a limited amount of options when it came to questioning. He couldn't ask questions in any way linked to yakuza, since he worked for them. They couldn't afford getting linked to the case. And the only way Hyuuga could've proved Gaara's guiltiness, was through yakuza. As long as the mafia didn't want to blow their cover, the redhead's guiltiness could not be proved. And the mob sure had been careful not to get linked. The fact that Gaara was covered in yakuza tattoos could not have gone unnoticed while in prison. But that, among a million other things, had been covered up. By yakuza. They were probably gouging their own eyes out realizing that they were in fact just helping Gaara avoid a conviction.

"Uzumaki, time for cross-examination", the judge spoke, startling the blonde awake form his thoughts.

"Yes, your honor", he said, stood up and made his way to the front.

He stopped to stand before Gaara, and laid a direct look at him. The redhead returned his gaze. In that short moment, they had an entire silent monologue, exclusively for the two of them. It consisted mainly of hope, anxiety and fear. The moment was quickly gone.

"Since the prosecution's questioning was pretty…exhaustive, I only have two things to clarify. First of all, could you please state whether or not your past usage of aliases is in any way linked to the case at hand", the blonde began.

"No. It is not", Gaara stated, not hesitating. Naruto nodded. He then turned momentarily towards the jury.

"I actually objected the following question myself, as it was inappropriate, but I feel the need to let my client answer it after all. Just to make sure no wrong impressions are left to hang around", he then said, before turning back to Gaara.

He gave the redhead a meaningful look. The pale man understood this would be a question he couldn't afford answering wrong. But as he realized what exactly he was supposed to answer, it became a lot harder not to fuck it up. After all, he didn't know the answer.

"What is your relationship with me?" the blonde asked.

As always, Gaara didn't show any changes on the surface. But inside, he was more or less sinking into a vegetative state. He knew that the blonde was being smart, letting him answer the question after all. Letting it just go unanswered might've looked bad in the jury's eyes. But he also wanted to slap that blonde moron across the face for it. They both knew neither one had any idea how to answer that question. If they didn't know the true answer, how could they lie? Gaara decided to give an answer that left nothing to wonder about. The answer that should've been the truth.

"None. We have no relationship. You just work for me."

Naruto was relieved the answer had been plain and simple. Also, Gaara hadn't given any sign he wasn't telling the truth. Which again felt like a stab in the heart.

"No further questions", Naruto stated, and left the stand.

He took his seat, his gaze never leaving Gaara. The man seemed to be reluctant to face him. Whether it was because he was afraid to give a lie away, or just simply he hadn't lied at all, Naruto wasn't sure. And it made him suddenly very uncomfortable.

"Sabaku, you are free to leave the stand. Please take your seat", the judge said.

Gaara rose to stand, and walked back to the table Naruto sat at. He seated himself next to the blonde again, and glanced at him. The blonde wasn't facing him. With a grunt, Gaara tore his gaze away.

"Right. Only the closing argument remains. Before we go there, I am calling a twenty minute recess. Nobody is to discuss the case while waiting. You are excused", the judge then declared, and with a bang of his gavel, stood up.

So did the rest of the room. The mass of people flooded out the grand doors of the courtroom. Only two remained behind. Naruto and Gaara sat still until the room was mostly empty. Only a guard was left to stand in the corner of the room.

Naruto glanced at the redhead. Gaara didn't face him. Just stared blankly ahead. The blonde watched him for a while, before the oddly painful hurt of getting ignored made him simply pissed. He knew why Gaara wouldn't face him. And that's what actually made being ignored hurtful. With a grunt, Naruto stood up and walked away, leaving Gaara alone. The redhead shut his eyes in frustration. He knew he had to go after him.

Naruto rushed down the hallway, away from the courtroom. He turned behind the corner, and another one, even though he wasn't supposed to leave the vicinity of the courtroom. But he needed to get away. Even for just a moment. He stopped not too far along the empty corridor, and just slumped against the wall. He closed his eyes, and clenched his hands into fists. He unintentionally curled slightly towards himself, trying to ignore the anxiety inside him. He really tried. But it wasn't easy not to hurt.

He felt a little ridiculous for feeling that way. But he couldn't help it. Somehow hearing Gaara say that whatever they were was as good as nothing, made him more angered and hurt than necessary. Especially since that was the way it should've been. To Gaara it actually might've been that way. Either that or he was a really, really good liar. Regardless of the reason, to Naruto it wasn't that simple. Not anymore. And that was what made him angry. What made him hurt, was the fact that there was nothing he could do about it.

Naruto heard footsteps echo through the walls of the corridor. He knew whom they belonged to. He didn't want to turn to face the one who by then had stopped to stand behind him.

"You know that's the way it's supposed to be", a low voice spoke. Naruto ignored it.

"You know I'm right. That's how we're supposed to be. Just an attorney and a defendant. You said it yourself", Gaara stated.

The blonde felt so angry hearing that. He wanted to just ignore the man behind him, but ended up turning around anyway. With a sudden rush of rage, the blonde faced Gaara, and stopped just an inch away from him.

"Then why do you do this? Why the fuck do you do this to me?" he hissed.

Naruto knew that this was discussion nobody else should hear. To avoid that, he tried not to let the volume of his voice get affected by the anger slowly growing stronger inside him.

"Why do you keep saying that, push me away and then pull me back again? Have you any idea what that fucking feels like?" he continued, not even trying to hide the blame in his voice.

Gaara didn't reply, just lowered his gaze to the ground. He had the undeniable itch to point out that he knew exactly what it felt like. Naruto had been doing that to him for a long damn time. But he decided not to voice it. It wouldn't help the situation.

"Look at me", Naruto growled, and forcefully lifted the man's head upwards. The redhead had no choice but look at him.

"The least you can do is fucking look at me", the blonde said, not letting go of the other. Gaara clenched the jaw the other one had a hold on.

"Stop it. You're making a scene", he grunted, slapping the blonde's hand away. Naruto didn't really give a shit about his opinion, to put it nicely.

"I don't care. I just don't fucking care. I can't do this again. What the fuck do you want from me?" Naruto hissed through gritted teeth, angry to the point of almost raising his voice.

The blonde wasn't stupid. He knew he was being a complete hypocrite. He'd treated the other one exactly the same way. But that didn't change the fact that he was just an inch away from going insane. He needed to say this. He needed to fucking know.

Gaara still didn't reply. He just stood there and stared. But it was obvious he was slowly starting to lose his calm as well. The blonde had seriously picked the worst possible timing for shit like this.

"If you don't want to be close to me, don't be. If you don't want to touch me, then don't. But don't you fucking do those things and then say it doesn't mean shit. It's driving me fucking insane", Naruto continued, quite efficiently bringing down the redhead's level of composure.

"Why do you do this to me? Are you trying to punish me for what I did to you? If so, congratulations. You've fucking succeeded," the blonde growled, nearing the verge of smashing things to pieces. The other man's hand twitched with rising anger.

"No, I'm not trying to punish you. And this ain't the time for shit like this. Stop it", the paler one grunted.

He might as well have been talking to the wall.

"Oh really? Do I need to book a fucking appointment to talk about this?" Naruto asked, letting out a sarcastic chuckle. The sound of it gave Gaara an undeniable urge to slap him silent.

"Just make up your mind, fucking asshole. Are you doing this for fun? Why can't you just stay away, if that's what you want?" the blonde growled, and slightly shoved the other one.

Gaara finally got done ignoring the other's poisonous hissing. Something just snapped inside his head, and every gate he'd built to keep the truth inside, broke down. And just like that, he admitted the reality of it.

"Because I _can't_ _fucking stop_."

Naruto froze. He hadn't actually expected to get an answer of any kind. The redhead suddenly seemed to not give a shit about where they were, as he completely gave up on acting like a normal person in public. He grabbed the blonde by the front of his shirt, and pulled him closer, just an inch away from his face. And then he spoke words Naruto had never expected to hear from him. Or anybody, to be honest.

"I can't stop caring about you. I can't stop wanting you. I can't stop thinking about you. I even fucking miss you. Whenever you're not there, whenever I'm away from you, it feels like getting stabbed in the heart. I. Can't. Stop."

All of Naruto's rage was gone, replaced by pure, utter shock. He just gaped like an idiot, his mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. Naruto suddenly lost all ability to speak, while Gaara was only getting started.

"I don't fucking understand it. I don't understand any of it. I don't know what it means. But I know that as long as I'm near you, I have to shut it all down", the redhead growled.

The pale man's hand let go of the blonde's shirt and grabbed him by the waist instead. He got pulled against a strong chest, not leaving any doubt as of what the man was getting at.

"This is how I want you to be. I want to fucking feel you. I want to touch you. I want to make sure you are real", Gaara said, his voice now lower.

Naruto wasn't sure that he hadn't just melted.

"I sometimes just stop to watch you. I watch you and I go fucking crazy inside. It's like I'm fucking addicted to you", the redhead spoke.

Naruto remained incapable of speaking. He had not expected to get a response like this. If anything at all. And the things he was saying were something Naruto had no idea how to react to. He was fighting between feelings of overwhelming panic and joy. An odd mix. A mix he wasn't capable of handling.

"Whenever I look at you, my mind goes hazy. My heart skips a fucking beat. Everything but you becomes irrelevant", the redhead said, almost whispered.

Naruto's shock somewhat moved out of the way, as an odd, warm feeling came to replace it. It wasn't something he'd ever felt before. It was overpowering and impossible to ignore. Suddenly there was nothing but just him and the redhead. No courthouse, no trial. Just them.

"I told ya, blondie. You are my heroin. You drug me like heroin, you destroy me like heroin, and most of all…I need you like heroin", Gaara muttered.

The man's hold on the blonde tightened. Naruto didn't mind. He was too occupied by the intense eyes staring into his. Naruto wasn't sure whether Gaara just gradually got harder to resist, or if his tolerance against fuckable felons was getting weaker, but it took his everything to not do something stupid.

"Then why are you pushing me away?" Naruto muttered. He couldn't help but to stare at the other man's lips.

Gaara was silent for a while. His jaw clenched slightly and his shoulders tensed up. When he eventually spoke, it was hard to miss the bitter tone.

"Cause real heroin won't regret drugging me."

Gaara's eyes grew colder upon saying that. Naruto on the other hand felt a stabbing pain in his chest. The guilt of every time he'd regretted touching him, wanting him, shot him like a bullet. And it hurt equally as bad. The blonde hated every time he'd ended up regretting. He hated that he'd let himself regret it. He fucking hated himself.

Gaara's eyes flashed with something resembling sadness. But it only lasted for a second. He slowly let go of the blonde. As his touch left Naruto, the blonde became aware of where he was again. But that didn't stop him from voicing his thoughts.

"Don't push me away."

The redhead shook his head. "Why do you think I'm leaving?"

Naruto's thoughts came to a halt. It was as if he'd forgotten all about it. He'd forgotten Gaara was going to leave. The subject he'd tried to avoid till the end just smacked him across the face. And the reality of it was even worse than he'd thought. He realized it was his regret that was driving the man away. He was the reason the redhead was leaving. Panic was quick to come back, as Naruto thought of the fact he'd never see the man again. He slumped against the wall again and pressed his face against his palms. Even though he tried to, he couldn't keep it inside anymore. He couldn't just pretend like he didn't care.

"No. You don't have to leave. I won't regret any of it. I don't. I don't regret it. Just don't fuckin' leave me", he muttered into his hands, barely audible to the other man.

Gaara said nothing at first. He stepped closer to Naruto, and gently pulled the man's hands away from his face. A pitifully desperate sight was revealed. The redhead didn't let it stop him from speaking the truth.

"You don't mean that. You know you don't. I know you don't. You'll always regret it. That's just the way we're made. We are each other's biggest mistakes", he said bluntly, but not harshly.

The blonde felt like shooting his own head off. He'd never felt like such a big fucking idiot before. The redhead saw that. He considered telling the real reason behind his decision to leave. That he was leaving to keep him safe. To take the gravest danger away with him. But in the end, he didn't tell that. It would've only made the other one even more depressed. He knew Naruto would disagree with him. That he wouldn't have to sacrifice himself for the blonde. So, he didn't voice it.

Naruto just stared askance at him. Gaara thought he wouldn't say anything at all. But eventually, he let out a frustrated sigh and leaned his head against the wall.

"I hate you", he muttered, not looking at the paler man.

Gaara's eyes softened slightly. He placed a hand on the other's cheek and tilted his head, forcing the blonde to face him. Naruto didn't really want to. But he got no chance to complain, as the other man suddenly pressed his lips against the other's. Only for a second, but still. He then pulled away, and smirked.

"I know."

Naruto watched him silently. He knew there was nothing he could say or do to make the man change his mind. He would leave. He'd decided it already. And all Naruto could do was to respect his decision.

The blonde was about to say something, when suddenly a chuckle cut him off. It wasn't Gaara's voice.

"Hn. I knew it."

Naruto turned his head to see somebody who absolutely shouldn't have been there. Hyuuga stood in the corner of the corridor, with a smug smirk plastered on his face. The blonde's heart sank. Even an idiot would've realized the man had seen everything.

"Though I have to admit, you two are even closer than I thought", Hyuuga said, as he walked towards them.

A wave of panic and rage hit Naruto. Before he even realized it, he'd lunged forward, towards the man still walking closer. His hand was clenched into a fist, ready to collide with the guy's face. It never did. A strong grip came to stop him before he had the chance.

Gaara had to actually use force in order to keep the blonde from attacking Hyuuga. As much as the redhead despised the smug look on the man's face, he couldn't let Naruto assault him. He'd already been arrested once that day. The judge might've been a naïvely understanding man, but Gaara was pretty sure even he had a limit.

"Fuckin' stop it", the redhead hissed, as he held the struggling blonde. Naruto just tried to shove him away.

"No. I'm gonna rip his fucking head off", he growled, not giving up.

Gaara rolled his eyes. In the end, he had no choice but to twist the blonde's arms behind his back, and shove him against the wall. As the side of Naruto's face collided with the cold surface, he finally stopped struggling. Well, at least for a while. It changed once Hyuuga decided to open his mouth again.

"Does your wife know you're a fag?"

Naruto instantly jolted with rage, struggling twice as hard to get free. And he almost did. Gaara was forced to shove him against the wall again, only harder. He twisted the blonde's arm painfully enough for him to groan in pain.

"Stop it, twat. You don't wanna dirty your hands with a piece of shit like him", Gaara grunted.

Naruto remained reluctant to stay still, but had no choice. The grip Gaara had on him was too strong for him to move without it hurting like hell. So he stayed put. Content enough, the redhead turned to glance at Hyuuga. The man still looked like he was pleased beyond words.

"I always knew he was a moron, but to fall for you…that's some advanced idiocy", the man said, while eyeing the redhead from head to toes.

Gaara couldn't say that letting the blonde free and allowing him to do whatever the hell wanted didn't sound tempting. To see that fucking cousin It get scalped would've been quite pleasing to the eye. But he restrained himself from doing that.

"You have no survival instinct whatsoever", Gaara stated. Hyuuga just shrugged.

"What could he do? I doubt that moron even knows how to hit", he sneered.

Gaara had to laugh. He truly wished the man knew what kind of horrors the blonde was capable of. But at the moment, he couldn't let that slip. That didn't mean he wouldn't get to learn the true nature of the blonde's rage afterwards. With the mental image of that in mind, Gaara did his best to stand the bullshit that flooded out the guy's mouth. But like everything, his patience had a limit as well. And Hyuuga made the mistake of boldly crossing that vital line.

"This sure will be quite the story to tell in court", the man said.

No mental image was enough to wipe away hearing that. Naruto's rage reached levels that enabled him to get free from Gaara's grip. But before the blonde had the chance to even step towards Hyuuga, Gaara shoved him out of the way, and took matters into his own hands. Before that long-haired princess even realized it, he was in a chokehold, shoved against the wall.

Naruto voluntarily stepped aside. After all, Gaara was way better at this than him. Not only that, but the look in his eyes very clearly told play-time was over. It was doubtful that a man more intimidating than the redhead even walked the earth. So why not let him do what he did best?

"Listen up, you worthless piece of shit", Gaara growled, and tightened his hold around the man's throat. Hyuuga's smug smirk was long gone.

"You ain't tellin' shit to anybody. And you know why?" the redhead asked.

He got no reply. For that, he smashed the man's head painfully into the wall. It made a sickly sound.

"I asked, do you know why", he repeated. Hyuuga shook his head violently.

"Because we both know you are yakuza's bitch. You've sold your soul to them. And as long as you don't want that to get out, you'll keep your mouth shut. Do you fuckin' understand?" Gaara hissed through gritted teeth.

That statement was so much of a fact, Hyuuga didn't even have to answer. They all knew he wouldn't risk it. But that didn't stop him from being further stupid.

"You'll pay for this", the man wheezed.

He no longer could breathe properly. And boy did Naruto enjoy watching that happen. Gaara laughed amused.

"You are fuckin' brainless. You think yakuza's gonna have your back?" he chuckled.

The man said nothing, just fought to breathe. Gaara brought his face a little closer to the other's, in order to emphasize just how fucking relevant his next words were.

"You are nothing to them. You aren't worth anything. And even if you were, they'd never dare to come after me for stupid shit like this. I think we both know why", he hissed.

Hyuuga slowly started to understand the reality of it all. As he realized he'd completely underestimated Gaara, and totally overestimated himself, horror took over his features. Naruto had to admit, he hadn't expected Hyuuga to be capable of having expressions beyond obnoxious idiocy. He truly enjoyed the rarity before him.

A low chuckle escaped Gaara's lips. The fact that his infamous dark presence seemed to suddenly extend its claws even further, indicated he had something sadistically enjoyable to say. Even Hyuuga realized it.

"And when I walk out of here a free man, yakuza will burn you alive for failing. Literally. Unless I get to you first, that is", the redhead then spoke.

Hyuuga was on the verge of passing out. It might've been either from the lack of oxygen, or the things Gaara had said. Maybe a bit of both. But Naruto knew the man wasn't telling anybody. About anything. Not about him and Gaara, not about the redhead assaulting him and not even about the fact that Gaara was guilty of way more than what he was accused of. He wouldn't tell, because that prick loved himself way too much to risk it.

Gaara let go of the man. He nearly fell to the floor. Only barely could he stand up, and even then, hunched over. He could hardly breathe, but didn't waste time on trying to either. Instead the man simply looked at the two of them in terror, before turning and rushing to leave.

They watched him limp away. He'd only made a few steps forward, when a guard turned around the corner, and started walking towards them. Hyuuga stopped. The guard came closer, and as he was passing them, Hyuuga turned to look at the man. As if he actually considered telling. But he never did. The guard flashed a kind smile to the three men when walking by. Naruto returned the smile, Gaara didn't. And Hyuuga, he did his best not to start crying.

Eventually, Hyuuga turned once more towards Gaara. The redhead looked right through him with an ice cold glare. Knowing that the guard was already gone, Gaara slowly raised his hand, and pointed two fingers at the man. As if aiming a gun at him. And he did that for a few silent seconds, before his cold, empty voice spoke just one word.

"Boom."

Naruto had never seen anybody walk away as fast as Hyuuga did then.

Once the man had disappeared from their view, Naruto sighed. Gaara glanced at him. He knew what the blonde was thinking of, and flashed a smirk.

"Don't worry, blondie. I'll take care of him", he said, and placed an arm around the blonde's shoulders.

He then started walking back towards the courtroom, dragging the blonde along. Naruto just grunted and let his head fall against the paler one's shoulder.

"Did it occur to you that this whole place is filled with surveillance cameras?" he muttered. Gaara chuckled.

"Have a little faith in me. There were none on that hallway. I checked", he said, as they turned around the corner. Naruto raised a brow.

"Wow. Efficient", Naruto admitted. Gaara shrugged.

"I am efficient."

Naruto had to laugh. The redhead smirked. He liked making the blonde laugh. Always felt like he'd accomplished something. That's what he would miss the most. Making him laugh. Seeing him smile. Feeling somewhat happy. Gaara watched the chuckling blonde, as they walked back towards the courtroom. He held him close all the way until the last turn. Only because he didn't want to let go before he absolutely had to.

* * *

**Chapter 30. Jesus. That's...a lot. **

**And to think that I still have another shitload to post. How do you people stay interested in me and my imagination?**

**Oh well, the reason doesn't really matter. As long as you people keep on reading, I'll keep on posting. So please do tell me what you think. Nothing brightens my day like a review. **

**See ya in a week.**


	31. Hell Either Way

**I have absolutely nothing intellectual to say here, so I'll just wish you a great day. And in case it's shit; I'll come and kick your shitty day's ass. Luv ya'll.**

* * *

The recess was quickly over. Everybody had taken their places, and the court was ready for the final stage of the trial. The jury sat still silently, preparing themselves for the closing argument. Naruto wanted to feel confident about his argument, but every time he glanced at Gaara, his focus faltered just slightly. He was afraid of letting him down. Fortunately, he didn't have much time to worry about it. Hyuuga had already been called forward, to start the argument.

As the man stood in the front, facing the jury and seeming somewhat nervous, Naruto felt just a little bit better about himself. He knew that Hyuuga's credibility would falter while speaking. He could see it in the man's face. There was no way he would be able to give a speech of confidence. Not after what Gaara had said to him.

After a nervous cough to clear his throat, Hyuuga began.

"We are here today to seek justice for the seven men and women, who faced a truly inhumane faith. Seven people were brutally murdered, their lives taken by the hands of another human. This crime did not only desecrate their very existence, but continues to do that even after death. Their brutal end has taken their identities. They will only be remembered as the seven murder victims. Not by their names, not by their actions, not by the lives they lived. Just as nameless murder victims", the man spoke.

Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes. He quickly understood that this whole speech would be bullshit from start to end. Conveniently enough, Hyuuga of course wouldn't mention the fact that these murder victims were in fact murderers themselves. Coldblooded killers, hitmen with no hearts. It wasn't their ugly deaths that desecrated them. It was they themselves. Their own actions.

"And for that reason alone, it is crucial that the one responsible for their deaths suffers the consequences. The victims' names cannot be cleaned from the blood they died shedding, and thus one who forced them to this fate must come to face the shame. Their name must be known, their name must be dirtied with that same blood, so the victims do not become forgotten", Hyuuga continued, dramatically forcing emotion into his voice.

Naruto wanted to shove shredded paper into his ears. And down Hyuuga's throat. Just so he wouldn't have to listen to this bullshit.

"This man here", Hyuuga then said, pointing towards Gaara.

"This man was pursued, arrested and sentenced to life in prison seven years ago for these said murders. The decision was unanimous at the time. What changed? Nothing. Nothing changed. 12 people have once already unanimously determined that this man belongs to prison. We cannot look past that fact. We cannot let this crime be left with no one to hold responsible for it", the man continued.

Naruto was quite impressed how well Hyuuga was able to keep his composure. But the reason to that was simple. Not once had he actually directly looked at Gaara while he'd spoken. As soon as his eyes wandered over to the redhead, just by accident, the man's shoulder's slumped down under the heavy weight of fear. He tore his gaze away, and tried hard to regain his focus. The success was questionable.

"This…this man is not a good man. I want you to ask yourselves, do you want a person, whom 12 members of jury once concluded to be a mass murderer, to walk amongst your children? Yourselves? Our society?"

Hyuuga's voice had lost some of its strength. Naruto realized just how desperate he was getting. The man obviously was afraid. He couldn't afford to lose. His life depended on it.

"I want you to look at that man and answer that question. Thank you", Hyuuga said, the last part slightly drowning under his fear.

The man stopped to stand in front of the jury for a while longer, before finally slowly making his way back to his seat. The entire room was completely silent. Not a whisper could be heard. The whole jury had turned to see Gaara. The redhead didn't seem to mind the eyes on him.

Naruto realized that as Hyuuga's fear had affected his speech, it hadn't necessarily made it worse. He had succeeded in making the jury concerned and thoughtful. He had made an impact on them. The fear coming through his voice had been too relatable. Naruto suddenly wasn't so sure if he could top that speech.

"Thank you. Uzumaki, you're up. You have the same amount of time as Hyuuga to present your argument", the judge stated after a while of dead silence.

Naruto said nothing. Just stood slowly up and walked to the front. He glanced at Gaara. The man looked at him with no emotion in his eyes. Not visibly. But Naruto knew what he was thinking. And he couldn't let the man down. After a deep breath, Naruto began speaking.

"Seven people were killed. Brutally murdered. They did face a faith that was inhumane. It was wrong. And the one responsible needs to suffer for what they've done", he spoke, somewhat quietly.

He felt stupid for saying those things, when he didn't feel it was true. But he had no choice. He had to humanize the beings that didn't really deserve it. For Gaara, he had to.

"The way the victims came to the end of their days was wrong. Somebody committed the ultimate sin against them. But the sinner is not my client. He did not kill those people. He does not deserve to suffer for somebody else's mistakes", Naruto spoke.

The jury didn't seem to take much interest. The blonde knew it was because of the lack of emotion in his voice. His speech was too clean, too sterile.

"My client was imprisoned for seven years for a crime he did not commit. To make him pay for somebody else's sins is wrong. And to do wrong against my client in that way, only further stains the victims' pride. Not holding the true murderer responsible for their crime is as disgraceful as the death the victims suffered", the blonde continued.

The longer he spoke of the victims, the less emotion he was able force through. They were all lies. He couldn't pretend like he cared about them. He tried, really tried, but couldn't.

Naruto paused his speech. He turned to see Gaara. The look the redhead laid on him made him feel desperate. He knew this would not be enough. These kinds of words would not win the case. This wouldn't work.

The blonde sighed. After a while of hesitation, he made a decision. He would have to speak from his heart, instead of his mind. Logic and pretty words would not be enough. He had to mean the things he said. And against all principals, Naruto decided to be honest. Not as much towards the jury, but towards Gaara. Only that way he could make the lies sound like they were truthful. If he disguised them behind real emotion.

Naruto turned back towards the jury. He laid down the papers in his hand, containing the vague draft of the speech he'd intended to give. He wouldn't need it anymore. Empty handed and empty minded, the blonde stepped closer to the jury, and spoke.

"I want to tell you a story about death. About murder. And the reality of it", he stated.

The jury seemed confused as of what was happening. Naruto didn't let it bother.

"When I was a child, I lost my parents. Both of them. I watched them get killed in front of my own eyes. By people who had no real reason to do that. No reason to make a child an orphan. They simply acted on the vain urges of human nature. The need to feel powerful. To play God", Naruto spoke, his voice slightly bitter, but determined.

"I watched life leave my mother's eyes. I watched my father protect his beloved family till his dying breath. Failing to do it. I've seen murder and death in a way that most people never have to experience it. I can say, without hesitation, that I know what death looks like", he carried on talking.

He watched the members of jury lower their gazes. In compassion. In respect.

"As someone who has seen what a truly inhumane death looks like, I can tell you, it can't be forgotten. The image never leaves you. Neither does the pain it causes. It will shadow you for the rest of your days. But you know what?"

Naruto could feel a gaze burning his back. He knew Gaara was watching him. He would've wanted to return that gaze, but couldn't. Not yet.

"When you see the ugliest side of humanity, society and life itself, you start to appreciate the beauty of those as well. Experiencing immense hurt and anger helps you understand the beauty of joy and laughter. Knowing pain makes you appreciate the good in people and what they can give you. Friendship, support, companionship. Love."

And that's when Naruto turned around. He turned to meet the gaze glued to him. Gaara's cold and hollow eyes had become less icy. An emotion hid behind the emptiness. The blonde looked at him silently for a while, before letting a small smile creep onto his lips.

"It's funny, really", he then said, turning back to the jury.

"To be honest, my choice of career isn't exactly logical, considering what I experienced as a child. I've questioned the reason behind that decision many times. Over and over again. And in the end, I concluded that I chose this path so I could make a change. The murderers of my parents were never caught. They never suffered consequences. I guess I became a lawyer, so I could have a say in who goes to prison and who doesn't. A say in who belongs there", the blonde said thoughtfully.

The jury members' eyes had softened. They looked at him with empathy in their eyes. Naruto knew he was saying the right things. But he wasn't done yet. And in all honesty, this speech wasn't meant to them as much as it was meant for Gaara.

"I won't lie. When I first met my client, I thought that he was an unbearable human being. You just can't get along with everybody, you know", Naruto chuckled.

Even without looking, he knew the redhead was smirking. How could he not?

"But as I said, I chose this profession to have a say in who belongs in prison and who doesn't. Who belongs in death row and who doesn't. And as much as I found my client's personality clashing with my own, I can say with hundred percent positivity…", the blonde paused as he turned towards Gaara again.

"…that this man does not belong there. He does not belong in either of those."

The room was dead silent. Naruto hesitated to voice his last words, but let them out in the end.

"After seven years in prison, he belongs with those who need him and care for him."

The last of Gaara's icy cover melted away. His lips parted slightly, indicating he hadn't expected to hear words like that. To everybody else, it'd sounded like nothing more but pretty words to close an argument. To the redhead, it was like a slap across the face. The kind that smacks you into reality. And Naruto had intended it as one.

"Thank you", the blonde said with a small smile directed at the jury.

He left them to sit silently, as he returned to his seat. The silence that followed his speech, was longer than the one after Hyuuga's. It was a good sign. Naruto was content with himself. Content that he seemed to have given the jury something to think about. But even more than that, he was happy he'd meant what he'd said.

"…Thank you. The final step of trial will now begin. The jury will retreat to make the final decision. Other partakers, please wait outside the courtroom for the decision to be made. You are dismissed", the judge eventually spoke, and banged his gavel.

The room emptied quickly. Hyuuga was the first one to rush out. Not a surprise, really. Sasuke stopped to glance at Naruto, before he too left the room. The blonde took his time to reorganize all the shit he'd been forced to lay out on the table, while Gaara just watched him silently. Naruto knew he had something to say, and just patiently waited.

"You did good, you know", he then stated.

Naruto didn't reply. He just carried on stacking papers and organizing files. The redhead continued watching him for a while, before he reached out his hand, and took a hold of the other's arm. Naruto stopped his motions, and turned to face him. He still said nothing. The redhead tilted his head slightly.

"Hey. Are you okay?" he asked. Naruto stared at him for a good ten seconds, before tearing his gaze away.

"Yeah."

Leaving the stacked papers and files on the table, the blonde pulled away from the other's hold. Not giving him another look, he turned around and left the room.

He'd lied. He wasn't okay. Honestly, he might as well have admitted that. But he found it hard to face him. And there were a million reasons for that. The most important one being that Naruto wasn't far from having a panic attack. Only now that he'd done his job, done everything he could, was he able to start fearing what the verdict would turn out to be. His professionalism had jumped out the window the second the jurors had left to make their decision. Now all that was left was the nervous wreck that'd hidden behind his hard shell. The closing arguments had been too equal. Naruto had no clue as of how it would end. And it was killing him.

Another reason for why he needed to get away and hide in a six feet deep hole, was the fact that Gaara leaving was becoming more and more of a reality. Whether or not they'd actually win didn't matter. Either way, he would lose him. And it was killing him even more than the fear of losing the case.

And as if those two things weren't enough, there was a third reason as well. The fact that he'd just poured his heart out in front of a full courtroom, was horrifying. The words he'd said hadn't really been the worst part of it. It was the emotion he'd put into them. And he knew that Gaara had heard, seen and felt all of it. Naruto had let him see everything that he had held inside. And now, he was unable to face him.

Gaara watched the blonde go. He shut his eyes in frustration. He would have to go after him. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was that he knew what'd made him leave in the first place. Naruto was starting to panic, Gaara knew it. Now that he'd done his job, he would start freaking out. And as much as the redhead would've liked to just say there was no need for it, he knew it was a huge fucking lie. Of course there was. He himself could feel some level of anxiety slowly rising inside him. And going after the blonde meant he'd have to face him, and then say nothing. Because there was nothing he could say to make it easier.

With a grunt, Gaara rose from his seat. He sighed, before turning around and starting to make his way out the room. But as he stepped into the hallway, he came to a halt. From across the wide corridor, pitch black eyes were gazing at him. A flash of anger hit the redhead instantly. Did that Uchiha seriously have to start whining now?

"Yo. I wanna talk to you", Sasuke said.

Gaara stared at him for a while. It didn't take long for him to conclude that he didn't give a shit, and just ignored the man, continuing his walk away. The raven wasn't pleased, of course. And with a few fast paced steps, Sasuke had reached the redhead and stopped to stand before him. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Move, fuckin' moron", he growled, not even trying to sound kind.

He absolutely didn't have the patience for it. Sasuke gave him a piercing glare.

"Hn. Shut it. We're gonna talk, whether you like it or not", the raven hissed.

The redhead's hand clenched into a fist. He knew the other man was taking the piss out of the situation. Knowing that Gaara wouldn't make a scene inside the courthouse, Sasuke felt confident enough to speak however he pleased. And that, of course, made Gaara want to kill him, more times than one. But after a while of glaring, the redhead let out an angry growl. He had no way around this. He couldn't beat the aggravating thing up, so he'd just have to listen.

"What the fuck do you want?"

Sasuke tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "I just have one question."

"Well, what the fuck is it?" Gaara asked, his anger simply growing stronger. Sasuke would've smirked, had he not had more important things to do.

"Why did you come here?" he asked for the second time. Gaara had to close his eyes in order not to gouge them out in anger.

"I told ya already", he replied, trying his best no to do something stupid. Sasuke didn't seem convinced. And made it clear.

"No. The real reason", he stated.

Gaara's anger halted for just a second. It dawned on him that Sasuke seriously wasn't going to let this slide. But he also couldn't tell the real reason, now could he? No, he couldn't. And he wouldn't. Instead he told him a truth that would make the man ecstatic.

"What does it fuckin' matter? I'm leaving anyway. Hope you're damn happy, fucking lowlife", the redhead growled and moved to get past the other man, deliberately shoving him while at it.

Sasuke didn't even try to stop him. He was left to register what the man had just said. The raven frowned.

So he was leaving after all?

Sasuke turned around. He watched Gaara's turned back move further away from him. Sasuke wasn't sure what to think. If the man was going to leave anyway, why had he come? It didn't make sense to him. But he wasn't going to complain. The man was leaving. That was all he'd asked for, after all. Even though Sasuke knew Naruto would probably lose his shit, he knew it was for the best. Gaara had nothing to give to the blonde. He would just end up getting him killed. And Sasuke was going to do his everything to stop that from happening. Even if it meant hurting him momentarily.

The blonde stepped out of the courthouse. He knew he wasn't supposed to leave the building, but seriously needed fresh air. Well, not as much fresh as nicotine filled. Nonetheless, he had to get outside. Further disobeying the order of not leaving the courthouse, he walked away from it. Just a few hundred feet away, there was a small, hill-like rise. In fact it was more like a ledge. It came to an abrupt end. It had railing, but other than that, beyond it was two hundred feet of free fall. The spot looked over downtown. It was a beautiful place, hard to find so near the heart of the city.

Upon feeling like he was far away enough, Naruto placed a cigarette between his lips and lit up. Smoke filled his lungs, burning his throat.

"Fuck yes", he muttered to himself.

The nicotine didn't help the anxiety ready to explode inside him, but took away the edge of his shitty feeling. As did the sun, now setting. Inhaling long drags of smoke, the blonde watched the sun slowly disappear behind the horizon. It was genuinely beautiful. Varying shades of red and orange fell over the city, painting the scenery. The world around him looked very dreamlike in its hazy colors. Everything looked like an illusion. Like a dream. Naruto hoped it would've been one. Just a dream.

The blonde gazed at the slowly descending sun, despite it hurting his eyes. He didn't mind. Not really. And even though he was partly blinded by the burning colors of the sun, he knew Gaara had come to stand next to him. Naruto said nothing at first. Eventually a small, sad smile found its way to his lips, and he spoke.

"It's fucking beautiful."

Gaara watched the blonde staring into the sun. The fiery colors it shone cast red shadows onto the other's face. And at the same time, lit his eyes up like flames. The redhead knew Naruto was talking about the sunset, but didn't even turn to look at it upon replying. Just kept on staring at him.

"Yeah. It is."

The blonde's lips parted slightly. Soon, the sad smile returned. He shook his head slightly and chuckled. He knew Gaara hadn't even glanced at the setting sun. He wasn't talking about the sun.

The smile faded away eventually. Fear came to replace it. And despite still not wanting to, Naruto finally turned to face the redhead. He met a pair of intently gazing eyes, that'd burned his skin for a while now. The blonde would've liked to smile for him, but couldn't do it. Instead, he voiced a question.

"I did it, right? We'll win, won't we?"

The small smile that'd disappeared came back, as a sign of hope. Gaara would've wanted to say yes. Oh god how he wanted to say yes. But he couldn't. He couldn't lie to him like that. He couldn't give him hope in case there was none, after all. And as much as the redhead tried not to falter, his gaze lowered for just the split of a second. As always, Naruto noticed it. He tried not to let it bother, but failed. The longer Gaara just watched him with apologetic eyes, the stronger his anxiety grew. In the end, he just pressed his face against his palms, and bit his lip till it bled.

Gaara watched the blonde slowly drive himself insane. He could literally see the man's composure slowly fall apart. The redhead frowned. As terrible as he was in comforting other people, especially when he himself was on the verge of madness, he couldn't just watch the blonde hurt. Anybody else, but him. And as he wasn't sure what he really should do, he did the first thing that came to mind.

He stepped to stand behind the blonde and placed his hands onto the other's waist. He then let himself rest his chin on the blonde's shoulder, leaning his head against the other's. Naruto lowered his hands, revealing his face again. He shoved his hands down his pockets, turning his gaze back towards the sunset. He took a hasty, deep breath to force away the hurtful burning behind his eyes.

Gaara just held him close and watched the sun set with him. They were silent for a little while, before the redhead reached to take one of the blonde's hands out of his pocket, and took hold of it. He brought both of their hands forward, towards the still weakly shining light. And then he asked an odd question.

"Do you think we could reach the sun if we tried hard enough?"

Naruto stopped to think about it. He let his head fall against the other's shoulder, pressing himself closer.

"I don't think so", he then muttered.

Gaara slowly let their hands fall back down, but didn't let go. The redhead grunted.

"Yeah. You're right."

Silence fell again. It lasted a long time, but didn't feel heavy. It was just…peaceful. The only thing that came to shatter it, was the light chuckle that slipped Gaara's lips. The redhead buried his face into the nape of the blonde's neck, his breath hitting the soft skin. It tickled. But in a nice way.

"It doesn't really matter. I already have my sun", Gaara's low voice spoke against the blonde's neck.

Naruto's heart literally skipped a beat. It simply stopped for a second. But instead of it hurting, he felt lightheaded. He turned his head to face the one pressed against his back. The redhead returned his gaze. They stared at each other for what felt like forever. Something inexplicable happened between them. Something neither one knew could even happen. For just a second, they felt like just one person. It only lasted for a second. The moment passed, but they kept on looking at each other.

"You said you don't like the sun", Naruto said quietly. Gaara smirked as he replied.

"I don't. But that doesn't mean I don't need it."

The blonde watched the other man for a while longer, before turning back towards the setting sun. And as he spoke again, it was impossible not to hear the hurt in his voice.

"If you need it, why would you leave it? Why would you leave your sun?"

Gaara might've flinched. He wasn't sure. But he quickly overcame it and tightened his hold around the other one. He then turned his gaze upwards, towards the sky.

"Look up", he said.

Naruto slowly turned to see the sky. He was amazed by the way it looked. In the direction of the sunset, the sky was a beautiful, deep color of red and orange. In the opposite direction, it was already a dark navy blue, with a hint of jet black slowly creeping in. And in the middle…in the middle, those two clashed. The two opposites clashed, forming colors that only they together could form.

"Do you see the moon?" Gaara then asked.

Naruto glanced around the sky. He couldn't find it. Not at first, anyway. It seemed like it wasn't there at all. But as he turned towards the darker part of the sky, he could see a round, faint shine, rising from behind the skyline. A perfectly round full moon was slowly making its way up to the deep blue sky.

"Yeah. I see it", he then stated. Gaara nodded and gave him a smile.

"Good. Do you know why the moon shines?" he then asked.

Naruto frowned slightly. He felt confused. He didn't understand. But he also didn't let it bother him. Instead, he answered the question.

"It reflects sunlight."

Gaara nodded again. He then turned the two of them so that they could see both parts of the sky properly, still not letting go of the blonde.

"Yeah. The moon needs the sun. Otherwise it won't shine. It doesn't have its own light. Without the sun, it would be meaningless", the redhead spoke.

Naruto tilted his head enough to once again see him. He just waited for him to continue.

"They share the same sky. The same light. The moon will always need its sun. But it can't have it." Gaara said.

Naruto still said nothing. Just waited. The redhead turned his gaze down from the sky, and into the blonde's eyes.

"It can't have it, because the sun always sets before the moon reaches the sky."

The blonde stopped breathing, not even realizing it. For a second, air didn't exist to him. But then again, not much else did either. Apart from the man still holding him. Since he wasn't stupid, he knew what the man was saying. And he hated that it made sense. He hated that they were the sun and the moon. He hated that the two could never reach each other.

"Couldn't it reach it if it just tried hard enough?" Naruto asked.

His voice broke. He tried to keep it whole, but couldn't. Gaara brushed aside the blonde hair hiding his face.

"Maybe. But it wouldn't matter even if it did", he then said.

Naruto fought against something he hadn't felt in years. A burning behind his eyes and a salty taste in his mouth.

"Why?" he asked.

Gaara noticed the look in his blue eyes. Seeing it made it harder for him to answer the question.

"Because the moon doesn't have anything to give the sun. The sun doesn't need the moon."

Something happened. Something Naruto hadn't expected to ever happen again. A single tear slid down his cheek, to his jaw, and eventually to the ground. It left a wet streak on his face. He was too shocked to dry it away. The redhead did it for him. And even though there were no more tears to shed, something inside his chest became painful enough to force the blonde to crouch down to the ground. The redhead lowered himself next to him, and pulled him into his arms. And there they sat, on the edge of a ledge, in front of the whole city, holding each other. The sun was gone by then. The moon had reached the sky, but missed the sun again. And knowing that's how it would always be, they both cursed the sky for its cruelty.

Sasuke sat on a bench in the hallway, in front of the courtroom. He glanced at his watch. It was 8 pm already. It'd been a long damn day. And wasn't even over yet. To be honest, he'd found the day a lot tougher than he'd expected. And it wasn't just because of the hours of delay. Also the fact that he didn't know how he'd feel about the verdict played a part.

He'd thought about it. A lot. He'd wondered how he'd feel if the redhead did get sentenced to prison. Again. He'd come to the conclusion that he'd feel shitty for Naruto. He knew that if they threw Gaara back into prison, the blonde would have a mental breakdown. And even though he didn't care about the redhead, he cared about Naruto. Seeing him hurt was always fucking terrible. The blonde might've been a total idiot and an absolute asshole that day, but he tried to understand him. He had a hunch that the man wasn't coping that well. That's why he'd tried to keep his distance, and give the blonde some space.

But then there was the possibility that Gaara wouldn't be sentenced at all. That he'd be freed of all charges and walk away a free man. Sasuke had mixed feelings about it. Since he knew that the man actually was a murderer, he wasn't sure if it was okay to wish he didn't go to prison. But there was another side to that. Sasuke was a murderer too. He'd killed a man. A long time ago. And he felt it'd been a justified thing to do. So in all honesty, he wasn't really the best guy to actually determine who belonged to prison and who didn't. Ironic, considering that he was a homicide investigator.

In the end, Sasuke had decided not to have an opinion on the final verdict whatsoever. It wasn't his business. He didn't really care. He just hoped that whatever the verdict turned out to be, Naruto wouldn't just simply shatter into a million pieces. Because he knew he'd be the one to pick them up.

Although, there would be pieces to pick up, anyway. The redhead was leaving, after all.

The raven had to admit that as he'd arrived to the courthouse, and seen the redhead, he'd been surprised. He hadn't expected him to come. Hitmen usually weren't big fans of their trials. And of all the hitmen Sasuke had ever encountered, Gaara absolutely was the most dangerous one. His dedication to killing people was so strong, Sasuke had doubted the man would come to the trial. Especially after the talk they'd had. The look on the man's face after hearing what Sasuke had to say, had been something he'd interpreted as realization. As if he'd realized Sasuke had been right. Thus he'd figured the man wouldn't show up at all.

But he'd been wrong. The man had showed up. He went through with it. And Sasuke knew it wasn't about work ethic. That was bullshit. It was something else. Something way more important. Even if he was leaving after the trial, something had driven him to show up there. The guy wouldn't have risked life in prison, even death, just for damn work ethics.

Sasuke sighed. He'd sat on his ass way too long for it to be even remotely comfortable. The jury had been away for two hours already. That was quite a long time. It seemed like they were having trouble making a unanimous decision. Sasuke sure hoped they'd make one. Otherwise the trial would just start all over again. He wasn't really up for that.

Sasuke stood up. He had to stand on his feet for a change. And even though he knew it shouldn't take much longer for the jurors to finally either make up their mind, or conclude they couldn't, the pale man decided to make his way outside. He needed a damn cigarette. Also, he hadn't seen Naruto since they left the courtroom. Finding him wasn't a bad idea.

Sasuke made his way downstairs, down the steps leading to the exit, and eventually stepped outside. It was dark already. The air was surprisingly warm, even though the sun was long gone. Sasuke glanced up at the sky. A beautiful full moon had come to replace the hot sun of early summer. The moon seemed to shine exceptionally bright that evening. It lit up the streets brighter than the streetlamps. Sasuke stopped to wonder why that was, but eventually dismissed the thought as his imagination.

He sat himself on the last step of the courthouse entrance. The stone surface felt cold under him, but he ignored it. Sasuke took out a pack of cigarettes, picked one out and lit up. He took a deep drag, before letting the smoke slip out from between his lips. The grey, thick curtain of smoke stayed to hang in the air for a while, before a gust of wind took it away. Sasuke just replaced it with another exhale of smoke.

The pale man glanced around him, hoping his eyes would catch a glimpse of blonde hair somewhere nearby. With a quick glance, he found nothing. But after a while of scanning around, his eyes met an unexpected sight, not too far from him.

Just a few hundred feet away from the courthouse, only barely visible in the darkness, Sasuke could make out two figures. They sat on the ground, on a hill-like spot. A ledge, actually. It was a beautiful spot. Sasuke knew, as he'd stood there once and watched the city seven years ago. At the same man's trial.

Even from the distance he was looking from, Sasuke could almost positively say it was the two men who'd been missing for quite a while. They just sat there, pretty close to each other. They sat so still that Sasuke wasn't sure if they were even talking. After a while of watching, he could hear distant laughter. He recognized it as the blonde's voice. So apparently, they were talking. About what, he couldn't tell. He was too far away to hear them.

Sasuke smoked silently, and watched the two men. After his cigarette had burned out, he threw it away and stood up. He decided he'd have to go and tell them to get back. They'd been away for almost two hours, and it couldn't take much longer for the jury to make a decision. And with that in mind, Sasuke started walking towards them. He'd reached about halfway, when he stopped. Stopped and just stared. He saw something unexpected.

On top of the hill, nearly on the edge of the ledge, there was an old, tall cherry tree. Its lightly pink flowers glinted in the moonlight, reflecting the light just slightly. And below that tree, leaning against its trunk, sat Gaara. The shocking part about it was the weak, but still genuine smile on his lips. Sasuke had never seen him smile. He'd never thought the man even knew how to smile. And seeing it was somewhat disturbing, yet…charming. In a weird, twisted way.

And it didn't take long for Sasuke to realize the reason to that smile. Also below the tree, sitting between the redhead's legs and leaning against his chest, was Naruto. Talking with a smile on his face, chuckling every now and then. He had a cigarette between his lips, smoke slipping out slowly. The redhead reached to take it from him. Naruto rushed to take one more drag. And Gaara let him. Holding the cigarette between his fingers, the redhead let the other one take a drag, before taking it away and placing it between his own lips.

Naruto tilted his head upwards, to see the other man. His look was returned. The blonde said something. Whatever it was, made the paler one chuckle. Naruto laughed. Wholeheartedly. Sasuke could hear that. He heard the happiness in his laughter. He saw the peace in his smile. And that's when Sasuke realized something that made him feel nauseous.

He'd been wrong. He'd been completely wrong.

Saying that Gaara had nothing to give him, had been bullshit. Sasuke had never seen the blonde that happy. He had never seen him smile that genuinely, or heard him laugh that deeply. He'd been so wrong. His will to protect Naruto had ended up just hurting the blonde. And he felt like throwing up for that. For making a mistake like that. When saying that Naruto was the most important thing he had, he wasn't lying. The blonde was his brother. More than what his biological brother ever had been. Naruto had stood by him even when Sasuke had pushed him away. He hadn't given up. And Sasuke would forever owe him for that. That's why he always went so far to protect him. That's why he always did his everything to make sure the blonde wouldn't be so fucking miserable all the time.

And that's why he'd told the redhead to leave. So there wouldn't be people in Naruto's life that he didn't really need. Who took from him, but had nothing to give back. And that's what he'd really thought. That Gaara had nothing to give to him. But that smile on his face, that idiotic grin on Naruto's face…it was something Sasuke hadn't seen in over fifteen years. Even he hadn't made him smile like that. But Gaara had. And now he was leaving.

"Shit", the raven hissed to himself.

He felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. He wanted to slap the shit out of himself. He'd fucked up. So bad. And was pretty damn sure he had no way of fixing this. He knew for a fact that the redhead was the kind of guy who made up his mind about something, and then stuck to it. If he'd already decided to leave, he would leave. Period. Sasuke could've begged on his fucking knees for him to not leave, and he still would. He didn't know if the man had told Naruto about it yet. But if he had, and was still leaving, it meant that even the only person who could've changed his mind, hadn't succeeded. Sasuke had zero chance in fixing this. And knew it.

Sasuke stared at the two of them. At the fucking happiness radiating from Naruto. At the actual, genuine fucking smile on Gaara's face. Even though he kind of felt replaced by the redhead, Sasuke absolutely hated himself. For what he'd done, he actually deserved to get replaced.

Naruto leaned against the redhead, his gaze directed at the navy blue night sky. He stared at the moon shining upon them. The longer he watched, the more he hated it. The moon, that is. He hated it like he hated Gaara. Deeply, truly and unconditionally. But as he kept on watching, he also kind of wanted it to be there. Just like he wanted Gaara to be there. Now, tomorrow and forever.

The sad thing was that only the moon would actually be there now, tomorrow and forever. By tomorrow, Gaara would be gone.

"We shouldn't actually be here, you know", Naruto muttered, still gazing at the sky. Gaara smirked.

"Don't you wanna be here?" he asked.

Naruto's neck was starting to hurt from staring at the damned moon. He had to lower his gaze down.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be", he then stated honestly.

Gaara's smirk faded away, as his eyes softened like melting honey. God he hated how cute that blonde thing was.

"Yeah. Me neither", he muttered, and reached to run his fingers through a mess of blonde hair.

Gaara was well aware of his uncharacteristic behavior. He'd said things he hadn't even known he could, he'd touched the blonde in ways that were way beyond wanting to undress him and he'd felt things he hadn't known existed. But in the end, he didn't care. He was leaving. Or going back to prison. Either way, he'd be seperated from the blonde. For good. Forever. So if this was his last chance to do those things, he wanted to do them. If this was his last chance to say those things, he wanted to say them.

He knew he'd never find something like this again. He'd never find someone like him again. He'd never feel anything like this again. In all honesty, he probably wouldn't feel anything at all again. Everything he was capable of feeling, he'd dedicated to the blonde. And that's how it would always be.

"We really should go back", Naruto said, and turned his head to see the redhead. Gaara nodded.

"Yeah."

Before they had the chance to actually act on that thought, a voice called out for them.

"Oi. Twats."

Both men flinched and turned to see the one calling. Sasuke was halfway up the hill, making his way towards them. In the split of a second, Naruto moved away from Gaara, and the redhead stumbled to get up. Their comical hurrying was certainly fun to watch. But Sasuke said nothing about it.

"What time is it?" Naruto asked, as he tried to get dirt off his clothes. Kind of failing. Wow, what a look for a courtroom.

"Past eight. You should get back already. I doubt it'll take much longer anymore", Sasuke stated. Naruto nodded frantically.

"Yeah, yeah. Totally. Right, c'mon", he muttered and immediately started making his way back towards the courthouse.

Gaara and Sasuke watched him go. The redhead raised a brow.

"Yo. Blondie. You left all your shit here", he called after the blonde.

Naruto didn't even stop walking, he simply turned around midwalk, and marched back. After making it up the hill again, and nearly dying on the way from lack of air, he glanced at the ground.

"Right. My phone. And keys. And lighter. And absolutely everything I own. I actually might need these", he muttered, while shoving his stuff back into his pockets.

Gaara tried to hide his amusement. As did Sasuke. Both failed, and Naruto got the pleasure of walking away escorted by bursts of laughter.

The three of them had made it back inside. No decision had been made while they were gone. Actually, they had waited for thirty more minutes by the time Naruto was almost falling asleep. Sitting on a bench, unknowingly leaning against Gaara, the blonde drifted in and out of sleep. As unprofessional as it was, he was so tired he could've slipped into a coma. It'd been a long day, after all.

To be honest, Gaara was kind of content the blonde was –kind of– asleep. When unconscious, he couldn't have a mental breakdown. Which was good. But that didn't mean Gaara couldn't have one. He wasn't really that far from one. Actually, to be exact, it wasn't as much of a mental breakdown, as it was stressing to the point of wanting to kill everything around him. Well, almost everything. Kinda funny, considering that's what'd brought him there in the first place.

Gaara let his head fall against the wall behind him. A tired sigh escaped his lips. Sasuke, who sat on the other side of Naruto, glanced at the redhead. Gaara tried to ignore it, but eventually turned to face him.

"What?" he asked.

He didn't sound pissed off, but definitely irritated and tired. Sasuke lowered his gaze. The redhead saw that there was something weird about the other man. But he wasn't going to ask about it. If the man wanted to tell him, he'd listen. And after a while, Sasuke did tell.

"I fucked up."

Gaara turned to see him again, frowning. He said nothing. Just waited for him to continue. Sasuke was silent for a while. He then glanced around them, making sure nobody was near enough to hear them, before speaking again.

"I fucked up. I was wrong. About you."

The redhead would've probably fallen off the bench, hadn't he been too tired to do that. He wasn't sure which was more shocking; the fact that Sasuke admitted being wrong, or that he actually said it out loud. Gaara still said nothing, just stared at the man like he was completely insane. The raven turned his gaze away again. He sure as hell didn't feel comfortable talking about this with the redhead, but he had to try.

"I still fucking despise you. I don't like you. And I never will. But this isn't about me. This is about him", Sasuke spoke, and nodded towards the blonde.

Gaara glanced at Naruto. The man was still leaning against him, probably fast asleep. Slightly drooling. Fucking delightful. But regardless of that, he seriously was the prettiest fuckin' thing he'd ever seen. Gaara didn't voice that thought. He turned back towards Sasuke, still silently waiting for him to talk.

"I don't know what the hell it is about you, but for some fucked up reason, you make that idiot happy. He's never been happy, you know. Never. Not before you came along", Sasuke said, gazing at the floor.

The ice in Gaara's eyes melted just slightly. He turned to stare at the floor as well. He did that silently for a while, before finally speaking.

"Nah. You were right."

Sasuke glanced at him, and frowned. The redhead grunted.

"I hate to admit it, but you were right. I have nothing to give him. I'm just gonna get him killed", Gaara muttered, once again turning to see the blonde. He fought against the urge to bury his fingers in the man's hair.

"I don't wanna do that. I'm leaving so he won't die", Gaara said, still gazing at Naruto.

Sasuke's lips parted, taken aback. He suddenly realized that the redhead wasn't leaving just because he thought there was nothing he could give Naruto. He actually wanted to take their death away with him. He was ready to sacrifice himself for the blonde. He actually cared about him. He didn't just use him to stay alive himself. He wanted to protect him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at himself. At his own idiocy. And that was an advanced level of idiocy.

"Don't leave him", he suddenly said.

Gaara shot him an odd look. He looked like somebody had just told him the world was going to end.

"What?" he asked after a while of staring. Sasuke turned to face him.

"I hate you. I wish you would just disappear from the face of earth. But you make that twat happy. That's enough reason for me to ignore my personal opinions of you. Don't leave him. Just…don't", the raven muttered.

Gaara just stared at him. For a long time, he did nothing but stared. At first, he had no idea how to respond to that. After all, it'd been Sasuke who'd driven him to the decision of leaving. Not because he particularly cared about the man's opinions, but because it'd made him realize it was actually true. He'd have to leave. He'd have to leave so the blonde wouldn't die.

After a while of silent staring, the redhead turned his gaze away.

"I'm leaving. I ain't changing my mind", he then stated.

Sasuke let out a desperate sounding breath. He hunched slightly over and pressed his palms against his face. When deciding to voice the mistake he'd made, he'd already known it wouldn't make the man change his mind. He'd known it'd be in vain. But at least he'd tried. It just didn't work. And he would have to live knowing that for the rest of his life. How he'd ever be able to tell Naruto it was his fault Gaara was leaving, he didn't know. Maybe he never would tell. And that made him even more ashamed. On top of being a complete asshole, he would be a coward as well. Fuckin' fantastic.

The discussion didn't go any further, as the doors of the courtroom opened up with the screech of old hinges. All those waiting in the hallway turned to see a woman step out.

"The jury has returned. A decision has been made", she stated.

Sasuke glanced at Gaara. The man's eyes had grown cold again. His face was as stoic as ever, not a hint of emotion evident. But even then, Sasuke had a hunch that was only the surface. Inside, he probably wasn't that calm.

And the raven was right. As the woman made her announcement, every muscle in the redhead's body tensed up. His ice cold surface was in place, but inside, he was ready to run through a window, walk away and never look back. But he couldn't do that. And the reason for that was still asleep, leaning against his shoulder. Gaara glanced at the blonde. He hated to do it, but had to wake the man up.

"Yo. Blondie. Wake up."

Nothing happened. With a roll of his eyes, Gaara lifted his hand, reached towards the blonde, and then gave him a gentle flick on the forehead. With a start, the blonde woke up.

"I'm awake", the blonde hurried to say, not really knowing what he was babbling. Gaara had to smirk.

"Hey, sleepin' beauty. Time to go", he said.

Naruto shook his head to rid himself of sleep, before glancing around. He noticed that the courtroom doors were open, and the hallway was empty. Even Sasuke had gone in. Realizing what that meant, Naruto slumped against the wall, letting out an anxious sigh. He then turned to face the redhead. There was nothing on the man's face that indicated he was afraid. Naruto wasn't sure if it was just an act or not, but he still felt the need to say something. After a while of silence, Naruto turned away again.

"If I failed, I want you to know that…I'm sorry", he muttered, his voice low and raspy.

Gaara frowned. Somehow he felt angry to hear him say that. And he had only one reply to give.

"Shut up."

Naruto turned to look at him. The redhead watched him with stern eyes, seemingly pissed off. But eventually, he gave a small smirk. Naruto looked at him, not knowing what to say. In the end, he returned the smirk with a smile. No words were really needed.

Gaara then stood up, and waited for Naruto to do the same. Once the blonde rose to stand, they started walking towards the courtroom. Before stepping in, Gaara stopped to stand still. The blonde came to halt as well, and glanced at the other man. The redhead didn't look his way, but had something to say.

"No matter what happens, I'll never forget you. And that's gonna hurt like a motherfucker. So if there's something you wanna feel sorry about, it's that."

And then he walked away. Naruto stayed behind to watch him go. Only when two men came to shut the doors, did he follow the redhead. He seated himself down next to Gaara. And even though he knew it might look strange, Naruto pulled his seat closer to the redhead's. The man glanced at him briefly, before turning away again. But Naruto saw the small, kind of sad smirk that came to decorate the other's lips. The redhead closed his eyes, letting out a hasty breath. And that was his way of telling, it hurt already.

Five minutes later the judge stepped into the room. As did the jurors. The twelve jury members flooded in through a door at the back of the room and walked to take their seats. Naruto watched them sit silently, all staring straight ahead. There was no emotion to read on their faces. They all just sat still, tensed up and stoic. The blonde had no idea how this would end. And it made him anxious beyond words.

The judge went to take his stand. He seated himself down, cleared his throat, and banged his gavel.

"All rise", the man's low voice rumbled through the room. And so the room rose to stand.

"The jurors have come to a conclusion. A unanimous one. The final verdict will be declared immediately", the man stated.

Naruto let out a breath he wasn't aware of holding in. The decision was unanimous. That was good. This hell would finally come to an end. And let another one begin.

"Apart from the defendant, you may all be seated", the judge permitted.

Everybody sat back down, while Gaara remained standing. Naruto glanced at him. Even though the redhead tried not to, he ended up returning the glance. And fear shone through his poison green eyes. Only Naruto knew him well enough to see that. The blonde would've wanted to say something, do something, to make it better for him. But he couldn't. Neither did he know what possibly could've made anything better. Most likely nothing.

"Jury, please state your verdict", the judge requested.

A man sitting at the end of the jurors' bench stood up. He had an envelope in his hand. Naruto's breath suddenly stopped flowing. He watched the man, he watched the envelope. And the longer he watched, the stronger the terror inside him grew to be. This was it. This was the final verdict. This would determine how Gaara would live the rest of his life. And that wasn't even the most terrifying part of it all.

Naruto had a sudden realization. If the verdict turned out to find him guilty, he would lose Gaara to prison. He would lose him to concrete walls, iron bars and plexi glass. But at least he would know where the man was. He would know the man was behind walls, bars and glass.

If the verdict turned out to find him not guilty, he would lose Gaara to the entire world.

Somehow that thought became more horrifying than having him locked up and restrained for the rest of his life. The redhead would be free, but he would also be gone for good. Fuckin' forever. He wouldn't have a clue where Gaara was, what he was doing. If he even was alive. That would be hell. That would be his own, personal hell.

Naruto turned to see Gaara again. The man didn't look his way. But as the blonde looked at him, he realized maybe he didn't want the man to win after all. That was a selfish thing to wish for. So fucking selfish. But he couldn't help it. As the juror standing up finally tore the envelope open, took out a piece of paper and cleared his throat to speak, Naruto was on the verge of losing his shit. For just a passing, small second he actually considered interrupting them. Interrupting and telling the truth. About Gaara, about everything.

But that second was quickly gone. He couldn't do that to him. He couldn't be that selfish. He stayed quiet, casting away his disturbing thoughts, and just waited. Waited for the few seconds of silence to pass, before the juror finally spoke up.

"For the first degree murders of seven people, the defendant Sabaku Gaara has been found…"

The man paused to open the folded piece of paper, glanced at it, and finished his sentence.

"…not guilty."

And that's how Naruto's personal hell broke lose.

* * *

**Isn't that nice? No prison. Just hitmen and mobsters anymore. How delightful.**

**Now that I've gotten the trial shit done, more exiting things are gonna happen in a chapter or two. Yay.**

**Hope ya enjoyed. *kiss***


	32. One More Night

It was dead silent. Nobody moved, nobody breathed. It was as if time had stopped.

Naruto stared straight ahead, his eyes empty and mind wiped blank. The words of the juror echoed inside his head, over and over again. The meaning of them took longer to reach him, than the words themselves. But as his mind eventually processed the reality of it, he felt…empty. Hollow.

Naruto turned to see the redhead standing next to him. His lips were parted, and eyes filled with vague confusion. But it only lasted for a second. Before anybody else had the chance to see the brief change in him, it was gone. His eyes grew cold again, his face stoic and all emotion disappeared. Naruto tore his gaze away and lowered it to the ground. He didn't know how to feel. So he felt nothing.

"I hereby declare that the defendant is cleared of all charges pressed", the judge stated, finally breaking the heavy silence.

The loud bang of his gavel echoed around the room, finalizing the decision. Although the verdict was supposed to be the end of confusion and uncertainty, not one soul in that room felt at ease. Even the jurors, who'd been the ones to make the decision, suddenly seemed conflicted. It was as if voicing the verdict brought up the fragility of it. The fragility of truth. How vague of a definition it really was. Judging by the time the jury had taken to actually come to a conclusion, the whole thing had been like poking a stick into darkness. All of them clueless of what actually should've been done. It'd been a complete gamble. A damn risky one at that.

The judge turned towards Gaara, giving him a mixed look of confusion and uncertainty. Naruto could've sworn he saw a flash of regret as well.

"Sabaku, you are free to go", the man then said, forcing a small smile. It was quick to vanish.

Gaara said nothing, did nothing. Just stood still and stared straight forward. Naruto wondered what was going on inside his head. Because there sure as hell wasn't much going on inside his. The blonde felt completely empty. No emotion stirred awake. It made him slightly confused and even panicked, as he was beginning to think he wouldn't feel anything at all. But then it came. A massive wave of fear hit him like lightning. His hands clenched into fists, and shook unintendedly with anxiety.

He suddenly no longer wanted Gaara to be freed of all charges. He wanted him to go to prison. He wanted to know where the man was. He didn't want to let go. Only it was too late now.

The room remained quiet for a while longer. After several seconds of still, heavy silence, an angry voice spoke up.

"Like hell he is."

Naruto was quick to turn around. What he saw wasn't really what he'd expected. Even though it probably should've been.

A yakuza had risen to stand up, his hand reaching for something from the shaft of his boot. And soon he stood there with a large army knife in his hand, his face twisted in obvious fury. Knowing what would come, the blonde jolted to stand up. He felt like he had to do something, yet didn't know what. The man with obviously harmful intentions wasted no time to come forward. Not bothering to consider any type of rationality, he ran over the benches, no sign of sanity left in his eyes. Naruto had no idea what to do. At least the judge was quicker to act than last time.

"Guards!"

The three guards that'd tried their best to separate Naruto and Hyuuga, rushed to stop the man running around with the knife. But since they hadn't succeeded even in separating the two attorneys, they had zero chance to stop this guy. He was a hitman. Of course they didn't.

The man had no trouble pushing his way through the men trying to stop him. One of the guards was persistent enough to hang onto his clothes. It turned out to be a fateful decision. Before the man even had a chance to realize it, his grip had already faltered as a result of getting stabbed in the chest. As the guard then collapsed to the floor bleeding, the whole room became a chaos of screaming jurors.

"Shoot him, damn idiots", the judge roared at the two remaining guards.

The men pulled out their guns and took their aim, but were too late. The yakuza had already reached Gaara, stepped behind him and pressed the blade against his throat. Naruto watched the redhead in horror. Gaara didn't seem bothered by it at all. The extent of his composure was in fact ridiculous, even disturbing.

"Get back, fuckers", the yakuza growled, pressing the blade harder against Gaara's throat.

It made a small cut, letting out a trickle of blood. The blonde wasn't capable of moving. An inch in the wrong direction, and the redhead would get killed. He knew that. At a complete loss of what to do, he just stared at him. Gaara stared back. It was as if he was waiting for something. Waiting for permission. Permission from Naruto to do what he did best. And finally, after a long time of not knowing what to say, the blonde gave him what he wanted.

"Do something."

A subtle, yet sick grin came to decorate the redhead's lips. Naruto could see the enjoyment of inflicting pain on other's light up behind his eyes. Even though an entire courtroom of people watching Gaara mercilessly unleash his true nature upon a fellow man probably didn't look too good, it didn't matter anymore. He was free already.

Before the yakuza even knew it, Gaara had thrown him over his head, onto the table in front of them. The table's legs easily gave out, collapsing to the floor. It took the yakuza a couple of seconds to realize what'd happened, but before the guards had a chance to actually shoot him, he was back up, and too close to Gaara for them to fire. They couldn't risk hitting the redhead. Though the sick enjoyment on Gaara's face begged to differ, it was not a fun situation at all.

Guns still raised and aimed, a guard rushed to call for backup. The one answering his message had a hard time believing there truly could be need for backup again. But as the guard lifted the device up, letting the screams of civilians reach the other end of the line, they were quick to comply.

The jurors were frantically standing up, intending to leave for safety. The chaotic situation quickly turned the man waving the knife around even more dangerous. It turned out that he carried firearm on him as well. Taking out a handgun, he pointed it towards the jurors, then giving clear, threatening orders.

"Nobody fucking leaves. Sit the _fuck_ down!"

And nobody left. They all sat down again, half of them shedding tears, the other half probably wetting themselves. The only ones not about to keel over in fear were yakuza, Naruto and Gaara. They weren't afraid, just pissed beyond words. The blonde gave the redhead a demanding look, telling him to take care of the situation. Quickly. It seemed that he was still holding back. Naruto didn't really blame him, but this couldn't go on any further. It would only lead to more trouble. And since it seemed like the damn backup was taking forever, the only one who could do something was Gaara.

With a sigh, the redhead glanced at the yakuza standing behind him, taking cover from the guards. Gaara knew there was a knife pressed against the back of his neck. But at least the gun was pointing the other way, towards the jury. Knowing he had to act fast, the redhead closed his eyes for just a second, taking a deep breath for concentration.

And as he opened his eyes again, it took less than a second for him turn around, rid the yakuza of his gun and shove him against the stand behind them. The man's head collided with the wooden surface, making him shut his eyes in pain. He was clearly taken aback by the perfection of the redhead's reflexes. But despite everything happening in mere seconds, it didn't take long for the man to try and defend himself.

He raised the hand holding the knife, intending to bring it forward. Gaara wasn't as fast to react as he would've liked to be, but fast enough. He got hold of the knife before it was directed straight at him. Too bad he got hold of the blade. It cut open his palm, and had he said it wasn't painful, he would've lied. But his mind wasn't present to mind the pain. He was simply content he'd stopped the stab. It was enough for him to take the knife away from the man. He threw it away. It hit the floor with a clang and slid further away, to a safe distance.

As the yakuza realized he got in fact disarmed in less than 30 seconds, he finally became sensible enough to panic. There was no real need for that, to be honest. Gaara wouldn't kill him there. At least that's what Naruto thought.

But it seemed like the redhead was enjoying this just a little too much. Even though the yakuza was already unarmed and posed no real threat anymore, Gaara grabbed him by the throat. The yakuza's eyes widened in horror. And since the man was a midget compared to the redhead, Gaara easily lifted him up with the strength of just one hand. The yakuza kicked the thin air beneath him, his back pressed against the stand, no air flowing in or out.

Naruto's jaw dropped. He could only question if the redhead truly was an utter moron. Or perhaps he'd simply lost the last of sense in that twisted mind of his. Either way, the blonde knew he had to get him to stop. He sure as hell didn't go through the most difficult trial in the history of all trials, only to see Gaara fuck it up.

"Oi. Let him down", Naruto hissed, stepping to stand next to Gaara.

Even though he stood only inches away from him, the man gave no sign of acknowledgment to Naruto. The lack of it made the blonde grit his teeth in a mess of annoyance and rising anxiety. He would've liked to believe Gaara wasn't in fact about to commit manslaughter in a courtroom, but had come to doubt that.

"Are you a complete fucking idiot? If you kill him, I ain't gonna be your damn lawyer again. Get it?" he growled.

He still got no acknowledgment. Gaara kept on choking the other man, his face blank as a sheet of white paper. After a few seconds, the yakuza stopped struggling. His body went limp, head fell to hang low and eyes fluttered shut. Naruto could only stare at the redhead in shock, jaw hanging open in utter disbelief. Had he possibly overestimated the man's intelligence?

Gaara let go of the man as soon as he stopped struggling, letting him fall to the floor. He then finally glanced at the blonde, yet gave no sign of remorse. Naruto's gaze clearly demanded an explanation. For the greater good, Gaara decided to give one.

"He ain't dead. Just unconscious. Since these guys don't know how to do their job, somebody has to", Gaara said, loudly enough for the guards to hear.

The two guards, one standing and still aiming his gun, and the other one crouching down, trying to save his colleague, both glanced at Gaara. Both men remained tense, but cast their eyes to the floor in some level of shame. Naruto could only imagine the dent their egos had suffered. They also seemed unable to determine if they were supposed to think of Gaara as a threat or not. But as the redhead went to just calmly sit down, they relaxed slightly.

The judge was horrified beyond words. As were the jurors. Nobody moved, not a word was spoken. There was nothing but disturbed gazes watching in terror and bodies shaking with fear. After a while, the judge concluded he had to say something.

"Dear Jesus. What…what the hell is wrong with this trial?" he stuttered, completely casting away the remains of professionalism.

Nobody could blame him. None of this really was a part of his profession, to be honest.

"Everybody evacuate. Get out, now", the man then stated.

Never before had anybody run as fast as the jurors did. The obviously frightened witness wasn't ashamed to push his way through others, in order to be the first one out. Sasuke left as well. Not panicked, but fast enough to show he wasn't comfortable in that room. The judge, guards, Gaara and Naruto stayed behind. The judge made his way down from the stand and towards the stabbed guard lying on the floor. He stopped to stand beside the injured man, an expression of absolute exhaustion washing over his features. It was clear to see that the judge felt too old for this shit.

"Call an ambulance. Now", he ordered.

The guard standing took it up to do as told. The one crouched beside his bleeding colleague was panicking. Of course he was. A man he worked with every single day was bleeding all over him. The judge seemed to be in some state of shock, or perhaps had simply gone beyond it. He just stared blankly at the slowly dying man, no particular expression on his face.

"How did this happen? How the hell did something like this happen?" he questioned, almost whispering.

The man glanced at Gaara. The redhead's back was turned towards him, but that didn't stop the old man from laying a disturbed look on him. Naruto couldn't have known for sure, but was almost positive the judge was truly questioning the verdict given. But even if that was the case, he must've known it was no use anymore. It was too late to have doubts. The man tore his gaze away soon, and laid it back on the guard who'd now gotten done calling for an ambulance.

"They're on their way. Ordered us to add pressure to the wound. Not much else we can do", the guard stated, still shaken. The judge nodded.

"Right. Thanks. Cuff the unconscious prick", he then growled, glancing at the yakuza lying on the floor.

With a nod, the guard grabbed a pair of cuffs and went over restrain the man. The judge shook his head in disbelief.

"This is the most fucked up trial I've ever seen. Most fucked up anybody has ever seen", he stated bluntly. It was probably true.

Naruto stood still, glancing between the judge and Gaara. The redhead remained stoic and calm. The judge was still visibly disturbed and horrified. The blonde knew that the way Gaara had acted had made the judge suspicious of him. But in all honesty, it didn't matter. There was nothing he could do about it anymore. Gaara had been declared innocent. And even though he'd nearly choked a man dead in front of several witnesses, it wasn't a crime. They guy didn't die. It wasn't for fun. It was self-defense. And there was a roomful of people who could testify that.

"Where the hell are the rest of the guards?" the judge asked, slowly losing the last of his composure.

And like magic, seven guards stepped through the doors. The judge jolted around to face them.

"What the hell took so damn long?! We have a dying guard, an unconscious violent lunatic and a full row of jurors crying in the hallway", the man roared.

The seven guards came to a halt. Every single one of them simply stopped to stare. Seven jaws hung open, seven pairs of eyes widened in horror. It took a while for any of them to regain their ability to speak.

"I…We are so sorry, your honor. The late hour made it difficult for us to get enough staff", the guard standing closest to them said. The judge didn't seem to accept his explanation.

"Shut your mouth. Instead of being further useless, take half of your men to the hallway, the other half stays here. And get me some real damn cops here. Now", the judge cut him off.

The old man's authority worked like magic. The seven guards rushed to do as told, suddenly somewhat efficient. Although it probably was too late now. The guard lying on the floor bleeding was no longer conscious. The blade must've punctured his lung. And by the looks of it, the lung had already collapsed. Since the man had already gone unconscious due to lack of air, his heart couldn't be far from giving out. His survival was unlikely. He would die.

Naruto looked at the dying man. The knife sticking out of his chest reminded Naruto of his own stab wound. It didn't exactly hurt much, but it did sting. That made him wonder if it'd started bleeding again. Most likely it had. He had to get it stitched. Otherwise it'd never heal.

Gaara left his seat to make his way to the blonde. He stopped to stand next to him, not saying much. They both just silently watched the chaos around them. Naruto sighed.

"Why did that moron have to go crazy? I could be out of here already", he muttered, glancing at the yakuza.

The man was still lying on the floor, cuffed and supervised by guards. The guy was slowly waking up, still half out there. Judging by slight bruising that'd already started to appear around his neck, Gaara had choked him hard enough for it to hurt for weeks. Naruto had to smirk at that.

"I think I wanna leave. We ain't needed here, right?" the blonde questioned.

Gaara shrugged. "Guess not."

Since that was the case, they slowly started to make their way towards the doors. About halfway through, the judge's voice called them out.

"Hey, guys! Don't wander away", he hollered, rushing to reach them. Naruto sighed again, even rolled his eyes.

"Are we really needed?" he muttered, not even trying to hide his boredom. The judge gave him a disapproving look.

"To be honest, you aren't. But Sabaku, I think the officers are gonna ask you a few questions", the man stated, giving Gaara a slightly anxious glance.

The redhead became instantly tense. He didn't like cops. He didn't like seeing them, hearing about them, and even less did he like talking to them. But he also knew there was no way around it. He glanced at the blonde.

"You go ahead", he said.

Naruto didn't reply at first. But eventually, after a while of hesitative staring, he asked a question.

"Do you want me to wait for ya?"

Gaara seemed slightly taken aback by it. As if the answer should've been obvious. The fact that Naruto came off as completely clueless of the answer, amused the redhead. He gave the other one a small smirk.

"Yeah", he then said, his eyes lingering on the blonde for just a moment longer, before turning away.

Naruto watched him go back towards the scene happening at the front of the room. Soon he turned around as well, and walked out the doors.

Naruto had made his way to the exit of the courthouse. As he stepped outside, the warm evening breeze gently hit his face. The blonde closed his eyes, inhaling a breath of fresh air. Surprisingly, it somewhat helped his shitty feeling. Compared to the courthouse, the outside was absolute freedom. And at the moment, that's what he needed.

Naruto lowered himself to sit on the courthouse's stone steps. He didn't mind the coldness of them. He took out a pack of cigarettes, placed one between his lips and reached to his pocket to grab his lighter. Upon finding it, he took it out, intending to light up. But the faint sound of metal hitting stone stopped his motions. Naruto glanced at the ground. Beside him, fallen from his pocket, was the locket Temari had given him. After a while of staring at it, the blonde took it into his hand. The silver chain of the locket had slightly tangled while moving around in his pocket. With cautious movements Naruto untangled it. And then he simply stared at it.

"Hn."

He opened it. The two familiar women stared back at him. As beautiful as last time. As still as last time. As tauntingly as last time.

Naruto frowned. He suddenly felt uneasy. It was as if the two women's stares became extremely demanding. The blonde knew why. They demanded him to give the locket to whom it belonged to. Naruto knew that. But he still wasn't sure if he could do that. He was still afraid it'd destroy everything he'd succeeded in building with Gaara. He didn't want to risk breaking it all. Not even for this.

With a grunt, Naruto shut the locket and put it back into his pocket. He then finally lit up the cigarette. After a deep inhale of toxic smoke, the blonde stood up and started walking away from the courthouse. He made his way across the road and to the spot they'd parked the rental car. Once reaching it, he stopped to stand before it. He considered seating himself inside the vehicle, but eventually sat down on the hood of the car instead. Naruto then lowered himself to lie on the cold surface. The clear night sky spread out above him, the moon splaying its glow onto the dark streets. A small, slightly pained smile found its way to the blonde's face. He truly hated the moon.

Naruto couldn't have laid there for more than a couple of minutes, before he heard footsteps coming his way. He slowly turned his head to see the one approaching. He hadn't really expected to see Gaara yet, but still found himself to be slightly disappointed when realizing Sasuke was walking his way. After watching him approach for a short while, Naruto turned his gaze back towards the sky.

"Hey, moron", Sasuke's low voice spoke. The blonde didn't reply right away. But he knew he'd have to, eventually.

"Hey, idiot", he muttered after a while.

Smoke slipped from between his lips when speaking. Sasuke soon reached his side and stopped to stand next to the car. He said nothing. Following his friends gaze, Sasuke turned to see the sky as well. He scanned around the pitch black scenery, stopping to watch a few exceptionally bright stars. A small grunt escaped his lips, as he tore his gaze away. Sasuke moved to take a seat on the car hood, next to the blonde. Naruto still said nothing, just kept on staring upwards. Sasuke glanced at him, before turning to see the stars again.

"They're watching, ya know. They're all watching", he said, oddly quiet. Naruto sighed.

"Yeah", he muttered, not particularly pleased. "I don't like it. I don't like them watching me fail again."

Sasuke glanced at his friend. He then lowered his head, pondering whether or not to ask his question. With a sigh, he lowered himself to lie as well, before eventually voicing his thoughts.

"What are you failing at?"

Naruto's jaw clenched unintentionally.

"Life."

Sasuke frowned, turning his head towards the blonde. For a while, he wasn't sure what to say. In the end, he just told the truth.

"You can't fail at life. You can only fail at living. You ain't living to the fullest, blondie. That's the only thing you're failing at."

Naruto slowly turned to face the raven. His brows furrowed in deep thought. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to think of it. It didn't sound ridiculous. Confusing, mainly.

"What am I doin' wrong then?" he asked after a while.

Sasuke tilted his head slightly. His answer wasn't something Naruto had expected to hear from him. Sasuke wasn't the kind of man to say such things. But it didn't sound wrong, either.

"You ain't doin' what your heart tells you to do."

Naruto's lips parted slightly in surprise. After a moment of being taken aback, he chuckled amused.

"Ain't you sentimental today", he said smirking.

Sasuke didn't find it amusing. Upon realizing the man was actually being serious, the blonde's smirk quickly faded away. Instead of making a joke out of it, he just waited for Sasuke to continue. The paler one turned his gaze away from Naruto, towards the sky again.

"You've stopped listening to your heart. That's the one talent you always had. The one thing that made you different from everybody else", the man spoke.

Naruto couldn't help but to be slightly shocked. Sasuke _really_ wasn't the kinda guy to say stuff like this.

"You've started thinkin' too much. Stop it. Stop rationalizing everything. Logic won't make you happy. Freedom will. Emotion will. Irrationality will. Now you're just throwing away your chance of being happy. Now you really are failing at living. Just cause you stopped using your talent", Sasuke spoke calmly, gazing at the sky.

Naruto just listened silently. Sasuke soon turned back towards the blonde again, giving him a demanding look.

"Don't lose it for good, blondie. You'll just regret it. And losing that talent is literally the only thing actually worth regretting", he then stated, determined to make it as clear as day.

Naruto knew he looked like an idiot. He simply stared at the other man, deeply confused and absolutely astonished. It wasn't just hearing Sasuke say things like that what he found unbelievable. More than anything, he was taken aback by the accuracy of it. How well it described the personal hell he was battling. How it made his every regret seem absolutely ridiculous. How the right thing to do wasn't about logic and rationality, but instead about what made him happy. And at that moment Naruto realized just how badly he'd fucked up.

Not being able to believe the extent of his own stupidity, Naruto shut his eyes in frustration and buried his face into the palms of his hands. A muffled mix of a grunt and a sigh escaped his lips.

"Fuckin' hell", he hissed.

It dawned on him just how truly narrow-minded he'd been. All this time he could've just done as he pleased. He could've just refused regret and do whatever the hell he wanted. Cause what did it matter anymore? He was going to die anyway. He was going to die soon, and for some fucked up reason he'd decided to live the last moments of his life pretending like he still had morals. Like he still had a sense of what was the right thing to do. And thanks to that, he'd fucked up so bad, it'd gone beyond repair. He couldn't fix it anymore. He wouldn't get Gaara to stay. He wouldn't survive being hunted by the mob. And most of all, he wouldn't die happy.

He would die alone and miserable. Probably insane, as well.

"It ain't too late", Sasuke said, trying to somehow comfort the blonde.

It wasn't much use. Naruto's anger and anxiety was through the roof already. And on top of that, the raven was wrong. It was too late. There was no way to fix it anymore.

"That's bullshit. You know that", Naruto growled, slightly shaking in the anger he felt towards himself.

Sasuke said nothing, just seemed somewhat sad. Naruto eventually revealed his face again, his lip trembling just slightly. Not because of sadness, but because of standing on the verge of a panic attack. He had to sit up. He couldn't lie down.

"I'm gonna die, Sasuke. And you can't deny that. You know it's true. I know it's true. I'm gonna die", he muttered, wrapping his arms around himself.

He suddenly felt so cold.

"But I don't mind that. I really don't. It doesn't bother me", he continued.

Sasuke sat up as well, watching the blonde with sad eyes. He said nothing, for he knew it wouldn't matter. He really couldn't deny it. And as much as he hated it, Naruto probably was right.

"I'm not afraid of dying. I'm not afraid of the pain, I'm not afraid of just disappearing. I don't regret making the decisions that brought me to this point", Naruto spoke.

He paused before speaking the truth that was most terrifying. The words almost got stuck in his throat. He forced them out.

"I only regret that I'm gonna die fucking miserable. Alone and miserable. Regretting that I fucked up the best thing that ever happened to me."

Sasuke's lips parted. His eyes became somewhat hurt, but also sympathetic. He knew Naruto wasn't talking about him. He wasn't talking about Sakura, either. He was talking about Gaara. And even though it did hurt to know that man had become more significant to the blonde than him, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to feel angry. He had no right, really. The redhead gave Naruto things he couldn't give. They had experienced things together that he and Naruto never would. He couldn't blame him.

And even though Sasuke had no accurate knowledge of what the blonde was talking about, he wasn't stupid. He knew Naruto had done something that was driving Gaara away. It wasn't just about Naruto surviving. It was something bigger. What it was, Sasuke didn't know. But he didn't have to. Knowing it hurt Naruto was enough information.

Also, the fact that he was partially at fault was undeniable. And that did make Sasuke feel ashamed. For a passing second, he considered telling about it. He considered admitting what he'd done. But in the end, the embarrassment was too much to overcome. He couldn't admit to it. He couldn't admit he'd been the one to tell Gaara to leave. That would most likely just break the blonde further. Sasuke knew he'd made a mistake, but also was aware that Naruto now needed the side of him that didn't make mistakes. Thus, he couldn't tell.

"You know…you ain't dead yet. You still have a chance to make the best of what you've got", Sasuke said after a wile of watching the anxious blonde. Naruto glanced at him.

"I've got nothing anymore. How can I make anything out of nothing?" he grunted.

Sasuke gave him a small smile. And he finally had words to say that could bring comfort to the other one.

"You've still got your heart. You can still listen to it."

Naruto's trembling stopped. He slowly turned to face the paler man. He just stared at him for a while, not saying anything. But even though he kind of wanted to prove him wrong, he couldn't. He actually couldn't, because the man was right. He might've not had much, but he didn't necessarily need much. He just needed his still beating heart and faith to listen to what it had to say. He could do that. He most definitely could.

Naruto returned the other's smile. Sasuke became instantly relieved to see that smile. Feeling like he'd done his job, the raven stepped down from the car hood. With a chuckle, he ruffled the blonde's hair.

"Don't lose it for good, blondie", he reminded the other one again.

Naruto nodded, a small smile on his lips. "I won't."

A short, calm silence followed. A light gust of wind passed them, warm air hitting their skins. It was as if nature itself was telling everything was okay now. As okay as it could be. That okay was more than enough.

"Are you leaving already?" Naruto soon asked. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah. The flight leaves at midnight. I have to be at work tomorrow morning", the man explained. Naruto nodded.

"Okay. I'm waiting till the morning. I'm too tired to fly tonight", he said sighing.

"I don't blame ya. It's been a long day. And…interesting", the raven chuckled.

Naruto laughed lightly as well. What else could he have done? Humor was the best cure for sadness and shittiness.

Sasuke said nothing more, as he gave one more smile and then turned to walk away. Naruto watched him go. But after just a few steps, Sasuke stopped. He didn't turn to face Naruto anymore, but did speak.

"Life won't end here, ya know. There is always the other side. You'll always get a second chance. You can wait for me there. You can wait for him there. He won't let you wait for long. He'll come after ya."

And then he walked away. Naruto was left to hold a breath that'd stuck in his throat. It wouldn't come out. But it didn't feel bad. He didn't feel sad. Even though he probably should've. But he just didn't. The words Sasuke had spoken to him weren't sad. Not to him. To him, they gave hope. Hope of a better tomorrow. Of another chance. Of seeing Gaara again. And most of all, it gave him hope of one day never having to let him go.

A small smile crept onto the blonde's lips. Dying didn't sound so bad after all.

Gaara stepped through the exit of the courthouse. He was surprised by the warm wind outside. He'd expected it to be colder. He had no complaints, really. He might've hated the summer for its heat and bright fuckin' sunshine, but the cool, yet somehow warm nights were to his liking. Dark and comfortable. Dangerous and calm. So many odd mixes, together becoming somewhat artistic.

The redhead stopped to stand on the steps of the courthouse. He scanned around to locate a certain blonde. It took a while, but eventually his gaze found the man across the road, sitting on the hood of the rental car. Gaara stared at him from a distance for a while. He couldn't help the small smirk that slipped onto his lips. Something about that moron made him smile. Smiling wasn't really his thing, but he couldn't help it. And , he'd stopped resisting it. Now he just gave in to the smile.

The redhead started making his way towards the blonde. As he came closer, Naruto turned to face him. His eyes visibly lit up. Gaara had to chuckle at it. The blonde seemed happier than he'd been when leaving the courtroom. He took that as a good sign.

Naruto left the car hood to stand in front of the car instead. The redhead raised a brow at his appearance. It seemed like the blonde was getting tired of his suit. He'd ridden himself of the jacket, untucked his shirt and loosened his tie to let it hang around his neck loosely. He didn't really look like lawyer material anymore, but Gaara actually liked it better this way. Professionalism had never really suited the blonde. Not as well, anyway.

Naruto threw his jacket over his shoulder, letting it hang down his back. He knew he looked like a mess, and judging by the redhead's amused smirk, it was very much evident. But Naruto couldn't bother to really care. As Gaara finally reached him, he stopped to stand a small distance away from the blonde. They then simply stared each other for a while, both smirking slightly.

"Hey", Naruto eventually said. Gaara let out a single small chuckle. "Hey."

Naruto took a step closer to him, stopping right in front of him. He tilted his head slightly.

"How'd it go?" he asked, referring to the talk with the officers. Gaara shrugged.

"Fine."

The blonde nodded, not asking any more about it. He didn't really care. There was something else he'd rather talk about.

"My flight won't leave before tomorrow morning", he stated, still smirking.

Gaara raised an amused brow. "Yeah?"

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah."

Gaara had a hunch of where this was going. He didn't mind, at all. Naruto stepped even closer, boldly ignoring all concepts of personal space. He then pointed towards the sky. The redhead gave him a questioning look.

"The moon is still up. You can't leave yet", Naruto stated.

Gaara's eyes suddenly softened. The blonde reached to take the other's hand into his. He got no protests. Naruto leaned closer to the other man, but apart from his hand, didn't touch him. Meaningful words fell from his lips.

"Not before the sun rises."

Gaara stared into his blue eyes, his gaze then traveling lower, stopping on his lips. Which were extremely close to his, he came to realize. There wasn't much he could say to that. In fact, only one thing came to mind.

"Okay."

The blonde brushed his lips against the paler one's. His lips then twisted into a smirk, and he pulled away. A displeased grunt escaped the redhead. Naruto had to chuckle.

Naruto knew he couldn't make Gaara change his mind. The man would leave. He would leave and they'd probably never see each other again. It was a thought that'd nearly taken him over the edge of sanity. He'd been losing his grip on his personality because of it. But thanks to Sasuke, he hadn't gone over that edge. He'd gotten back to his senses. He'd realized that even though the redhead would leave, even though he might never see the man again, he still had a little time left. He still had one more night. One more night to be happy. That was enough.

The back seat of the rental car was as uncomfortable as one would imagine. But it didn't really matter to them. They didn't care as much about the seat as they did about each other. They'd driven to the edge of the city, to a quiet place. There was little to no traffic and people. It was quiet, yet the distant sounds of the city hummed in the background. Naruto had decided to go and buy the liquor store empty. He felt like he deserved to be drunk. And there he sat, on the backseat of a car, next to Gaara, struggling to get open a bottle of beer.

It seemed he'd hurt his hand while bashing Hyuuga's face in, and opening the bottle in his grip turned out to be like climbing Mt. Everest with no legs. Nearly impossible.

"Moron. Give it to me", Gaara chuckled and yanked the bottle away from Naruto.

The blonde let out a displeased sound, ready to protest, but before he knew it, the bottle was open. Gaara handed it back to him. Naruto took it, yet stubbornly looking displeased.

"I loosened it", he muttered, before downing half of it.

Gaara chuckled. "Sure. Whatever ya say, angelface."

Naruto flipped him off, only to be laughed at again. But he soon smirked, anyway. He didn't actually mind the other's sneering at all. In fact, he would miss it more than he was prepared to admit.

"Want some?" Naruto asked, offering the bottle to the other one.

With a shrug, Gaara took what was offered. It would be an interesting ride back to the hotel.

"Sure."

Naruto fell silent for a while. He just stared out the window, deep in thought. Gaara lit up a cigarette, blowing smoke in his face, in order to get his attention.

"Did ya slip into a coma?" the man asked. Naruto shook his head. "Nah. Just thinking."

"About what?"

The blonde turned towards him. For a while, he wondered whether or not to tell him. There was something he wanted to ask the man. And considering this was his last chance, why not go for it?

"There's something I don't really understand", he stated.

Gaara raised a brow. He instantly knew what this was about, but didn't stop him.

"When you killed them. The Akatsuki. You left behind a shotgun that was actually traceable. But you never make mistakes. So I don't really get it", Naruto muttered, slightly afraid of the reaction he'd get.

He knew Gaara might not take the subject of the murders well. That's why he was fully prepared to suffer in some form of physical agony. But that never happened. Nothing painful happened. A sigh happened, instead. And that's how Naruto knew the man would actually answer.

"Hn. It was a statement, I guess", the redhead muttered. Naruto frowned. "A statement?"

Gaara was silent for a while. As if he was thinking back at it. His eyes hollowed because of the memory, but the emptiness soon filled with the little warmth he'd learned to show the blonde.

"Yeah. It was the first gun they gave me. I decided to return it. With a side of lead", he explained after a short while.

Naruto didn't really know what to say to that. He took it that the man had left the gun behind deliberately. Risky, to say the least. But then again, he had actually no idea what had gone on inside the man's head at the time. He sort of wanted to ask about it. In fact, there were a number of things he wanted to ask about. Things that still bothered him. Stuff that he never got the answer to. Considering that this was most likely his last chance to ask about any of it, he decided he would.

"Why did you leave a witness? Why didn't you kill the kid?" he questioned.

That was something he'd wondered about a lot. He doubted it had anything to do with just good nature or mercy. Gaara wasn't like that. He didn't have either one of those thing. So there had to be a reason.

The redhead grunted.

"I was curious", he muttered.

Naruto frowned. He didn't know what that was supposed to mean. Gaara seemed to realize his wonderment, and was kind enough to clarify.

"That kid was like me. He would've ended up one of us, hadn't I killed them all. I was just curious to see how he'd turn out. If his life would be any better", the man explained. Naruto was slightly confused.

"So it was just a test?" he questioned. The redhead nodded.

"Kinda. I was the one who gave him that ax, ya know", he then admitted, following it with a chuckle.

Naruto could've said that he understood, but that would've been a lie. He had absolutely no clue what the idea behind that had supposed to have been. Gaara knew he'd have to explain.

"I thought about killing the kid with it first. But I changed my mind. I wanted to see if he'd grow up to be anything better than the rest of humanity. So I gave him the ax and told him to keep it as a reminder of that day. I'm kinda surprised he actually did that", the man muttered.

Naruto had no idea what to say to that for a while. It seemed like Gaara had taken more than just a few risks back then. And for no apparent reason, it seemed.

"Did he live up to your expectations?" the blonde asked, not knowing what else to say. Gaara grunted.

"My expectations, yeah. My hopes? No", he stated.

Naruto was silent for a while. He started to wonder about all the deliberate mistakes the redhead had done that day seven years ago. He'd left a shotgun with his prints on it, just because he'd wanted to make a statement. He'd let a witness survive, because he'd suddenly felt like long term testing human behavior. And most disturbingly of all, even after all the mistakes, he'd let himself get caught. That was something Naruto had never understood. Gaara hadn't even tried to run away. He'd gone back home. He'd wanted to get caught.

"Why did you let them find you? You could've run away and stay hidden. But you let them find you. You rather went to prison. I don't get it", Naruto said, not being able to hold that wonderment back anymore.

Gaara glanced at him. The blonde wasn't sure he wouldn't get angry for a question like that. But he didn't. He smirked instead.

"Where else would I have gone?" he asked. The blonde frowned.

"Absolutely anywhere?" he suggested as an alternative.

Gaara huffed. He stared blankly ahead for a while, before shaking his head.

"It wouldn't have mattered. No matter where I went, I had nothing to live for anymore. I killed my purpose with my own hands. They were all I knew. It didn't matter if I was in prison or not. I had no reason to kill anymore. And killing has always been my only reason to stay alive", the man spoke.

Like always when speaking with sad words, his voice held no emotion. Not until he turned to the blonde, and gave him a weak smile.

"But I've found a new reason to kill", he said, oddly gently.

Naruto's lips parted just a little. Knowing the man was talking about him, it made him feel…important. It really did. In a different way than any other thing ever had. He'd never felt useless, but it was still a different kind of important than before. He couldn't help the small smile.

It faded away after a while though. There was one more question he wanted to ask.

"Why did you carry that shitload of weapons with you? Most of it ya didn't even use", he asked soon.

The redhead said nothing. It gave the blonde a nervous feel. And so did the suddenly grim look in the other's eyes. Most likely the blonde's technical question wasn't as trivial as he'd thought it'd be. It took a long time for Gaara to finally reply.

"It wasn't all mine. I didn't go in alone", the man said. Naruto frowned. It took him a while, but he soon realized what the redhead was talking about.

"You mean he was with you on it? Sasori, I mean", Naruto asked.

Gaara didn't look his way, but nodded. "Yeah."

The blonde stopped to think in silence. He hesitated for a long time, but eventually couldn't keep himself from asking. He wasn't sure if Gaara would answer this question. Actually, he wasn't sure the man wouldn't just shoot him. But he was willing to take that risk.

"Would you tell me about him?"

Gaara froze unintentionally. He shook the tension away fairly quickly. For a while, he said nothing. Naruto wasn't sure how the man would react. But it was more than a shock to see his tense shoulders relax entirely and eyes shut. He was completely calm. He would actually comply.

"He was my mentor. More or less. He trained me", the redhead said. Naruto's focus quickly sharpened. This was something worth listening to.

"When I was taken away from home, he was the one who came for me. I hated him. I fucking hated him", Gaara spoke, the bitterness evident in his voice. Naruto just listened silently.

"I tried to run away more times than I can count. I ran away, but he always found me. He always came after me and brought me back. And every time, I hated him more", he continued.

Gaara put out his cigarette, only to light another one. He paused for a while, before carrying on.

"My hate towards him was inexplicable. The only person I've hated more than him, is you", he chuckled, glancing at Naruto.

The blonde gave him a small smile. The harsh look in Gaara's eyes suddenly softened, as he continued talking.

"But then something happened. I got my first job. I didn't want it, really. I didn't mind that I had to kill a person. But I minded that somebody ordered me to do that. I hated it. But I knew I had no choice. So, I took the job as ordered", Gaara grunted.

For a moment, there was a flash of inexplicable anger and resentment in his eyes. It was gone as quickly as it'd come, but Naruto saw it.

"It went wrong. Really wrong", the redhead then stated.

The monotone flow of his voice cracked for the briefest while. Not long enough to make a difference, but not shortly enough for it to go unnoticed either.

"I killed my target, but it turned out they weren't alone. I got shot in the chest. Twice. And I was ready to die", he muttered, his mind evidently going back to that time and place.

"But I didn't. I didn't, cause he saved me. He took a bullet to save me. The third bullet would've killed me instantly. Why he took it, I still don't know", Gaara said.

Never before had Naruto listened as closely and carefully as then. It was amazing to hear the man tell all this voluntarily. Not only that, but observing the most unnoticeable changes in his voice and eyes was truly fascinating. It might've been the first time Naruto truly saw the redhead appear to have such a variety in his way of speaking and simply existing. He realized this was a moment he'd have to cherish, for it was unlikely another one like it would ever occur.

"I didn't think much of it, though. About him saving me. I still hated him. But it did change something. I no longer tried to run away. I decided to live with the hate. To live with him training me, making me into a soldier. And I became a damn good one. To this day I'm the best one Akatsuki ever had. And he was proud to know he'd created me."

Naruto flinched at that word. Create. It made him cringe. He still hated the way Gaara spoke of himself and all hitmen in general. Like they weren't people. He would've liked to think that they weren't. He had thought so. But after meeting Gaara, he no longer could say that. Because to him, Gaara was a person. A hitman, but a person. And at times, he seemed to be even more than that.

"I did my job perfectly for years. And even though I continued to despise that man, I couldn't deny he made me strong. After a few years, the hate became less overpowering. One day I realized that my mentor was just like me. He'd been taken to Akatsuki against his will, just like me. He was trained to be a killer, just like me. He lived that life, because it was all he knew. Just like me", Gaara spoke.

His voice had become lower. Anger flooded through his words.

"He was actually from the same city as me. He was from Suna. We had a lot in common. Maybe that's why I stopped hating him. Instead of directing my hate towards him, I concentrated it on Akatsuki and yakuza. That hate grew stronger every second that went by. It became my only reason to live. My hate towards Akatsuki was my reason to stay alive. Eventually it became more than my brain could handle. And I knew I had to get rid of them. I had to kill them."

Naruto just stared at Gaara. He literally had no words to describe the anxiety that awakened inside him while listening the man speak. His own hate towards Akatsuki skyrocketed in the split of a second.

"I told Sasori about it. I told him I'd kill them all. I knew he might kill me to stop me from doin' it. But he didn't. Instead, he wanted to do it with me. He was like me, after all. He might've become numb to his hate towards Akatsuki, but seeing that rage alive in me, he could see himself in my hate. And the same night, I killed them."

Naruto let out a breath he hadn't been aware of holding in. He had a question he had to voice.

"What happened to him?"

Gaara finally turned towards the blonde again. His eyes had hollowed back into emptiness, no anger, no sadness evident. Simple nothingness, even the remains of something more faded into thin air. As he soon gave a reply, his voice had turned as flat as his eyes.

"Students always outshine their teachers, don't they?"

Silence fell. It wasn't heavy or uncomfortable, but it was oppressive. In a sad way. At least to Naruto it was. Gaara probably didn't feel that way. Naruto wasn't sure if he even knew how to be sad.

"The leader of Akatsuki was a stubborn piece of shit. Even after shooting him three times, once even in the head, he still managed to kill Sasori. He sunk an ax into his chest. He didn't even die right away. His chest was blown open, his lungs destroyed and ribcage cut in half, but he still lived for several minutes. He died slowly and in pain", Gaara muttered.

"There was so much blood, from so many people, that his DNA couldn't be found on the scene. I guess that's good. That way nobody ever tried to look for him. He got to rest in peace in the grave I made for him. Until we dug it open, of course", the man continued.

His words were horrific and sad, but his voice wasn't. Ever since he'd started to tell Sasori's story, no sadness had passed his voice. Not once. Not until his next words.

"I probably would've loved him, if I'd known how."

Naruto felt something burning inside his chest. A mix of pain, anxiety and sadness clenched his heart, till it hurt. He wanted to say something, but had no words to speak. There was nothing he could've said.

Instead of speaking, Naruto brought himself closer to Gaara. Even though the man seemed a bit reluctant, he gave in as the blonde forced his way to his side. Naruto knew the man was afraid the blonde pitied him. To show that wasn't the case, Naruto forced the redhead to face him. He wanted to make sure Gaara knew he wasn't showing pity, but gratitude.

"Thanks. For telling me."

Gaara's harsh eyes softened. His tense body relaxed, and even though he probably didn't even realize it, he wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders. Naruto leaned closer to him.

"You deserved to know", Gaara stated, not even hesitating.

Naruto had to smile. It felt good to hear him say such words. For some odd reason, it made the blonde think of himself as more worthy. He wasn't the type to rely his self-esteem on other people, but Gaara was an exception. He always was, wasn't he?

"I'm gonna miss you like hell", Gaara suddenly said.

Naruto glanced upwards, at the other man. He then pulled himself up, to meet the other's eyes. Not really even thinking about it, he reached towards the other's face and gently traced the scar on his forehead. The redhead closed his eyes, not bothered by the blonde's touch. Naruto felt an odd emotion stir awake while tracing the rough lines on his skin. The meaning of the scarred symbol felt somewhat different than it had before. Gaara had told Naruto it was a reminder to never learn what love is like. Naruto interpreted it another way.

To him, it was a sign to make the man change his mind.

Naruto pulled his hand away. The paler man slowly opened his eyes again. Naruto looked into his eyes, not saying anything. He didn't have to. He stated what he wanted by pressing his lips against cold ones. He pulled away almost instantly. Just to see how the other one would react. Gaara watched him half hesitant, half dying to do it again. Since he seemed to have trouble deciding which way to go, Naruto took the liberty to choose for him.

He closed the gap between them again. This time he didn't do it cautiously. This time he didn't pull away. Instead he crawled to sit on the man's lap, not breaking away even a little. And thanks to the blonde's determination, Gaara decided it was a perfectly good way to go.

It took approximately fifteen seconds for the paler one to rip the other's shirt off, revealing his bare skin, tattoos and the wound in his side. Gaara didn't have to look to know it was bleeding again. He could feel the wet blood run down the hand he'd placed on the blonde's waist.

"You're bleeding", he muttered against Naruto's lips.

"I don't care", the blonde replied, not hesitating.

Gaara would've protested, hadn't he been wildly distracted by the hands on him. But he was. So he didn't. Instead he let the blonde just rip off everything that covered his upper body, not caring that there was in fact a car pulling up next to theirs.

He heard the suddenly appeared car turn off its engine, but the redhead wasn't aware of anything beyond the man sitting on him. The other car's doors opened and closed, but Gaara's mind was where his hands were; on the blonde. Only when Naruto somehow ended up away from his lips, and onto his neck, biting the pale skin, did Gaara's attention move out the window for just a second. And even though he barely knew what his own name was, he did realize that there was trouble walking towards them. It could also been described as three yakuzas about to interrupt something he would've happily killed for.

"_Are you fucking serious?_" the redhead hissed through gritted teeth.

Naruto turned towards the window as well. The look of absolute frustration instantly found its way to his face.

"Really? Fuckin' seriously?" he growled, knowing that there was no way around it.

With a frustrated grunt, Naruto reached to pull out his gun, and moved to open the door to get out. But as he'd moved away from Gaara, about to open the door, he learned that the redhead was way faster than him. Before the blonde had a chance to do shit, Gaara was already out the door, his gun loaded and aimed.

Naruto was left to watch him march straight towards the three men, evident anger in his eyes. Before anybody even realized it, the redhead had already fired his gun. Twice. Two of the men dropped down dead in an instant. The third one had succeeded in taking out his own gun, aiming it at Gaara. The redhead stopped, but didn't put the weapon away. The yakuza didn't like that.

"Put that down", the man hissed, somewhat distressed.

Nobody could blame him really. His two partners were already dead. And he had barely seen it happen. But Gaara couldn't have cared less about his demands. It only made him further angered. And mental, to be honest.

"Like hell. You chose the worst timing ever, fucker. Have you any fucking idea how sexually frustrated I am because of that thing?" he growled, actually raising his voice and pointed towards Naruto.

He obviously wasn't saving his words on the matter. His blunt honesty positively amused Naruto.

The man raised a brow and glanced past the redhead, at Naruto. The blonde had made his way outside, and had gone to lean against the car. His face was blank and bored. The yakuza's ugly face reflected amusement.

"Wow. Fags. Great. Well, can't blame ya. Pretty little bitch you've got there", the man's low voice sneered.

The man probably wasn't aware how big of a mistake he'd made by saying such. Naruto was, and couldn't help but to roll his eyes at the man's stupidity. He too, got to learn the extent of his own idiocy in no time at all.

Before he knew it, Gaara had fired his gun twice, again. But the man didn't die. Neither was he supposed to. Exactly what Gaara had intended to happen, did happen. The yakuza let out a scream of agony, and then dropped down to the ground. His kneecaps being shot to a million pieces, the pain was inexplicable. He tried to aim his gun at Gaara, but failed, as the pain made him physically tremble.

The redhead made his way over to the man, who laid face first on the ground. With a rough kick, he turned the man around. A pained yell escaped him again. It wasn't enough in Gaara's opinion. To make him scream like a swine being slaughtered, the redhead stepped on the man's crushed knee. The scream following that was more to his liking.

"You ain't gonna speak of him like that. Apologize, bitch", he growled.

The man didn't apologize. Simply struggled to breathe, letting out pained sounds and muffled cries. The redhead kicked his shattered leg. It earned him another scream and eventually, an apology.

"I'm sorry. I'm fuckin' sorry!"

Gaara chuckled. He aimed his gun at the man's head. The horror in the yakuza's eyes was a true testimony of absolute fear.

"Hitmen are never sorry. G'night, piece of shit", the redhead sneered.

And then he pulled the trigger. The man's brains splattered across the ground. The close-range shot turned his head into a mess of blood and bones. Gaara was more pleased about the view than probably was even necessary.

With a grunt, the redhead turned around and walked away from the body. He made his way to Naruto, who still leaned against the car. He held his gun in his hand, somewhat displeased that he didn't get to use it. A slightly unhealthy thing to be bummed about, yet he couldn't bother feeling ashamed.

"You okay?" Naruto asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Yeah", the redhead replied and stopped to stand right before the other one.

He gave Naruto a slight smirk, stepped closer and placed a hand behind his neck.

"And you? You okay?" he asked, even though he too knew the answer. Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Why do I feel like a fucking princess, dude?" he questioned amused. Gaara chuckled and pulled the other one against himself.

"Cause I just saved your ass", he said smirking. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Oh, like I couldn't have handled myself?" he asked, raising a brow. The redhead huffed.

"How 'bout you just let me have my moment of glory, eh?" he asked, and pressed his lips against the other one's. The blonde might've let out a small sound of contentment.

"Okay", he muttered against the lips on his.

The redhead pulled away, stopping to stare at the blonde. He let his eyes trail him from head to toes. The sigh of pure frustration that escaped his lips easily gave away his thoughts.

"You pretty damn thing", he muttered. Naruto chuckled, but said nothing. Gaara frowned.

"We need to leave. It won't take long for cops to show up. We're too close to the city", he stated.

Naruto nodded. The redhead turned away from him, intending to get behind the wheel, but the blonde stopped him by grabbing his arm. He pulled the man back. It earned him a questioning look. Naruto tilted his head slightly. The smallest smile found its way to his lips.

"I'll miss you, too", he then said simply.

Gaara was silent for a while. Soon, the corner of his lips lifted slightly. He kind of wanted to hold the other one. But didn't. Instead he glanced at the sky. It was still dark. The moon was still up. They still had time.

"C'mon. Let's go", he said, turning back towards Naruto.

The blonde nodded. He watched Gaara get in the car. He stayed behind for a short moment. His gaze lowered towards the ground, and lingered there for some time. He then glanced upwards, at the sky. A smirk crept onto his lips. Seemed like their time wasn't all up yet.

They ended up going back to the hotel. It was the safest solution. Obviously the streets weren't exactly safe. Too many yakuzas and cops roaming the streets made it impossible for them to feel at ease anywhere but behind locked doors.

"Now what?" Naruto asked as they stepped inside the lobby of the hotel.

Gaara glanced at him. The blonde had his shirt on, but hanging open, showing the wound in his side. It was late enough at night for nobody to be around, but it probably still wasn't the best look in public. Not that Gaara was any better or more dressed.

"I'm gon' take care of your wound. It's been bleedin' for a long damn time", he stated, walking towards the elevator.

Naruto dragged behind him. His wound was aching. It'd bled long enough for it to start hurting. It wasn't dangerous, but it was uncomfortable. Cursing the fact that there was no way to get painkillers this late, he stepped inside the elevator with the redhead. Gaara pushed a button to take them to the 12th floor. The lift took off. It was surprisingly slow. Naruto glanced at the paler man, but said nothing. Gaara felt his gaze, but didn't turn to face him. Instead, he just smirked.

"What?" he asked. Naruto grunted.

"Nothing."

Gaara accepted his answer, but the knowing smirk plastered on his face remained. It of course irked Naruto. Since it was obvious the man knew what he was thinking, he stopped pretending like his dirty mind wasn't happening. Ignoring the pain in his side, the blonde gave no warning, as he pushed the other man against the wall and smashed his lips against the other's. Gaara could've pushed him away, but didn't. Instead he pulled him closer and didn't even ask permission to boldly shove his tongue down the other's throat. Not that he should've asked, anyway.

The elevator came to its stop. The doors opened, but that didn't break them apart. Instead of acting like it was in fact inappropriate to act this way in public, they stumbled out of the elevator, ending up against the wall across it. Both of them failed to notice the small, old woman standing next to the lift. Dressed in a long morning gown, her hair rolled up with curlers, it was obvious the woman was on her way to get an innocent cup of tea to help her sleep. This probably wasn't what she'd expected to see on the way.

With a horrified look on her face, she quickly scuttled into the elevator, frantically pushing buttons to close the doors. Neither one of the men saw her or the look of relief on her face, as the doors finally closed, hiding the view of two horny bastards practically undressing each other in the middle of a hotel corridor. Naruto thought he heard some sort of faint bemoaning from behind the elevator doors.

"Did ya hear that?" he muttered, but didn't pull away. Gaara's answer was simple and instant.

"No."

That was enough of an answer for the blonde. Instead of giving a flying fuck about the strange noise, he started pushing Gaara towards the door closest to them. Almost certain that the door lead to the correct room, he shoved his hand down the redhead's pocket, trying to find the card to open the door. It seemed he was moving too close to a certain situation not far from the pocket, as an unintended groan escaped the pale lips. Naruto smirked against them, pulled out the card and used it to unlock the door.

It took less than five seconds for them to be inside, the door slammed shut and Naruto shoved onto the bed, the redhead pinning him down against the soft surface. The blonde moaned. The sound made Gaara come to a sudden halt. He pulled away just slightly. Naruto raised a questioning brow. He didn't have to ask to get an answer.

"I don't know if I wanna do this", the redhead said.

Naruto frowned at the other man. The look on Gaara's face indicated he felt like a complete idiot for saying such a thing. And in all honesty, he truly was.

"Why not?" Naruto asked.

The paler one stopped to think if he should just stop talking. And thinking. And do what he wanted. But in the end, he couldn't. With a frustrated grunt, he moved away from the other one and sat down on the edge of the bed. A short silence followed, as Naruto patiently waited for an answer.

"I don't want your last memory of me to be something you regret. If I fuck you, you'll regret it", Gaara said after a while.

Naruto stared at him for a while. And then he surprised the man by letting an amused laughter flood from between his lips. Gaara glanced at him. The blonde stood up, still laughing and stopped in front of the redhead. He then roughly shoved the man down to lie, crawled on top of him and stopped to hover over him.

"Who said I'm gonna fuck you?" he asked amused.

Gaara had a variety of reactions to that. Starting blank, his face turned confused and eventually just pure idiocy shone from his eyes. He said nothing, just stared at the blonde questioningly. Naruto chuckled, and gently bit the other's lower lip. It didn't help the confusion, really.

"What good would fucking you be to me?" Naruto asked, then biting the white skin of his neck.

He knew the other man was not getting his point, and even though it kind of amused Naruto, he eventually decided to give an explanation.

"I won't fuck you. I'll do everything but that."

Kiss on the lips, a grip on red hair.

"I'll touch you, I'll kiss you, I'll tell you everything you could do to me. Everything you could, yet won't. Cause I won't let you."

Teeth on skin, nails digging through clothes.

"I'll drive you crazy. Fucking mental. I'll do it, till you can never forget it."

A groan, closed eyes.

"And then I'll leave you like that. I'll leave you to think about it for as long as we're apart. Even if it's for the rest of your life."

A frustrated growl, a sadistic smirk.

"You won't be able to live not knowing what it would be like. What it would be like to do those things to me. And that's why you'll come back to me one day."

A moan, another one.

"And when you do, I won't let you go anymore."

Naruto pulled away from the other one just enough to see him. It wasn't really a surprise to see that the redhead's eyes were eating him up alive. But even though the man probably wasn't far from going crazy already, he didn't protest. Instead, he complied.

"Okay."

And that's what Naruto did. All the things he'd said he would. He did anything and everything, gave him it all, but what he actually wanted. He drove him crazy, he drove him mental. He made sure the man would never forget it, never forget him. His hands assured the other one that they couldn't be forgotten. His lips promised the man would never stop missing them. And every scratch, every gentle bite, every small sound of need, they all came together to make it certain the redhead would never win against his curiosity. He would never stop wanting him, he'd always crave to come back to him, and never would he stop wondering what it would be like to have him in his entirety.

By the time Naruto fell asleep, he knew Gaara would never stop fighting to get back to him. One day he'd come back, or die trying.

Morning came, the sun rose. Naruto woke up and got out of the bed. Gaara wasn't there anymore. He wondered if he'd left already, but the sound of running water debunked that thought. Knowing the redhead was in the shower, Naruto dressed himself, packed his belongings and made his way to the door. He stopped to stand still before pushing the door open. He considered saying goodbye, but in the end, didn't. The night was gone now. It was time for the sun to rise and leave the moon behind.

Knowing that to be true, Naruto left. He didn't look back. He couldn't. But he left something behind.

When Gaara stepped out of the shower and back into the room, he instantly knew the blonde was gone. His presence was no longer there. He was alone. An empty feeling took over him for a moment. But it lifted as he saw something laid down on the nightstand. There was a note. Gaara picked it up, unfolded the piece of paper and read the neatly written text on it.

_Hey, monster._

_I left, so you wouldn't. It felt easier this way. Don't forget me. I know I'll never forget you. See you in hell._

_\- Naruto_

_P.S. This belongs to you. Don't hate me for it._

Gaara frowned. He glanced at the nightstand. Something caught his eye. A silver locket lay on the wooden surface. The redhead hesitated, but picked it up. Turning it around a couple of times, he studied the metallic item. He'd never seen it before. It wasn't his. But he opened it, anyway.

He opened it, and felt his breath hitch instantly. He felt the need to sit down. So he did. And then he just stared at it. Stared till he no longer knew who he was, where he was or what he felt. He stared at it till it hurt. He stared at it, hoping it'd make him hate the blonde.

But it never happened. The hate never came. So he hated himself instead.

* * *

**Oh dear. They parted ways. **

**I'm not actually gonna give any clues as on what's gonna happen, simply cause I'm an evil bitch. So you'll just have to wait and see. But rest assured sweethearts, the story ain't over yet. In fact, I'm starting to feel like this is never gonna fucking end. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.**

**Oh well, I still like writing this story, so I ain't complaining myself. Hopefully you lovely people still like it as well. **

**Please do make sure to tell me what you think, if you just feel even the slightest motivation to do that. It's always a pleasure to read your reactions, as well as criticism. **

**Love ya'll. *kisses***


	33. Plastic Bitch

**Stop.**

**Just thought I'd say I really, really like ya'll. *love disgustingly overflowing***

**Proceed.**

* * *

It'd been a week since Naruto had left Fuchu, and Gaara along with it. As far as severe understatements went, it hadn't been a good week. It'd been hell. He hadn't gone to work, he hadn't bothered to answer a single call, nor had he spoken to his wife. Not really.

He'd barely left the bed. Nothing just felt like anything. Nothing felt worth anything. He didn't have the energy or motivation to care about other people, let alone have any type of social interaction. People had been calling him all week, but he'd refused to pick up. His voicemail was full of messages, but he hadn't listened to them. Most everybody Naruto knew had tried to contact him. Sasuke, Kakashi, Kiba…even Jiraiya. Shikamaru, too. And he knew why. They'd all heard about Gaara's trial. They all knew he was a free man now. And Naruto had a feeling the majority of them weren't too happy about it. That mainly explained why he didn't want to speak with them.

The week hadn't really felt like living life at all. The days had gone by in hazy shades of grey, leaving Naruto mostly clueless of the time. It was the lack of routines and activities in general that'd made everything seem somewhat unreal and useless. But even though the blonde hadn't been doing much, he'd been thinking. A lot. About everything. Gaara, mainly. But also about yakuza. Nobody had tried to get inside his house that week, nobody had tried to kill him. Naruto concluded that the mafia had gone after Gaara first. He wasn't easy to take down, after all. But they would come for him as well. Sooner or later.

Only he wasn't sure if he cared anymore.

Naruto had considered telling Gaara about the things Sai had told him before leaving. About yakuza having an entire army of hitmen hunting them down. But in the end, he hadn't told him. Why, he wasn't sure. He'd just felt like it wouldn't change anything. Gaara already had an endless list of people to kill. Telling him would've only made the reality of it more oppressing. Besides, the redhead would find out about it anyway. Of course he would. And though it'd been cowardly, the blonde hadn't wanted to be the one to tell him.

Naruto had also spent a lot of time thinking about how he'd left. Or more specifically, what he'd left behind. He'd left him the locket, after all. The blonde wasn't sure if it'd been a good idea. Though the locket finally having found its rightful owner had eased Naruto's guilt just a little, he couldn't help but to fear how the redhead had felt about it. By the time Naruto had been sitting on the flight back home, he'd started to have second thoughts about the whole thing. But by then, it'd been too late to change his mind. Gaara had most likely already seen it.

Every time the blonde thought about it, he cringed. He had no idea how the man had reacted to seeing it. Especially the contents of it. All he could do was hope the man hadn't gone mental with rage and decided to gut Naruto. Even though that might've sounded exaggerated, it wasn't, necessarily. Naruto had gone to see the man's family behind his back. He'd kept the locket a secret for quite some time. He'd lied. Those were reason enough for the redhead to hate Naruto all over again and come back just to rip his head off.

But he hadn't come back to do that yet. So most likely he wouldn't, at all. Naruto wasn't sure if that was something to be happy about. On one hand, he would get to keep his head. On the other hand, he could've gotten to see him again. It was a complicated situation. On so many levels.

A sudden knock on the bedroom door shook the blonde awake from his thoughts.

"Yeah?" he asked with a grunt. The door opened slowly. A familiar woman peeked from behind the door.

"Are you hungry?" Sakura asked cautiously.

The past week with Sakura had been…odd. When Naruto had come back home, she'd been pissed as hell. That had been understandable. Considering the way Naruto had left to Fuchu, nobody could blame her. He'd gone completely mental, hit Gaara till he bled, and then almost attacked her. She had the right to be angry. And Naruto had known that. But even then, he hadn't apologized. He still hadn't. He knew he should've, he knew he was supposed to, but simply didn't have the energy or interest to do that. He didn't want to see her, didn't want to speak to her. He wanted to be alone and dwell in self-pity instead.

And after a while, she'd let him do just that. After a couple of days, she'd stopped bothering him with her questions and presence. Her anger had turned into fear again. It hadn't been Naruto's intention, but if that's what it took for her to leave him be, he didn't care. He'd been fairly content with her staying away in fright.

Naruto hadn't been himself anymore. Not in a long time. And now that Gaara was gone, even less. The blonde just lay in bed writing, smoking, drinking and petting the dog. He'd gotten oddly attached to that animal in the past week. Somehow it reminded him of Gaara. It gave him some sort of vague comfort. He'd come to value that in a way he'd never expected he would.

"No", Naruto answered simply. Sakura swallowed, trying to be brave enough to make him change his mind.

"You haven't eaten in two days, sweetie. I'm afraid you'll pass out", she muttered quietly.

Naruto finally turned to face her. The hollow look in his eyes made her flinch. She had to look away.

"I said no. Just get the fuck out", the blonde growled, not sparing the venom in his voice.

His words and tone instantly forced the woman on the verge of tears. Naruto ignored it. And her. It didn't take long for Sakura to leave. Naruto shut his eyes and sighed in frustration.

He didn't really have a real need to be an asshole towards her. But he couldn't help it. Somehow seeing her face was enough to make him angry. Somehow he blamed her for Gaara no longer being there. As crazy as it sounded, he felt like it was her fault. Hadn't Naruto been married to her, hadn't she lived in that house and been a part of his life, he probably wouldn't have pushed the redhead away. He wouldn't have had to think about shit like infidelity, adultery and cheating. He wouldn't have had to push the man away in order not to break the vows he'd made to that woman. And even though he'd ended up breaking them anyway, one way or another, he no longer regretted it. The regret that'd driven Gaara away was no longer there. Now, his only regret was ever regretting.

Naruto sighed again. He was so tired. He'd barely slept ever since arriving back home. Knowing that he would never again sleep next to the redhead made it hard for him to sleep at all. So now he was sleep deprived to the point of going insane. And thanks to that, his thoughts had been torturing him to no end. He felt like his head weighed several tons. His mind was so full of heavy, oppressing thoughts that he could barely even keep his head straight. He had to get them out on regular bases, in order not to explode. His melancholy was the kind to easily overflow.

Naruto turned on his laptop. He'd been using it quite a bit for the past week. He'd written down his thoughts and occasionally tried to find information on Akatsuki. He hadn't found much. Nor had he expected to. But on top of that useless activity, there was something more disturbing he'd been doing as well.

He'd been googling the shit out of Gaara's name.

As unhealthy and insane as it probably was, he'd kept on doing it over and over again. He hadn't found much information he wasn't aware of already. But he hadn't really been looking for information, either. He'd desperately tried to find a picture of the man before he'd been sent to yakuza. Why Naruto had thought he'd find one, he had no idea. Obviously he didn't find one. The only pictures he could find were the man's mugshots and a few from the first trial.

Naruto had actually spent hours just staring at photos of him in trial. Seeing the man in inmate clothing and chained from head to toes made the blonde smile just a little bit. Not because he found it particularly satisfying to see him charged for murder, but because it reminded Naruto of first meeting the redhead.

He'd forgotten what Gaara had looked like back in prison. And now that he really thought about it, he was quite astonished that the redhead had been declared innocent. That man was the most criminal-looking guy Naruto had ever seen. Even though looks weren't something jurors were supposed to base their conclusions on, it's hard to dismiss the pitch-black darkness that surrounded Gaara. Had he been sitting in re-trial cuffed and chained, the chances of him getting freed of all charges would've been small to none. Suits truly were an amazing thing. Uncomfortable, but amazing.

Naruto glanced to his right. Thing was fast asleep, resting its head on the blonde's thigh and let out small, high-pitched noises, twitching slightly. Most likely it was dreaming. Naruto gently patted its head. It didn't wake up, but calmed down. The blonde smiled. It really did remind him of Gaara. Dangerous as hell, but needy for his affection.

Naruto moved his attention away from Thing, and back to the laptop screen. He opened up a blank page to write on. He had the serious need to get his thoughts out again.

"_It's been a week now. A week of pure hell. If I was to say I'm okay, I'd be lying. I'm not. And I don't think I will be._

_I miss him. I can't stop thinking about him. I know that distracting myself with something would help, but I can't function. I can't leave the house during the day, I can't bring myself to speak with other people. I haven't slept, I haven't eaten. I'm fucking paralyzed. Paralyzed by sick longing and loneliness. Nothing feels like shit with him gone. And I feel fucking weak for depending on him like that._

_I've sat in my room for an entire week. I only leave the house at night. After Sakura is asleep, after the entire city is asleep. I take the dog and go outside. And then I walk for miles. I just walk around aimlessly, feeling lost as hell and stare at the fucking moon. I do that until the sun rises. Then I go back home, back upstairs and lock myself inside the bedroom again._

_I've done this for seven days now. And already I can feel my sanity crumble like dry sand. I don't know how much longer I can do this. I don't know how much longer my mind can keep up with the thoughts that haunt me. _

_I actually look at pictures of him. Just stare at them, until it fucking hurts. And it hurts. More than I knew I could hurt._

_What the fuck is this? What the fuck is wrong with me?_

_I don't think a word exists to describe this. Not seeing him, not feeling him, not touching him…it's worse than I ever thought it would be. This feels like drug withdrawal. I've never been a junkie, but I've lived with them. I've watched their bodies shut down. Their minds shut down. I've seen them squirm in pain and anxiety, scratch their own skin till it bleeds. Heard them scream against their palms, seen them shake uncontrollably, until they no longer stay conscious. Their minds simply shatter into pieces. Their eyes darken to the pitchest black there is. They become so fucking empty and pained, both at the same time. _

_That's how I feel right now. My body doesn't work. My mind doesn't work. I can't keep still, yet I can't get up. I find myself digging my nails into my skin. I only sleep when I no longer can stay awake, and then I wake up screaming by myself. _

_I don't know what's happening. Leaving him wasn't easy. Closing the door of that hotel room was the hardest thing I've done in a long time. Maybe the hardest thing I've ever done. But even though I acknowledged that, it seems as though I wasn't fully aware of the reality of it back then. It wasn't before I was back home, back in my house, when I finally understood that he wasn't there. He wasn't there, nor would he be. And as that dawned on me, this happened. I fell apart._

_I've spent a lot of time wondering why I'm reacting this way. Why it is this bad. Why it is this hard. I haven't found an answer._

_First I thought it was because I knew yakuza would still come for me. I thought that he not being here to help me survive was freaking me out this bad. It sounded somewhat reasonable. But then I realized I didn't actually care anymore. I don't care if they hunt me down. I don't care if they kill me._

_Why would I?_

_The time that I spent with Gaara made me realize that my entire life is a lie. None of it is real. None of it feels like anything. It's all just pretty illusions, sugarcoated with shit called 'stability', 'marriage' and 'success'. I never wanted any of that. I thought I did. But I was wrong. All I wanted was to be happy. I made the mistake of assuming those things would give me happiness. They didn't. I wasn't happy. I never was happy before him._

_It's funny, really. I've never hated anything or anybody as much as I hated him. I didn't know I could hate something so much. He got inside my head in a way that drove me nearly insane. He made me do things I didn't know I could do. He made me want things I didn't know I wanted. Him included. I wanted him. I still do._

_The one man I hated from the bottom of my heart ended up making me happy. And now he's gone._

_I still hate him. I'm pretty sure I do. No. I know I do. But it's not just hate I feel towards him, anymore. It's a million other things as well. I don't know what to call them, but I know they're there. I know they exist. They're real. They'll always be._

_I don't know how I'm gonna get up again. How am I supposed to get on my feet again? I feel like I have no legs to stand on anymore. No ground to walk on anymore. Can I really build a new ground for myself? Again? I don't know if I can._

_I don't know if ever meeting him is a good or a bad thing. It's the most painful thing, for sure. It does feel like a huge mistake. But it also feels like fate. I know I couldn't have avoided it. It was meant to happen. I was meant to meet him. I was meant to end up this way. Missing him, needing him. Acting like a damn drug addict. _

_He said I'm his heroin. I guess he wasn't the only one addicted, after all. And now I'm trying to fight my way out of this sick addiction. I'm a junkie for emotional self-harm. I know people supposedly can get rid of an addiction to drugs. But can people get rid of an addiction to another person? _

_It doesn't help that every junkie trying to get clean I've known, is now dead. Three died from withdrawals, six overdosed to stop the pain of them. _

_I wonder which way I'll end up."_

Naruto moved his fingers away from the keyboard. His hands clenched into fists. Not tightly, but enough to keep him from typing any further.

An odd emptiness filled him. He felt even emptier than before. It was both good and bad. His thoughts were no longer just inside his head, driving him insane. They were in front of his eyes, in black and white. But now that his haunting thoughts were no longer weighing him down so bad, not much was left. Naruto wasn't sure which was worse; feeling and thinking too much, or feeling and thinking nothing at all.

The blonde shut the laptop with a grunt. He'd been emptying his mind into that device for several days now. And every time he cleaned out his head, it only took a few hours to fill up all over again. To the point of breaking. Naruto hoped it would eventually stop. That he'd empty his mind, and it wouldn't fill up anymore. So far his hoping hadn't done shit.

Naruto glanced at the dog still asleep next to him. Thing had slept for several hours already. The whole day, actually. It hadn't been outside since morning. It was now almost 11 pm. After a glance outside, Naruto learned it was dark already. Sakura wasn't asleep yet, but the dog had to get out.

With a sigh, the blonde gently woke the animal up. Its jet black eyes cracked open, still sleepy. It watched Naruto curiously, waiting for something to happen. The blonde smiled.

"Wanna go out, boy?" he asked kindly.

Thing's ears perked up upon hearing the word 'out'. In less than a second, the dog was wide awake and on the floor. It rushed to sit in front of the closed bedroom door, letting out a demanding whine. Naruto chuckled at its tail wagging with anticipation. What a whip of a tail it was, really. Just a small smack of that on the shin felt like getting hit with a leather belt. But from afar, it was kinda cute.

"Yeah. Let's go", Naruto said, lazily getting out of the bed.

Even though getting out of bed still felt like carrying a ton of bricks on his back, Naruto was slowly finding it less oppressive. He couldn't say the same about having to face Sakura, though. Knowing he'd see her downstairs made the blonde's jaw clench in annoyance. He didn't want to see her. He didn't want to speak with her. Not even listen to her. He remained repelling towards her. To him, she was repellent. He had no good reason to feel that way, but just couldn't help it.

Sighing, Naruto opened the door, letting Thing out and followed behind it. He made his way downstairs, around the corner and into the kitchen. As expected, Sakura sat by the table. The woman instantly turned to look at him. Naruto didn't know how to interpret the look on her face. It was a mix of nervousness, shock and fear. And guilt. What for, Naruto wasn't sure.

The blonde noticed that the woman was holding a thin stack of papers. As soon as he walked into the room, she folded the papers and placed them under the weight of a vase on the table. Naruto eyed her suspiciously.

"What are you reading?" he asked. His voice came out unintendedly demanding. Sakura flinched at it. She then shook her head.

"Nothing. Come here, sweetie", she said, a nervous smile on her lips.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He stood still for a long time, before slowly walking towards her. He took a seat across his wife and stopped to stare at her. He hadn't looked at her closely for a long time. But now that he did, he was almost happy he hadn't.

She didn't look the same anymore. Somehow it was as if she'd become less…beautiful. She looked worn out. Her once fair skin had become dry as a sheet of paper and had a sickly grey shade to it. Her green eyes had dimmed and become pale. Not in the way Gaara's were. Not a mesmerizing kind of pale, but the kind of pale you'd expect to see in a locked up test-animal's eyes, pumped full with drugs. That kind.

Naruto's face twisted into a vague expression of some kind of repulsion, but Sakura didn't seem to notice it.

"I was hoping you'd talk to me about what's worrying you", the woman started carefully.

Naruto just stared at her, not replying. Sakura became nervous. She concluded that Naruto himself probably wasn't aware he looked like something that shouldn't be walking around freely. But she left that unsaid.

"You don't seem well. Please tell me what's wrong. I wanna help you", she said, stuttering slightly.

Naruto still didn't say anything. His mind didn't even seem to be in the room. Sakura cautiously brought her hand forward and lightly touched the blonde's arm. He flinched and slapped her hand away, hard. Sakura let out a weak sound and drew her hand away.

Her distress was evident. She found the situation to be extremely oppressive and even slightly dangerous. She still wasn't used to seeing her husband act this way. To be honest, she had noticed the changes in him in the past few weeks. He had become cold and distant. The kindness of his heart had disappeared. He acted strangely, he seemed dangerous. But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was his eyes. The way they'd hollowed into pits of cold emptiness. That warm glow wasn't there anymore. Not for her to see, at least.

"You are scaring me, Naruto. I…I know something is wrong. You've been different. For a few weeks now. At first I thought that maybe it would go away. But it just gets worse. You get worse. I don't know you anymore. I'm…I'm tired, Naruto", Sakura said after a while of silence.

She didn't dare to look at him. The woman seriously feared what he would do. She had no idea if this strange state of his mind was truly dangerous or just came off as intimidating, but she didn't want to take any chances on that. That's how bad it had become. She was afraid of the once sweetest man in the world. Her own husband.

Naruto looked at her silently, again. He then slowly tilted his head and moved his gaze from the woman to the stack of papers she'd tucked away. Sakura noticed that. And Naruto noticed the small nervous traits she started to have. Her fingers tinkered with her wedding ring, her shoulder's tensed up. Naruto wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about that, but ended up being irritated, even angry. She had been acting oddly for a while now. He was getting fucking sick of it.

Without a word, the blonde made a quick move to snatch the papers she'd obviously tried to hide. Sakura was faster. She caught them before him. Naruto slowly sat back down. He laid a pair of cold eyes on her. As soon as he saw the woman realized what she'd done, Naruto knew there was a reason behind her strange behavior. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. She knew she'd messed up. Sakura gripped the papers in her fists, as if they'd run away. Naruto rose to stand up. Sakura didn't feel good about that.

"Give them to me", he demanded, his voice low and venomous.

The woman flinched, but frantically shook her head, declining. The blonde became instantly more irritated. He did not have the patience to play games with her. He took a step closer.

"I said, give them to me."

Sakura was honestly afraid of him. She had never seen him so cold and intimidating. She'd rather had him absolutely raged. Something else than a hollow shell, darkness lingering behind the coldness. The lack of emotion and personality was what scared her. But even then, she wouldn't do as he pleased. That of course, didn't help.

Naruto's jaw clenched in irritation. His hand clenched into a fist. It wasn't to become violent with her. It was to keep him from doing that. Naruto almost flinched upon understanding how close he was to doing something horrifying. But the shock of that was quickly gone.

"I ain't fucking asking anymore. _Give them to me_", Naruto now shouted, his composure cracking severely.

Sakura's anxiety skyrocketed at that point. She wanted to do as he demanded, just to get away. But she didn't. She held on to the papers.

Naruto gave her ten seconds to do as told. The seconds went by, and she remained stubborn. That was when Naruto's patience ran out. He took a harsh hold of her wrist. The woman let out a pained yelp. The blonde ignored it, and gripped even harder.

"Let go of them", he said coldly and attempted to take the papers away from her.

Even though she was on the verge of a full-on anxiety attack, the woman held on. The blonde's clenched jaw turned into gritting of teeth. His patience was long gone and it took his everything to keep himself from going crazy. Miraculously he still hadn't gone animalistic. But he wasn't far from it, either. Eventually he ran out of sympathy and aggressively ripped the papers away from her. The look of horror in her eyes was inexplicable.

"Naruto! Don't. Don't read it", she begged, her voice desperate.

The blonde ignored her demands and slapped away the hand trying to get the papers back. He laid a murderous glare at her, to shut her up. The woman couldn't help but to feel frightened enough to stay silent and still. Naruto then turned his gaze towards the papers in his hand. His eyes caught the sender. It was a letter from Suna's city hospital. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he read the first few lines of the document.

'_Mrs. Uzumaki, you have a doctor's appointment scheduled for June 30., 12:30 pm. The appointment consists of a consultation about in vitro fertilization and the choosing of a donor. After a thorough interview, the appointment for the actual treatment will be scheduled. You are to be a non-smoker, keep from taking strong medication…'_

The text went on for several pages, but Naruto didn't read any further. He didn't have to.

The look of horror and shock in his eyes was the first real expression Sakura had seen on his face all week, but it wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"What is this shit?" Naruto hissed through gritted teeth, still eyeing the pages.

He wanted to hear that it was not what he thought it was. The woman didn't answer. Naruto turned towards her and not even thinking about it, took her by the arm and roughly pulled her up to stand. He brought his face just an inch away from hers.

"I asked you a fucking question. _Answer it_," he growled. He was now pretty much losing his shit.

Sakura shut her eyes in fear. She wanted to say something, explain it somehow, but no words came out. It only aggravated the blonde further. He could feel his grip on sanity hang on only barely anymore.

"Are you fucking serious? You were planning on getting pregnant through a stranger, huh?" Naruto questioned, his grip on Sakura's arm tightening. The woman let out a hiss of pain. It didn't make him let go.

"What the hell, woman? You were seriously thinking about forcing me to father a child that isn't even mine? You are fuckin' twisted", Naruto hissed, finally letting go of her. She immediately grabbed her sore arm and stepped further away.

The blonde threw the papers away, grasped a fistful of his hair and started pacing around the room, muttering words that didn't make much sense. Sakura helplessly watched her husband near a mental breakdown. He didn't seem sane anymore. It scared her. Naruto suddenly let out a strained laugh, his body shaking with anger.

"I can't fucking believe you. I thought you were just cheating on me. Nothing more", the blonde said, his anger only growing.

Sakura had brought a hand over her mouth, fighting to not break down crying. She knew that she had messed up.

"Naruto, please listen to me", she said weakly. The blonde stopped pacing and took a jolting step towards her. Sakura immediately took a step back.

"_What_? What could you possibly have to say?" he hissed, his voice poisonous.

The woman couldn't stop flinching at his tone of voice. It scared her. Sakura took a deep breath to keep herself together, before speaking.

"I won't lie. It wouldn't be any use, since you already saw that. It's true. I planned to get pregnant alone", she said, her voice shaky.

A wave of anger washed over Naruto. He had to get that rage out. The blonde clenched his hand into a fist and threw a hit at the wall beside him. Sakura flinched again. She didn't dare to comment on his outburst.

"How did you think you'd get away with that, huh? What the _fuck_ is wrong with you? You're sick. You are fucking messed up", Naruto hissed, not sparing his words.

He made sure that the disgust came through in his voice. The look of shame on Sakura's face gave him true satisfaction.

"I…I don't know, Naruto. I felt so lost. I felt like there was no future for us anymore. You no longer seemed to have any interest in me or starting a family with me. You just stopped caring. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want to lose our future", the woman started to explain.

Naruto remained angered, but forced himself to listen. No explanation could be good enough, but he listened.

"You have no idea how it broke me down to hear that we might not have children even if we wanted to. You said you'd fix it with me, that we would have a family one day. But I knew that you didn't really want that. You didn't really care about it. That's why I thought I could do it alone. I would get pregnant alone and just pretend it was our child. I…I just wanted to be a mother", she spoke.

Naruto listened silently to her words painted with sadness and desperation. He couldn't deny that she was right about him. He had changed. He no longer was the kind of husband she wanted. He had stopped loving her the way she needed him to love her, a long time ago. To be honest, he couldn't say for sure if he'd ever loved her the way she needed. If at all. He also didn't care about having children. He never really had. It wasn't something he'd ever dreamed of. But he'd gone along with it for her. That'd been a mistake. And now it'd come to bite him in the ass.

Jesus fucking Christ, he hated Karma.

Sakura didn't even know how right she was about them not being…them, anymore. There was no part of him anymore that wanted to fix things. No part that cared about her enough to do that. He didn't want to be her husband anymore. He didn't want to pretend he loved her, anymore. He didn't want to be the father of her children. Even less now that he knew she'd rather have a stranger for that job. Not a cell in his body felt any compassion, sympathy or attachment towards her anymore.

Even though he couldn't have cared less about her, he felt like he'd been hit by a truck. She had done something that was beyond betrayal. He'd thought she was cheating on him. That would've been a picnic compared to this. This was betrayal on a whole new level. There was no way he would forgive her for what she'd done and in no way did he have the desire to do that.

In the split of a second, she became dead to him.

"Get the fuck out", Naruto stated bluntly, not a trace of emotion in his voice. Sakura's eyes widened in shock.

"What?" she stuttered out. Naruto felt like rolling his eyes. How had that bitch thought this would end?

The blonde turned around and made his way to the hallway. There he grabbed the dog's leash and attached it to its collar. He then turned towards Sakura once more.

"I said, get out. I'm leaving you. When I get back, I want you to be gone."

With nothing more to say, Naruto opened the door and stepped out of the house. The door he slammed shut as loudly as he could, the hinges nearly giving way under the force. Sakura was left alone to stand in the kitchen. In seconds, she collapsed to the floor in tears. Naruto heard her sobbing through the door. And he fucking loved it in all its sadistic glory.

The streets were so quiet. Not a soul was in sight, not a sound was heard. Not even though the city wasn't that far away. And Naruto enjoyed it to the core.

He'd walked around the town for three hours by then. He'd let Thing run free without a leash, knowing it wouldn't wander far. The animal enjoyed every second of the feeling of freedom. Just like Naruto did. He did feel oddly free. Whether it was the stillness of the city, or the fact that he had thrown his wife out, he wasn't sure. Either way, he felt strangely calm.

He hadn't actually spent that much time thinking about her. After his anger had calmed down, simple calmness had come to replace it. Not regret, not sadness, not even anxiety. Just calmness. It was as if he'd been freed from some type of shackles. He felt less restrained. He hadn't even realized how tight of a grip that woman had had on him.

She'd always been that way. Overpowering, manipulative, even somewhat selfish. The woman he'd left to cry hadn't seemed like any of the sort, but that didn't mean it wasn't true. For years she'd gotten everything she wanted. Everything always had to go the way she wanted. And always did, too. Naruto hadn't realized how fucking miserable that woman really made him. She wasn't a bad human being. Not in the way he was. Not in the way Gaara was. She was simply a spoiled piece of shit that couldn't see beyond her own desires. And to see that illusion of hers shatter into a million pieces…the joy of that was inexplicable.

Naruto didn't feel the least bit bad about the things he'd said and done to her. Maybe he should've. But he didn't care enough to even try. He found it unbelievable that it'd taken this much to make her plastic shell finally crack. He'd had to become an entirely different person, an honestly dangerous and threatening one, before she let go of her façade.

Even sadder was that Naruto had had to become all that, only to see behind it.

That woman truly was fucking unbelievable. Not in a good way. Not at all. In a way that was just sickly selfish and twisted. Not on an insane level, even. She was sick and twisted in a completely conscious, deliberate way. Even if it did sound odd coming from the blonde, considering that he'd been in fact killing living human beings, it was still true. That woman had decided to plan Naruto's life for him, just never asking his opinion. She had decided to take her sick lie to a level that went beyond betrayal.

That woman was delusional when it came to life in general. She'd always been. She was the type of person who wanted to come off as perfect, who wanted her life to seem perfect, even if it was the complete opposite. She wanted to show off to other people. She was that kind of person. The kind that Naruto had always despised. Before today, he hadn't realized he'd actually married one. And now he felt like an idiot for it.

In the end, they actually had nothing in common. He was an orphan, had spent most of his life a criminal and had only barely made it to adulthood. She was the pretty little princess of a well-off family, had never known a thing about violence and death, nor ever would she. They came from completely different worlds. And they lived in completely different realities.

But Naruto had only himself to blame. He'd been the one to stray from the path meant for him. He'd been the one to pretend like he belonged in her world. Yet this is how he ended up anyway. A killer, a runaway and marked for life.

Naruto was shaken awake from his thoughts upon hearing the dog bark. He turned around to see Thing stand a few feet behind him, its body tensed up and teeth bared. The blonde narrowed his eyes. A dark figure was walking towards them. Naruto immediately took out his gun, loaded it and was ready to aim at any sudden movement. The figure came closer in a calm pace. The closer they got, the less intimidating it seemed. Naruto no longer felt like the figure was a threat, but didn't let his guard down. Just in case.

Only when the figure came close enough for the streetlamp to shine its light on their face, did Naruto's tense shoulders relax. They weren't a threat after all. Not beyond pissing him off. Cause that's what Sasuke did best.

"Are you an idiot? I almost shot you", Naruto hissed.

The other one stopped walking, evidently anxious about the still barking dog. The blonde glanced at Thing. He then let out a simple shush. The animal shut up instantly.

"I see he left it with ya", Sasuke muttered, narrowing his eyes at Thing. Judging by the silent, yet intense baring of teeth, Thing didn't like Sasuke any more than he liked it. Naruto watched the other man silently for a while. Eventually, he just sighed.

"Why are you here?" he asked, putting his gun away. Sasuke tilted his head. He seemed a little hesitant to speak.

"Sakura called me. Said you were being weird", he eventually admitted. Naruto instantly wanted to shoot him after all. A strained chuckle escaped the blonde's lips as he tried his best not to get angry again.

"She did, huh? That stuck up bitch", he muttered, yet loudly enough for Sasuke to hear just fine. The paler man raised a brow.

"You've specifically forbidden me to use that word when speaking of her. So what's up?" the man asked. Naruto waved his hand dismissively.

"Call her whatever the fuck you want. I'm done. I'm out of her damn chokehold", he stated, turning around.

He started walking away from his friend. Thing left the raven be and went to follow the blonde. Sasuke rolled his eyes, knowing he'd have to go after him.

"Oi. Moron. Have you any idea how long it took for me to find you?" he asked, while picking up his pace to reach Naruto. The blonde just shrugged. "I never asked ya to."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, finally reaching the other's side. He took out a pack of cigarettes, placed one between his lips and offered Naruto one as well. The blonde took what was offered.

"You didn't, but that crazy woman did. She called me twelve times. Twelve fucking times. In the middle of the night. So I had to pick up", Sasuke said, lighting his cigarette up.

"Since when have you listened to a word she has to say?" Naruto asked, snatching the lighter from the raven. Sasuke gave him a displeased glance, but let it be.

"Ever since she said that you haven't eaten, slept or gone outside for an entire week", he then stated.

Naruto lit up, took a long drag of smoke and handed the lighter back. He had to roll his eyes at the other's words.

"I'm outside now, ain't I?" he pointed out. He knew that wasn't the point. And Sasuke gave him a glare to prove it.

"You haven't answered my calls for a week. If you had, I might've not listened to that psycho, ya know. You have only yourself to blame here, blondie", he said. Naruto sighed.

"I know. I've been an asshole. But I really don't feel like interacting with other living things. I mainly just wanna kill them", he muttered, taking another drag.

Sasuke stopped walking. He grabbed Naruto by the wrist to stop him as well. The blonde came to a halt and glanced at him.

"Yeah. But this is me. If something's wrong, you're supposed to talk to me about it. Get that?" Sasuke said, his voice demanding.

Naruto stared at him for a while, not saying anything. Eventually he let out a sigh of defeat. He didn't feel like talking about it. Not at all. But he knew he couldn't get rid of the man either. He had no choice.

"It's him. I can't fucking function without him", he said.

Sasuke wasn't exactly surprised to hear that. He'd expected the reason to be the redhead. He'd known the blonde would be affected by his leave. But this was way worse than he'd thought it would be.

"I get it, okay? I get that it sucks. I know that somehow that twisted freak made you less miserable. But you've still got yakuza behind ya. You've still got shit to take care of. You can't just give up", he said, trying to make his point as clear as possible.

Naruto sighed again. He knew that. He knew all that. But it still didn't change the fact that he no longer had a reason to keep on trying. Not really. Not without him.

"I know that. But it doesn't help. This ain't something I can sort out with logic. I'm messed up. My head's fucked up", he said, blowing out a puff of smoke.

The smoke stayed to linger around him. There was no wind to take it away. Naruto watched the smoke dance in the air for a while, before he continued speaking.

"That irritating, zombie-like idiot gave me something that I've never had before. He gave me freedom."

Sasuke's stern eyes softened slightly. The shame and regret he'd felt for knowing he'd been partly at fault for Gaara's decision to leave had almost disappeared by then. But it then came rushing back. It came back, slapping him across the face like an angry bitch. He kind of wanted to tell the truth. He felt the need to tell Naruto it was his fault. But he couldn't. He just couldn't.

Not knowing what to say, Sasuke decided to change the subject for now.

"How's that wound of yours? Did ya get it stitched?" he asked.

Naruto raised a brow. The raven almost cringed. He wasn't that good with changing the subject. The blonde gave him a lingering, odd stare, but eventually just went along with it.

"It's fine. I stitched it myself", he said. It was Sasuke's turn to give him a weird look. "Yourself? Are you out of your mind?"

"Well I couldn't go to the hospital, now could I?" Naruto muttered, rolling his eyes. Sasuke had absolutely nothing to say to that.

"It took half a bottle of vodka and skill not to bite my tongue off, but at least it's closed. It hasn't been bleeding anymore", Naruto pointed out.

Sasuke knew there was no use in arguing about the safety of doing shit like that, so he refrained from commenting.

"Right. Great", he said instead. The blonde detected the sarcasm in his voice, but let it slide.

Naruto threw his burnt out cigarette away. They started walking again, Thing pacing ahead of them. They were silent for a long time. Sasuke glanced at his friend several times, but said nothing. He still had the undeniable urge to tell Naruto about what he'd done. It was seriously eating his soul away. But even though he almost tried, he couldn't say it. In order not to go crazy over it, he had to come up with something to talk about.

"So what's up with you and Sakura?" he asked casually. Judging by the angry grunt Naruto let out, the situation itself wasn't so casual.

"I left her", the blonde said bluntly. Sasuke nearly tripped. He stopped walking for just a second, wondering if he'd heard right.

"What?" he asked, even though he concluded that he had, in fact, heard right.

Naruto grunted again. "Yeah."

"What the fuck happened?" was all Sasuke could ask.

Naruto frowned. The paler man just waited. This had to be something worth hearing. And damn, it really was.

"I found a letter she'd gotten from Suna hospital. Turns out she was planning on getting pregnant through a donor", Naruto told. Sasuke's face reflected some level of confusion.

"Ya mean without tellin' you?" he asked. The blonde nodded.

"Yeah. She was gonna pretend like the kid's mine. Fuckin' twisted", he huffed.

"That's sick. Why would she do that? I thought you were trying to have kids anyway", Sasuke muttered. Naruto shook his head and chuckled.

"Nah. She wanted them. I don't. I never really did. But you know that woman. She always gets what she wants. One way or another. It's easy to get trapped under her spell", he said.

Sasuke bit his lips in order not to say something stupid. He'd known something like this would happen. He'd never liked her. He'd known for a long time that Sakura wasn't as sweet as she seemed. She wasn't a bad person, she didn't mean harm to other people. She was just simply too stupid to see beyond herself. Her brain capacity could not comprehend anything beyond her own little world. It was in her nature to do absolutely anything and everything to get what she wanted. And she always ended up using other people to obtain those things.

Ever since she and Naruto had gotten together, Sasuke had known how it would end. He'd known the blonde would get sucked into her lies. That moron had been so in love. Just a bat of her eyes, and he would've gotten Sakura the moon from the sky. It'd been sickening to watch happen.

But that was a long time ago. Naruto had been just a kid back then. Things were different now. The blonde had grown up. He wasn't naïve anymore. He wasn't the sweet, unconditionally goodhearted twat anymore. He had become cold enough to realize that emotion wasn't something worth blinding himself for. And Sasuke was glad the day had finally come. The day when Naruto realized that woman wasn't worth it.

"I feel like an idiot", Naruto said, shaking Sasuke awake from his thoughts.

"Don't. It won't help", he said. The blonde shook his head tiredly. A small chuckle escaped his lips. The paler one raised a brow.

"You know…I don't think I ever loved her. Not really. I just loved the illusion she was. And still is", Naruto spoke.

Sasuke said nothing, just listened. Naruto turned his gaze towards the sky. The moon was up again. It wasn't whole anymore. It felt somewhat appropriate to what he was feeling. Even though he wasn't that big on sentimental shit, there was something sickly sweet, yet accurate he wanted to admit.

"I stopped loving that illusion. I fell in love with freedom instead."

The look on Sasuke's face changed. He became slightly taken aback. As Naruto lowered his gaze down again and towards him, the look in his eyes was something the raven had never seen before. Not in his eyes, not in anybody's. They were just so sad. A piercing pain shot straight through his heart as he watched him. He tried to fight it, but eventually couldn't stop himself from letting the words fall off his tongue.

"It's my fault. It's my fault he left."

The blonde frowned. He seemed confused.

"What are ya talking 'bout?" he asked, not understanding.

Sasuke found it hard to keep the eye contact. Naruto's gaze searched for an explanation in the other's eyes. It took a while for the pale man to actual voice it.

"I told him to leave."

Absolute fucking silence fell. Sasuke instantly hoped he could take it back. All of it. Admitting it, ever even doing it. But he couldn't. No matter how hard he wanted, he couldn't.

Naruto's lips parted. The sadness in his eyes became shock. Then confusion. Then hurt. And eventually, anger. But he still said nothing. For almost an entire minute, he said nothing. Not until his anger had built up into an angered scream.

"_What the fuck?!_"

Sasuke took a step back. He immediately saw it was necessary. The blonde's presence had become so dark and violent in just the split of a second that he had a hard time understanding that man was even the same person anymore.

"I'm sorry", Sasuke said, trying not to get nervous.

His words went completely ignored. Naruto didn't listen. Instead of even trying to calm down, he clenched his hand into a tight fist and hit him in the face. Sasuke had no time to react. He couldn't dodge it. The blonde's fist collided with his jaw with such force, he had to question if his face was even whole anymore.

"Why did you fucking do that?! What the fuck is wrong with you?" the blonde screamed.

His voice didn't even sound human. It was a mix of growling and screaming, anger pushing through so strongly, Sasuke could almost feel it. Holding his bleeding jaw, he backed away from the blonde, knowing he was armed. And in the state Naruto was in, there was no guarantee the man wouldn't actually use the gun. Sasuke didn't let his gaze leave the blonde. He wanted to make sure he'd see if the man moved towards him again. Watching Naruto twitch with rage, the raven tried not to move an inch. He felt like the other one would attack at any movement.

"Why would you fucking do that to me?" the blonde kept on roaring.

Sasuke couldn't say a word. He knew it wouldn't be any use. Not to that wild animal. Seeing that the blonde's anger only kept on rising, he felt seriously anxious. Naruto started pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself, occasionally shouting at Sasuke again. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the blonde suddenly drew his gun out again. He didn't aim it at Sasuke, he didn't look like he was going to use it. But that didn't mean it wasn't fucking dangerous.

"Why…why would…what the fuck is wrong with you?" the blonde muttered, still pacing around, the gun in his hand.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or not. But even if the words had been directed to him, he wouldn't have answered. He knew there was absolutely nothing he could've said to pull the man back to the sane side.

Naruto suddenly stopped pacing. Instead he stepped towards Sasuke, stopped right in front of him and lifted the gun in his hand. He aimed it at his friend. At his head. In the center of his forehead. The only change in Sasuke's stoic face was the shock in his eyes. He froze. He watched the blonde clench his jaw and place his finger on the trigger. For a little while, his finger seemed to hesitate. It left the trigger, came back and left again. It went on for some time. Sasuke just watched it happen. He watched the battle Naruto was fighting against himself. And even though he would've wanted to, Sasuke had no idea how it would end.

"You…you took him away from me", Naruto suddenly said.

His voice was almost a whisper. Sasuke frowned. The blonde's clenched jaw relaxed and the gun aimed at him lowered just slightly. Not all the way, but enough for it to no longer be pointed at his face. The anger in Naruto's eyes seemed to fade away and get replaced by something else. Something Sasuke couldn't name. Suddenly the blonde moved the gun away from Sasuke's head and towards himself instead.

For the first time in years, Sasuke's ice cold features became entirely painted with fear and panic.

"What are you doing?" he asked, afraid to hear the answer.

The blonde's eyes were closed. The gun was pressed against his temple. He was completely still. He didn't move an inch, he didn't even breathe. Not until he spoke.

"It would be so easy, ya know. To just pull. It would take less than a second."

The blonde's eyes fluttered open slowly. Sasuke flinched at the gaze that came to meet his. There was no sadness anymore. There was no anger anymore. There was no anxiety anymore. There was absolutely nothing anymore. Just emptiness. And that couldn't be a good sign. Sasuke cautiously took a step closer towards the other one. Naruto gave no sign of lowering the gun, but he also didn't stop the man from approaching.

"Don't do anything stupid", Sasuke said, trying not to sound too demanding.

The gun didn't get lowered. It remained pressed against the blonde's temple. The gun followed, as Naruto slightly tilted his head, still staring at the paler man.

"Don't you fucking pull anything. Hear me?" Sasuke said, taking another step.

His words didn't seem to have any affect. The gun stayed where it was. The blonde stayed the way he was. And Sasuke slowly continued taking steps towards him. He had almost reached the other one when something unexpected happened.

Naruto chuckled. He chuckled and moved the gun away from his head. A smirk remaining on his lips, the blonde flipped the gun around his finger. Sasuke stopped walking. He just stopped to stare, confused and unsure. Naruto gave him a somewhat sneering smirk, deepening his confusion.

"Ya thought I'd shoot myself?" the blonde asked mockingly. Sasuke frowned. He quickly became angry at the other one. Naruto didn't seem to care.

"Don't be fucking stupid. I ain't that weak", he scoffed.

Sasuke realized that the blonde had just taken the piss out of him. Even though he might've deserved it, it didn't stop him from getting angry.

"Are you a total fucking idiot?" he hissed, taking a quick step towards Naruto.

He came to a quick stop. As soon as he'd come forward, the blonde had aimed the gun at him again. Sasuke was forced to stop, but the anger on his face remained evident. Naruto frowned at him.

"You're an asshole. For doing what you did", he said, oddly calm. Sasuke clenched his jaw, but listened silently.

"But I know he would've left anyway. It wasn't about what you told him. You don't have that kind of power over him", Naruto continued.

The other man's eyes became somewhat confused. Why wasn't the blonde yelling anymore?

"I'm mad as hell with ya. But I won't shoot you. Not even your kneecaps, although it sounds extremely tempting at the moment", Naruto said, finally lowering the gun.

He put the weapon away, making it just a little bit easier for Sasuke to breathe. Naruto took another cigarette. He lit it up, inhaled a breath of smoke, then slowly letting it slip out from between his lips. Sasuke remained still, somewhat nervous to move. The blonde ignored him for several seconds, before turning towards him again.

"You sure fucked me over, didn't ya?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to think of the other's mood. The blonde didn't seem angry anymore. He didn't seem sad or anxious either. He didn't seem like anything, really. Yet somehow, he came off dangerous and entirely unpredictable. To be honest, it was intimidating. Naruto just kept on staring at him, eventually letting out a snort.

"You ain't the only one. I'm used to it by now", he muttered, laying a slight look of despise on his friend.

It made the paler one cringe just a bit. The shame of it all quickly grew stronger under that hateful glare. He thought it would never come to an end, until the blonde finally tore his gaze away and up, towards the sky instead. Sasuke waited for him to speak.

"He was the only one who didn't fuck me over, actually", Naruto said, his voice low.

He sighed and lowered his gaze back down, towards Sasuke. The pale man remained still, a few feet away from him. Naruto stared at him for a while, silently. The other one said nothing either. That went on for a while. Eventually the blonde huffed, turned around and started walking away. Sasuke was left to watch in confusion. The raven was about to say something, but got cut off by the blonde.

"Don't call me for the next week. By then, I might not wanna kill you anymore. See ya."

That's all he said. Sasuke didn't reply. And soon, Naruto was gone.

It was dawn, when Naruto finally arrived back home. He'd continued walking around the city for several more hours, even more pissed and confused than before. He was at a loss when it came to what Sasuke had told him. He was angry at him. There was no doubt of that. At the moment, he actually despised his best friend. He'd pointed a gun at him. He'd put his finger on the trigger, and actually considered pulling it. But in the end, he hadn't. He couldn't. He would've regretted it. Of course he would've. Sasuke was important. Even though Gaara might've taken up the majority of his capacity to find someone worthy and important, Sasuke still remained in his heart. He always would. In a way, he would always be the most important thing in the world to him. Even if it was in a different way than Gaara.

Naruto didn't actually know how to describe the difference between them. Sasuke was his rock. He'd always been there for him, he'd always been his rock. Never before had the man let him down in any way. Not deliberately. And even now, even though he'd went against Naruto in an inexplicably insulting way, the blonde knew he hadn't done it to hurt him. It had been to protect him. Sasuke had honestly thought it was the right thing to do. He always wanted to protect the blonde. And Naruto knew that.

But the things that Gaara did for him…they were different. Naruto knew that, because a man like him wouldn't normally have done anything for anybody, under any circumstances. That's why the redhead's effort held an incredible amount of worth to him. Because he knew that only he was worth the effort to Gaara. Naruto didn't doubt that Sasuke would've been willing to die for him. He sure as hell would've been ready to die for Sasuke. But still, there was something inexplicable between him and Gaara, that nobody else could create. What it really was, he wasn't sure. But he felt like maybe he wasn't supposed to understand it. Some things just were like that. Too strange and overpowering for a human being to fully understand.

Naruto was mad at Sasuke, yes. He probably would've beaten him to death, hadn't he left. But that feeling would fade away. His anger would fade away. He would forget the primitive rage, and after a while, understand why the man had done it. They would be okay. Naruto just needed some time. And he hoped Sasuke was smart enough to respect that need.

The blonde opened the front door of his house. Thing rushed to get inside, making its way straight to the kitchen. Naruto followed the dog, knowing it was hungry as hell. To be honest, he was too. But he knew that if he was to eat something, he'd probably just throw up. Naruto took off his shoes and jacket, put the dog's leash where it belonged, and stopped to stand in the hallway. He closed his eyes. And then he just listened.

It was dead silent. The house was empty and still.

Naruto opened his eyes again. Sakura was gone. He knew, because there were things missing. Her clothes were no longer hanging off the rack in the hallway. The crystal vase they'd gotten as a wedding gift was no longer on the kitchen counter. Framed pictures, paintings and drapes were missing as well. She'd really left.

"Hn."

Naruto didn't feel like anything in particular. Empty, mainly. The house was so quiet, it made him feel somewhat uneasy and lonely. He was happy Sakura had left, but she had taken the heart of their home with her. The house didn't feel like a home anymore. It felt like a…house. Just a house.

The blonde grunted. Since he was now alone inside what no longer was anything more but walls, windows and a roof, he didn't necessarily have to lock himself in the bedroom anymore. He didn't have to. But he kind of wanted to. With a sigh, the blonde moved on to feed the dog, waited for it to finish, and then dragged himself upstairs again. Thing following right behind, of course.

Naruto made his way to the bedroom. Seeing the room in the light of cracking dawn wasn't really a pretty sight. It was messy. There were clothes and empty bottles all over the floor. It smelled like death. Smoking inside that room for a week, not once opening a window kind of had an affect like that. He suddenly didn't feel so much like spending time there anymore.

After staring at the sight for a while, Naruto decided he'd clean it up. He didn't feel like doing it, but knew it'd be inevitable at some point. So why not now?

Not really knowing where to start, he decided to unpack the suitcase he'd had with him in Fuchu. Being the mental mess he was, Naruto hadn't gotten around to unpacking it yet. Knowing that there were bloody clothes inside the case, he could only imagine how much fun opening it would be. It would most likely smell like roadkill. How delightful.

Naruto crouched down next to the suitcase, unzipped it from the sides and opened it up. He met a mess of clothes that'd been just shoved inside in a hurry. That's how he'd left, after all. In a hurry. And as a mess.

Naruto started to pull out the tangled clothes, dropping them on the floor. He was sort of amazed by the amount of shit he always thought he'd need on a trip. Even when he actually didn't need half of it. The amount of clothes seemed endless. He'd nearly emptied the bag, when something caught his eye. Something he was sure he hadn't packed himself.

An envelope.

Naruto stopped to look at it. Slightly frowning, he picked the thing up. He turned it around a couple of times, not finding any writing on it. Eventually, he opened it. Inside was a folded sheet of paper. He pulled it out, unfolded it and found an entire page of handwritten text. Black ink, neatly written, from the top to bottom. Wondering who the hell could possibly have this much to say, Naruto decided to read it. When starting, he hadn't known if it was meant for him to read. That quickly changed.

_Hey, little demon._

_This is my fifth fucking try writing this. I've never written a letter before. I don't know how to do shit like this. But I'll try, anyway. I always end up doing weird shit for you, ya know._

_I'm sitting here on the bed, watching you sleep. You have no idea how much I'll miss doing that. Your pretty fucking face keeps distracting me. I can't get shit written. Thanks, blondie._

_I have this feeling that we won't say goodbye. That's why I want to write you this. To say goodbye. _

_I know I shouldn't be writing this. I should just disappear, without leaving these words behind. But I don't want to do that. There are things I wanna tell you. I don't wanna leave them unsaid._

_I didn't want to leave, blondie. I didn't want to leave you. I'm leaving to save ya. You need to know that. I don't want to see you die. I don't know why, really. I don't know what it is about you that makes me act this way. But whatever it is, it's driving me to sacrifice myself for you. Imagine that. Ha._

_I thought that never letting you out of my sight would've kept you safe. That if I never left your side, you wouldn't die. But I was wrong. You got hurt. Because of me. Because of my mistake. I realized I can't keep you safe. As long as I'm near ya, they'll come after you. With me gone, they'll come after me instead. As long as I'm alive, they'll chase me. I won't die easy. But in case they do come after ya…well, in that case I'm probably dead. Sorry in advance. _

_But it don't matter, really. As long as I fucking breathe, I'll do my everything to take them down. I'll give my everything to fulfill my promise to you. And when I stop breathing, it's your turn. I'll buy you time to prepare yourself for it. Get better. Kill. Slaughter. Gut. Do whatever it takes to make that demon of yours stronger. I know you ain't a fan of it, but you're gonna need it._

_And don't even think about giving up. You promised me, remember? You promised you wouldn't give up, no matter what. Even if I fail, don't you fucking give up._

_I'll never forget ya, blondie. You gave me a real reason to kill. I wanna give you that as well. See you in hell. I'll wait for ya._

_\- Gaara_

Naruto could hear his own heartbeat. Not because it was beating fast, but because its beat was strong. It was as if it'd been still for days and suddenly started beating again. Maybe it had. Maybe it had stopped.

The blonde couldn't help the smirk on his lips. Suddenly all the sadness, all the heavy emotional pain he'd been gripped by simply lifted off of him. He no longer felt weak and helpless. He felt strong and vicious again. He didn't feel sad, even though he knew Gaara would most likely die. It wasn't sad, because he knew the man would do that for him. He didn't feel weak because he was alone. He felt strong, because he now had a whole new purpose to live.

The redhead might've left, but even that he did for Naruto. He'd left to protect him. He'd left to take their death away with him. And that's why Naruto wouldn't dwell in self-pity any longer. He wouldn't cry about the years he'd wasted living a lie. He wouldn't regret anymore. He would live up to the purpose Gaara had unexpectedly given him. He would keep on going, not giving up. He would get better, he would get colder. He would use the time Gaara would buy him. And if Gaara's time was to end, he would continue what the other one couldn't finish. If they killed the redhead, he would kill them.

He would wait for the day Gaara would come back to him. And if he didn't, Naruto would slaughter his way to hell after him.

* * *

**I personally like this chapter. Blondie got rid of that bubblegum bitch, finally.**

**The monster left, but fear not my loves, this ain't the end. One would think there's a limit to stretching a story, but apparently my imagination hasn't heard of such, cause I've still got a shitload of badass stuff stored for ya'll. **

**Now please excuse me while I leave you sweethearts hanging off this cliff for another week or so. *kisses***


	34. Borderline Perfection

**Somebody pointed out that it seems like I absolutely hate Sakura, and I certainly make it seem that way, don't I? Ha. I don't, actually. I like the original character. And I absolutely despise the way the manga ended on her part. God I'm bitter about that. Actually I'm bitter about the entire fucking ending. But that's another issue.**

**But yeah, I don't hate her. Every story needs a horrendous bitch, and she got the honor this time.**

**Side note: the parts written in italics are sort of black-flashes, as in have taken place before the happenings written in conventional font. Just to be super clear.**

* * *

_It was funny, really. The way hours turned into days, days into weeks and weeks into months. How time no longer meant a thing. How faces no longer had a name, only a number. How death stopped being worthy of emotion. And how it all just felt too good to be called only an inevitable necessity._

_Three months in, and Naruto no longer lived in a time any other than the present. Only that exact waking second counted. The past was irrelevant, the future was yet to come. There was only him, the world and his purpose to live. Though his purpose was nowhere to be seen with the naked eye, it wasn't gone. And only that purpose was what gave him the will to carry on. So that one day his purpose could be held by his arms again, pressed against his chest, the familiar feel of evil wrapping around him, keeping him safe and sound._

_There was nothing he wouldn't have done to get his purpose back. None else mattered but that. But even then, some days he felt too weak to fight for it anymore. Some days his longing became overpowering, his emotional pain hurt more than his body could take. It occasionally made him throw up. It occasionally made him violent and unpredictable. At times it made him consider the easy way out. The cowardly one._

_But those days were always the kind to come and go. They never lasted long enough to sway his loyalty towards his purpose. He always rose from the darkest pits of his mind, climbed up the vertical walls of his personal madness, and never failed to stand on his own two feet again. He turned his self-pity into anger strong enough to never give up on reaching his purpose. For he knew that one day, he'd make it. _

_His purpose to be alive had hair red like blood, skin pale as snow and a mind more twisted than humanity itself. His will to murder for it knew no limits. His purpose was one of a kind. His purpose was perfection._

* * *

Naruto stood as still as he could. He didn't breathe, didn't even blink. He closed his eyes, shutting down all other senses but his hearing. He couldn't see, he couldn't feel, he couldn't smell. He only heard the world around him. It was enough. The sounds around him mapped his surroundings. The slow footsteps walking towards him meant they weren't far away anymore. The ruffling of a jacket meant they had reached for a weapon. The soft, metallic click indicated the weapon was a gun, now loaded. And the direction of all these sounds told the blonde that they'd never even realize what hit them.

Naruto opened his eyes. All of his five senses switched back on instantly. He could see again. And he saw that they hadn't figured out his position. He could feel again. And he felt he had successfully kept his pulse steady. He could smell again. And he smelled the blood on them.

A smirk crept to his lips. He'd hit them, after all.

Not wasting any more time, the blonde left his hiding. He stepped out from behind the corner, knowing they would see him. But it didn't matter. Before they even got the chance to react, he'd already reached them. He'd stepped behind them, them being a man vicious as a raging pit bull, and pressed his gun against the man's back. The man instantly knew the gun was there. He stopped his motions, thinking that the blonde wouldn't shoot him in the back. It wouldn't kill him, after all. It wouldn't be of any use.

And Naruto didn't. He didn't shoot him. He'd already wasted a bullet on that lowlife. It hadn't killed him.

The man seemed to think he still had a chance. The blonde quickly debunked his assumptions. Not giving the guy a chance to even react, Naruto pressed a knife against his throat. The man's shoulders tensed up. It seemed he caught on quickly. The blonde smirked just a little. He pressed the blade harder against the man's throat, cutting his skin. The firm grip the blonde had on the knife indicated he was ready to finish the cut he'd started. But he still had a farewell to say.

"G'night, number 103."

And then the blade sunk deeper. It moved across the man's neck, tearing apart flesh and veins. Blood gushed out, painting the man's skin bright red. A deep, gurgling sound escaped the open windpipe, now flooded with blood. Then his body went limp. His legs gave out, only a few reflexive twitches of his muscles jolting against the blonde. Naruto let go of the man's body, letting it fall to the ground. It made a wet sound upon impact. He'd landed into a pool of his own blood.

Naruto didn't stop to stand still. He immediately wiped the excess blood off his knife, putting it away. He then crouched down next to the lifeless man. With a swift move, the blonde reached his hand down the man's collar, feeling around. Among the clotting blood, he found what he'd hoped for. The yakuza tag.

Police sirens went off not far away. They weren't after him, but Naruto knew he had to leave. Just in case. He roughly ripped the tag off the dead man. Shoving it into his pocket he stood up, turned around and walked away. He had no reason to look back.

A police car drove by the alley he was walking out of. The cops didn't even glance his way. Naruto hadn't expected them to, either. Not in this neighborhood. Not when there were a hundred crimes happening within just a three mile radius. And those included only the reported ones.

The blonde turned away from the alley, leaving the body behind. He reached to his jacket pocket and took his phone out. His thumb rushed to pick out a number and then hit dial. The call got picked up quickly.

"Again?" a drowsy voice asked on the other end of the line. They must've been asleep.

"Yeah. Downtown edge, alley on the main street, next to the nasty whorehouse", Naruto stated, picking up his pace. If he was quick enough, he might get across the road without getting hit by the approaching bus.

"Right. Yeah. I'll take care of it", the voice spoke, sleep slowly fading from the tone.

"Good. This one needs your special treatment. He's done time. The cops have his DNA and dental records. Take out his teeth before the acid", Naruto said.

He'd made it to the other side of the road. He could see his car waiting just a few hundred feet away.

"Okay. I'll send you the pictures when I'm done", the voice promised.

"Yeah. I'll wait", Naruto replied.

Then he hung up. He put his phone away and took out his car keys instead. He hopped inside the matte black 1969 Mustang the keys belonged to. Turning the key inside the ignition switch made the engine roar to life. Not bothering to buckle up, the blonde left the parking lot wheels screeching. It was best to get away as soon as possible.

Once on the road, Naruto took out his phone again. He picked out another number, hit dial and just waited. It took a while for the call to get picked up. Sasuke was fucking slow with everything.

"Hey, dickhead", was the answer, when it finally came.

"Yo, moron. I'm on my way home. Ya there?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. Just got back. You done already?" his friend asked.

Naruto stopped at a red light. He used that opportunity to take out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up.

"Yeah. It went smoother than expected. Please tell me ya have food waitin' for me", the blonde said. The light turned green again. He was quick to carry on driving.

"Ha. Yeah, I have. I took the dog out, too", Sasuke informed. The blonde sighed relieved.

"Thanks. I'm tired as fuck", he muttered, while taking a turn to the right. Thankfully, that night's job hadn't taken place too far from home.

"No problem. See ya soon", the other man said. Naruto nodded, even though he wouldn't see it.

"Yeah. Bye."

With that, he hung up. The fact that he only had a 45 minute ride home felt like bliss. He truly was exhausted. He'd been for a long time, really. Well, for years, to be exact. But lately, it'd been worse. He barely had any time to sleep anymore. There were a million things he was constantly doing, just to keep things running smoothly. Not an easy task in the least.

It'd been six months since Gaara left, give or take. Naruto hadn't seen him, hadn't heard of him. He had no idea where the man was or what he was up to. And though that occasionally taunted him, he knew the guy was still alive. Had he been dead, Naruto's job would've been a million times harder.

A lot of things had changed in the past six months. Naruto no longer was married. He'd officially divorced Sakura. After a hellish battle of making her sign the papers, he had finally been freed from her in every sense of the word. Well, apart from a few unfortunate matters. But even then, the feeling of moderate inner peace the divorce had given him truly was worth the praise.

Naruto also no longer worked as a lawyer. Well, not really. He was still employed by the same company, and he took cases every now and then. Easy ones, obvious ones. Cases that didn't consume all of his energy, and required no significant sacrifice of free time. That was his job during the day. But his real work got done during the night.

When the blonde had parted ways with Gaara, the man had left him a letter. A letter telling the reality of it all. About him leaving. About the way he felt leaving. And about what he wanted Naruto to do. He'd wished that the blonde wouldn't give up. That he would keep on fighting. Get stronger and better. That'd been a given. Naruto had already once promised the man he wouldn't give up. He wasn't going to let him down. And even though at that moment six months ago he'd felt like there was no point in even trying, the letter had turned his mind around. The man's words had changed the way Naruto felt. It'd changed Naruto as a whole.

In an instant, he'd stopped dwelling in self-loathing. He'd stopped feeling weak and desperate. Not everything of course turned into pure gold and absolute bliss, but it'd given him hope. It'd given him emotional strength. He'd realized that Gaara leaving didn't mean everything they had would come to an end. It didn't. If anything, it only became more meaningful. Every promise, every confession and every emotion they'd given to one another finally started living its own life. They became new paths to walk on. They became new goals and destinations. They became something worth fighting for. And that's why Naruto had taken the man's words to his heart.

Ever since that day, he'd done his everything to become stronger, to become better. He'd killed, he'd slaughtered, he'd gutted. Just like the man had hoped he would. He'd fed the demon inside him. At first, it'd felt strange. It'd felt sick and wrong. The first ten he'd killed just for the sake of it, had left him feeling dirty and stained. Stained with their blood and death. Stained with the absolute sin.

But it didn't last for very long. After a while, it got easier. The blood staining him no longer made him sick. Instead he found it calming. The death stopped making him nauseous. Instead it started making him feel powerful. At night, he could fall asleep again, free of all guilt and just a little more hopeful. Eventually, he no longer wanted to stop. And he hadn't.

Naruto still remembered the day he realized the change in him. It had been a morning like any other. He'd woken up, gotten out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. There he'd come face to face with himself. The reflection in the mirror had watched him back with eyes he hadn't seen before. The vague guilt in them had disappeared. It was gone, not a trace of it left, and been replaced by a sort of dimness. His remorse had stopped existing and become acceptance of reality.

He'd been slightly taken aback by it at first. It'd felt so unfamiliar and frightening. So final. But he'd stopped minding it surprisingly fast. He'd learned to live with it. With all of it. The change in him, the lack of remorse, even the killing itself.

He didn't mind the killing anymore. It'd become just another daily routine to him. But he wasn't a serial killer in the sickening sense of the word. He wasn't a psychopath. He didn't kill to find joy in it. He didn't kill people who didn't deserve it. He killed yakuzas, exclusively. And he did it with dedication easily compatible with Gaara's.

But though his eyes might've changed to match the redhead's, Naruto still knew he wasn't all the same as him. He didn't enjoy the act itself. He didn't enjoy being a killer. He found some fulfillment in watching life leave yet another yakuza's eyes, but only because it gave him just a little more hope of survival and finding his way back to Gaara. That's what he found intoxicating in the slaying. Not the death, not the violence, but the hope it gave.

He'd started comparing it to doing drugs. The killing was his infectious, dirty needle, and the hope was his high.

Naruto felt pride knowing he'd been able to keep his promise to Gaara. He'd been able to force himself to become a man cold enough to kill bad people without remorse. Whether it was healthy to feel that way or not, didn't really matter when he knew it'd make the redhead pleased with him. But all of that did have this teeny-tiny, unforeseen outcome that Gaara might've not been so okay with.

Naruto wasn't really sure how he'd ended up in his current situation in the first place. At first he'd just gotten rid of yakuzas who'd come after him. But thanks to Gaara keeping them busy, there weren't many that did. Naruto had been somewhat fine with it at first, before the ultimate frustration of no action kicked in. So after a while, he'd started going after them. Dumb or not, he'd started hunting down yakuza hitmen, starting with the easier ones, making his way up to the veterans of their profession. And one by one, he got better at it.

After a while, he became good enough for others to notice it as well. Not the law enforcement, but criminals. Gangers, ex-mobsters, even angry, corrupted CEOs of the city's leading companies. Anybody who held a grudge against the mafia. They'd realized that the blonde was killing yakuzas. Only yakuzas and people working for them. That's when the job offers had started coming in.

Nobody had walked straight up to him, handing out money and targets. Nobody knew who he was. The entire underworld of this city knew somebody was killing yakuzas, but had no clue who. The mafia obviously hadn't been loud about it being him. That would've just meant more trouble to them. After all, they had a lot of people holding grudges against them. Hence the people hoping to hire him.

It was Kiba who informed him of it even being a thing in the first place. About him being a thing. The man had just showed up at his house a few months ago, saying that bad men were hoping to hire him. Naruto had just stared at Kiba like he was the biggest idiot on earth, not believing a single word. But turned out he wasn't joking. There truly had been loads of people hoping to somehow contact Naruto.

Naturally, he'd declined. He wasn't doing it for money, after all. He was doing it to survive. To not fucking die. And maybe a little bit to get revenge as well. But still, he hadn't planned on becoming a hitman of any sort. He'd simply kicked Kiba out, telling him to go find a brain somewhere, forgetting all about it. But then something fairly odd happened.

Sasuke had been aware of Naruto's doings the entire time. The blonde always told him everything. Even though there was that time when he'd nearly shot the man's head off, it'd been quickly settled. Naruto had forgiven him after a couple of weeks and things had gone back to normal. The man knew everything that was happening, and of course Naruto told him about the ridiculous offer Kiba had given him. He'd expected Sasuke to laugh it off with him, perhaps insulting the ganger with a slur or two. But instead of doing that, he'd said something unexpected. He'd actually encouraged Naruto to go with it. To actually take the jobs offered and just become a damn hitman.

Naruto had stared at him even longer than he had stared at Kiba. With the same expression, questioning if the man had possibly gone through lobotomy. Turned out he hadn't. His head still worked just fine, just didn't seem that way. The blonde had turned Sasuke's encouragements down, just like he'd turned down Kiba's. But even though he did that, the thought of it wouldn't leave his mind. He'd kept on thinking about it for several days, constantly. After a week of wondering, he'd let himself reconsider it. Eventually he'd concluded that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Well, of course it was a bad idea, but no worse than the ones he usually had.

Naruto had gone to see Kiba. He'd told he'd changed his mind. That he would take a job just to try it out. And so he took one. He took care of it. He went back to Kiba and the man immediately asked how he'd felt about it.

Well…today had been his 103rd hired kill. That was enough of an answer.

Naruto hadn't run out of jobs ever since. And as a whole, it hadn't impacted his life that much. He simply started getting money for something he would've done anyway. The concept of killing for money had taken some getting used to, but he'd managed. He hated to admit it, but the figures on his bank account might've been a slight help on that matter.

It became routine. It became ordinary to the extent it could. But the blonde had strict rules when it came to his work. He never identified himself to his clients. Kiba always took care of business, Naruto only handled the job. Kiba had actually given up his position as the gang leader of his region. He hadn't left the gang, but instead of leading hundreds of gangers, he'd started training rookies. That'd given him enough time to work with Naruto. It worked well. Kiba took care of the clients, Naruto took care of the job. Kiba also cleaned up after him. Occasionally the man got someone else to do it, but the trickiest ones he handled himself. He was good at it. Disposing of bodies and wiping out their entire existence. And since all the victims were criminals, not many were missed. It made their job a bit easier.

Naruto truly had a million things going on at the same time. The concept of free time was nothing but a utopian dream. He worked day and night, all around the clock. Hence the horrible sleep deprivation. But it was necessary. He'd kept on working as an attorney, in order to cover up his other job. So far, nobody had suspected anything. Not even Shikamaru. The blonde was quite impressed with himself for it.

Naruto finally reached his house. He pulled up the driveway, parked the car and turned off its engine. Apart from the turbo still humming, it became quiet. Naruto let out a sigh and let his head fall against the headrest. It felt good to be home. With such an amount of work, it was rare luxury to be there at all.

Naruto took a cigarette for himself, lighting it up. He rolled open the car window to let the smoke out. He seriously loved that car to death. He'd gotten it after his first hired kill. Since it'd paid a lot better than he'd actually expected, he'd decided to get a slightly pricier car. Nothing too extravagant, as he didn't want to seem suspiciously wealthy. Something he could've afforded otherwise as well. Being a lawyer paid well, especially at the firm he worked for, but the pay for killing bad guys…that paid numbers he'd never even seen before.

Naruto exhaled a puff of smoke and turned to glance at his house. The kitchen light was on, indicating Sasuke was probably already eating. That was another new thing, actually. Sasuke lived with him. After Sakura left, the house had felt so damn empty. Naruto had put up with it for a while, but eventually it became too oppressive. He hated living alone. He always had. That's why he'd asked Sasuke to move in with him. The man hadn't been exactly ecstatic, at first. Unlike the blonde, he preferred privacy and complete isolation. But as Naruto simply refused to stop asking and whining, Sasuke just gave in. Less than a month of Sakura being kicked out, the raven had sold his apartment, packed up his shit and brought it over to Naruto's. The man had even started to get along with Thing. Surprising, but practical.

Naruto threw away his burnt out cigarette and got out of the car. Before locking the doors, he packed up the things he'd taken with him for the job. Filling up a black bag with guns and knives, he emptied the backseat of all unnecessities, before finally making his way to the house. He pushed open the front door and stepped inside. Before he even had the chance to close the door, Thing decided to present its usual welcoming ritual. Like every night, Naruto ended up on the floor, under the weight of the freakishly heavy Doberman. Drooling all over the blonde, the dog figured it might me pleasant for him to receive several slimy kisses.

"Ew. Thanks, boy. Yeah, nice to see ya too", he chuckled, petting the overly excited animal.

Thing had gotten surprisingly attached to Naruto. And vice versa. To be honest, the blonde no longer could imagine living without it.

"Alrighty, you fat piece of meat. Get off me", Naruto said, snapping his fingers. In the split of a second, the dog was off him and sitting still on the floor.

The blonde got up, gave the dog a smile and petted it on the head. He then glanced towards the kitchen. Sasuke sat by the table, biting on the end of a chopstick and chuckling at the sight. Naruto flashed him a grin, before making his way towards the table. He wiped away a trail of dog drool from his cheek.

"How sad is it that the dog licking my face is the most action I've gotten in six fucking months?" he muttered, seating himself down across the other man. Sasuke raised a brow.

"Seriously? Six months? My dead grandma gets more than you do" he said. Naruto flipped him off.

"Not funny. I'm sexually frustrated to the point of going insane", he whined, grabbing himself a clean plate from the center of the table.

"Well go get some. With that face, it shouldn't be a problem", the raven said dismissively.

Naruto sighed. He was almost too tired to actually move the food from the pan to his plate. That's some damn advanced exhaustion.

"And when exactly am I supposed to have the time to do that? I leave in the morning to put murderers in prison and at night I go around killing for money. Doesn't leave much time to fuckin' get some", he muttered.

The blonde actually succeeded in getting food on his plate. The next problem was getting it all the way to the hole in his face. Sasuke watched him try to do the simplest tasks like it'd been about conquering the world. The man was clearly amused.

"If you seriously can't do it yourself, I'll find you a girl to stick yourself into. Cause I ain't gonna listen you whine about your sexual needs. That's just nasty", Sasuke stated.

Naruto's attempts to nourish himself came to a halt. He actually had to stop to think about what the other man had just said. And as he thought about it, a potential problem became evident. He didn't actually know if he wanted a girl. Did he? He always had before. But considering that he still had wet fucking dreams about Gaara, who was in fact a man, he no longer was so sure.

To be honest, he hadn't really even thought about this before. He hadn't had the time to think about something this trivial. Something as trivial as sex. Even though he absolutely was getting tired of his own right hand, he hadn't actually done anything about it. The fact that he had no idea what he even wanted was part of the problem. The other part was that not once in the past six months had he felt attracted to anybody. His mind still hadn't moved on from Gaara. Neither had other parts of his body. He still longed for him on every possible level. Emotionally, mentally, physically. It was absolutely ridiculous.

"Are you having a stroke?" Sasuke asked, shaking Naruto awake from his sudden pause.

The blonde glanced at him, somewhat startled. He thanked the heavens the man didn't know how to read minds. A slightly awkward dinner conversation might've followed.

"No. Just thinking", he muttered, continuing to shove food down his throat.

Half of it missed its target. It didn't help the other's suspicions of a stroke. Sasuke frowned slightly.

"You're working too much. You're seriously gonna have a stroke at this rate", he said after a while. Naruto shrugged.

"I don't have a choice. I can't quit either of them", he pointed out. Sasuke seemed thoughtful.

"At least take a short leave from the office. You've got the privilege of determining your work hours", he then said.

Naruto sighed. He wished it were that simple.

"I can't. I'm killing people, dude. Every damn day. I need the attorney shit to not look suspicious", he stated, getting slightly irritated. Sasuke saw that, but couldn't leave the matter be.

"You're gonna have a burnout. Then you can't do either of them", he tried to reason.

Naruto shut his eyes and let out a long, tired sigh. He still had half a plate of food left, but decided that he just didn't care enough to finish it. He didn't have the energy to sit there and listen the other one point out all the things he did wrong. And it wasn't even the first time they'd had this discussion. With an angry grunt, Naruto stood up and threw away the entire plate. He was too tired to even think about doing shit like dishes.

"Don't start this shit again. I just got divorced, thinking I'd be free of this. Feels like I'm fucking married to you", he said, not hiding the irritation in his voice. Sasuke's jaw clenched.

"You're the one who asked me to move here", he pointed out.

Naruto sighed for the millionth time. He instantly felt like a prick, and in fact should've. Sasuke was right. There was no reason for the blonde to lash out on him. Taking a deep breath, Naruto turned to face the other man.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just really fucking tired", he muttered.

The look on Sasuke's face indicated that that was his point exactly, but he didn't comment. He didn't have to. Naruto knew what he was thinking. The blonde gave him a half-forced smirk.

"I know you're just looking out for me. Don't worry, okay? I'll come up with something", he promised.

Sasuke's frown remained, but his eyes softened. Content enough, he nodded in acceptance. Naruto was pleased to end the conversation. A yawn escaped his lips.

"I'm going to bed. I need to get up in four hours", he muttered. Sasuke nodded, standing up as well.

"Yeah. I have a day off tomorrow. Don't worry about taking the dog out in the morning. I'll deal with that beast", he said.

Naruto gave him a smile. This time it wasn't forced in any way or form. He once again remembered why he put up with that stoic weirdo. Despite being extremely irritating, he was unreplaceable.

Drained of all energy, Naruto said nothing more. He turned around, intending to walk out the door. On the way out, something caught his eye. That day's mail was still on the counter, untouched and unopened. The blonde grabbed the thin stack with him, then making his way upstairs.

Once in the bedroom, Naruto wasted no time to fall onto the bed. Even though he felt like passing out, he decided to go through the mail. The content wasn't too impressive.

"Bills, bills, bills…oh look, more bills. Yay", the blonde muttered to himself.

He didn't bother to even open the envelopes he knew contained bills. But the last envelope of the stack was different. The address was handwritten, and the stamp told him it'd been sent from Fuchu. A small smile appeared onto the blonde's lips, as he rushed to open the envelope.

He already knew it was from Sai. Naruto hadn't seen the man ever since his last visit to Fuchu, but they'd kept in touch. Not long after Gaara left, the blonde had spontaneously decided to write Sai a letter. Writing letters might've been an outdated way of communication, but he'd found it somewhat nostalgic. And since Sai had actually sent him one back, it'd proven to work just fine. They'd been doing that for months now. Sending each other letters. Naruto had told him everything. At first he'd held back, thinking that it wasn't good for other people to know about the changes in his life. But after a while, he'd just stopped caring. He'd had to tell someone. He'd needed to get the ever so present demons out of his mind. That way he was no longer the only one they taunted. And Sai hadn't complained.

Naruto ripped the envelope open and took out the folded paper inside it. Unfolding it, he instantly went on to reading it. He always was happy to get a letter from him, but this time he was ecstatic. He'd asked Sai for a favor. And now he'd finally know if it'd paid off.

_'Hey, cutie._

_How ya doin'? Did ya get the divorce papers yet? If so, run the fuck over here. You're now officially free prey. I have to claim you before anybody else does. _

_Ha. Joke. Kinda._

_No really, I actually have something sensible to tell ya. I did as you requested. It wasn't easy, cutie. You have no idea who I had to sleep with to get what ya wanted._

_That was no joke, by the way._

_But yeah, I found out where he is. Kind of. According to the sleazy piece of shit I allowed to sweat on top of me, yakuza has been shipping their men overseas. Hitmen in particular. I figured that he's left the country. I guess he wanted to take them as far away from you as possible._

_I suppose you didn't tell him, after all. About the lengths they're going to just to get you two killed. He has no idea what you're up to, has he? He'll probably go crazy if he finds out, ya know. I doubt he wanted it to end up this way. You being a hitman. Even though I find the idea of you going around all badass, shooting people dead pretty damn attractive, I'm kinda worried about ya. Just try not to do anything too stupid._

_Oh yeah. In case you feel horny as hell, please do feel free to come by. I've been lacking cute dudes lately. Seems like they're a dying breed. You're just proving that to be true, ya know. So damn sad._

_I miss ya, cutie. Stay safe._

_\- Sai_

_P.S. Just so you know, he misses you too. Check out the picture.'_

Naruto furrowed his brows. He hadn't noticed a picture, but peeked inside the envelope to double check. There actually was a picture inside. Naruto took it out, the wrong way round. There was text on the back of it. The blonde brought the picture closer in order to read the small letters. The style of writing was distinctively Sai's as well.

_'Sixth load he sent back to yakuza. He does this to piss them off. But also to give you a message. Don't even ask who I slept with to get this.'_

Naruto was somewhat confused. The confusion faded away as soon as he turned the picture around. The blonde actually flinched at the sight. The photo was somewhat gruesome. There were ten, maybe fifteen dead, naked yakuza men lying on a metallic surface. The surroundings almost looked like a cargo ship. But the disturbing part of all this was what had been done to their dead bodies. Their faces, to be exact. Every single one of them had deep, postmortem cuts on their cheeks. Three on both sides. Just like the cuts he had.

Naruto just stared at the picture. For a really long time. Eventually, a small smile crept to his lips. Gaara hadn't forgotten about him. He still missed Naruto. He still did this for him. The blonde was aware that he was smiling because of ugly cuts on corpses, slit with a dull knife, but that didn't matter. It was messed up, but so was he. It was sick, but so were they.

When Naruto had asked Sai to find out where Gaara was, he hadn't actually expected the man to succeed. He knew how skilled the redhead was when it came to completely vanishing. But Sai obviously was skilled as well. In a different way. In a more sexual, persuasive way. But it obviously was effective. Sai could get pretty much anything with that pretty face of his. And Naruto thanked the heavens for it.

While Naruto's happiness for the disturbing picture might've been somewhat unhealthy, it still was the first time he'd heard of Gaara ever since parting ways with him. It gave him mixed feelings. He was happy, but he was sad as well. Happy, because the man was actually sending dead yakuzas back home, just to show he was killing them solemnly for him. Sad, because it reminded him of how much he actually missed that son of a bitch.

To be honest, he missed him like hell. Thinking about him hurt. Physically and emotionally. And even though that'd been going on for over six months, he still had no way of explaining it rationally. Was it even normal anymore? Wasn't time supposed to dull the pain of missing someone? The more time went by, the more he hoped that would've been the case. He truly wished it wouldn't have hurt so badly. But so far, time hadn't done shit. If anything, he only missed him more.

Naruto grunted. With one last glance of the picture, he put it back into the envelope along with the letter. He then reached towards the nightstand on his right, pulled open the top drawer and stacked the envelope inside it. It fit nicely among the tens of other letters from Sai. Naruto closed the drawer, only to open up the bottom one. He then reached to his pocket, took out the tag he'd ripped off his target of that night and threw it in. It landed inside the drawer with a soft clang. Naruto stopped to stare at the drawer's content. He was almost surprised at the sight. He no longer could see the bottom of it. That's how many tags he'd stacked away inside it. The ghosts of every single life he'd taken were inside that drawer, in the shape of iron tags. All 147. Hired and non-hired kills included.

Naruto closed the drawer and turned off the lights. He lowered himself down to lie, not bothering to take off any clothing. He was too tired to do that. He was ready to just pass the fuck out, but refrained himself from doing that yet. Like every night, the blonde reached down the collar of his shirt and pulled out a significant piece of metal. He gripped his fist around it. Around the tag Gaara had given him. Ever since it'd been placed around his neck, he hadn't taken it off once. And neither would he.

It was the only thing he had left of him. Like the suffering souls in the tags inside his nightstand drawer, Naruto felt like a part of the redhead was trapped inside the tag around his neck. And that's why every night he slept holding on to it. Even when not consciously gripping it before falling asleep, he would wake up doing it anyway. It made him feel a little closer to that man. He no longer could even fall asleep without holding on to it.

But as soon as he did, his mind shut down, consciousness leaving him. In ten seconds, Naruto was asleep.

Four hours of sleep sounded ridiculously insufficient. Four hours of sleep _was_ ridiculously insufficient. And Naruto got the pleasure of determining that all over again, as his alarm's piercing sound woke him up those said four hours later. His irritation instantly skyrocketing, the blonde grabbed the alarm and threw it against the wall. It went silent. Naruto fell back down to lie, not caring that he was supposed to get up.

This happened every morning. The blonde would sleep for only a couple of hours, wake up to the sound of an alarm and then proceed to throw the damn thing against the wall. Needless to say, he'd been spending a ridiculous amount of money on alarm clocks in the past few months.

But even though he destroyed the alarms one after another, he usually did get up in time. The smashing of those devices wasn't as much about getting more sleep, as it was about letting out the hate he felt towards waking up early. Naruto usually started his days by slamming the alarm against the wall, then lying back down and glaring angrily at the ceiling. He always needed a few minutes of that silent, murderous staring, just to get over the pissed off feeling. God forbid if anybody or anything were to disturb that sacred moment of intense glaring. But of course that morning, disturbance came instantly.

Naruto's phone vibrated, informing him of an incoming text.

"Motherfucking piece of shit", Naruto growled, his eye twitching with nearing madness.

With an angry grunt, he took out his phone and clicked open the text he'd gotten. Two pictures popped onto the screen. They weren't pretty, but he was pleased to see them. It took his irritation down a notch.

The first picture showed the man he'd killed the night before. He looked the way the blonde had left him. Throat slit open, dead as a stone. The second picture was of him as well. But hadn't Naruto known it was the same guy, he wouldn't have been able to tell.

The man no longer was in one piece. His teeth had been pulled out and apart from some nasty remains of flesh, he was mainly just bones and tendons. That's what getting a few hour acid bath did to a guy. It wasn't the prettiest sight in the world, but destroyed DNA efficiently enough to become impossible to extract. And sickeningly enough, pictures of corpses bathed in acid were what Naruto nowadays considered to be a great start for the day.

Along with the pictures, Kiba had sent a text as well.

'_Done. Your client got the pictures too. The other half of your pay should be on its way.'_

Knowledge of the job being properly finished efficiently helped Naruto's bad mood. With a less angry and more just tired sigh, the blonde rose to sit up. Stretching himself awake, he sent Kiba a short reply, before getting up. Ridding himself from the clothes he'd slept in, Naruto reluctantly put on a suit. He'd started to hate them even more than before. His nightly job was a lot more comfortable when it came to clothing.

Still tired as hell, Naruto made his way downstairs. Because he always slept for as long as he possibly could without being late for work, he had no time to even dream about coffee. Quickly throwing on a jacket and shoes, the blonde was out the door. To avoid freezing to death by the cold December air, he rushed to get inside his car. Since the vehicle was pretty much ancient, it had no particularly fantastic heating system. Not exactly mood boosting.

Although Naruto felt like he'd sat in a freezer for twenty minutes, he eventually arrived at the office. Leaving his car, the blonde made his way inside the tall building, desperately trying to warm up his frozen fingers. He reached the elevator, pushed a button to open the doors and stepped inside. He continued shivering with coldness like a dying animal, while the doors started sliding back shut. But before they shut all the way, a hand came to stop them from closing at the last second. The doors slid back open. Naruto lifted his gaze to see the one interrupting his way to his nicely warmed up office. Who he saw, was not someone he'd expected.

"Yo. I need to talk to ya."

There in front of Naruto, in the process of stepping inside the elevator, was a familiar silver-haired man. Nobody else than Hatake Kakashi himself. Naruto was too surprised to say anything, so he simply watched the man get in and stop to stand next to the blonde. Several seconds went by, completely silent. Naruto just stared at him. Eventually the man glanced at him, raising a brow.

"I have no idea what floor we're going to", he then stated.

The blonde finally woke up from his slight shock. He pushed a button to take them up, then going back to leaning against the elevator wall. The ride was mostly silent. Naruto had no idea what to say. An apology would've probably been a good start.

Ever since Naruto's return from Fuchu six months ago, Kakashi had tried contacting him several times. And every time, the blonde had declined his calls. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak with him in general. It was the subject he knew would be inevitable, but didn't want to speak of. The subject of Gaara. And because Naruto's mind often worked in oddly illogical ways, he'd thought that simply ignoring the man was a fantastic idea. He'd thought it'd worked. After a while, Kakashi had stopped calling. But obviously that hadn't meant he'd completely given up. And now Naruto was left to feel like the biggest asshole in the world.

The elevator came to a stop. The doors slid open and Kakashi was the first one to step out. Naruto took a step to follow him, but stopped almost immediately. He glanced at the panel of buttons on his left. Not really thinking it through, he panicked and started to frantically try and close the doors again. He must've looked like a total moron. He felt like a total moron. He was a total moron. Kakashi gave him a look that proved it to be true. The doors obviously didn't close fast enough. The older man stopped them with his hand, forcing them to slide back open again. Naruto cringed. Kakashi laid a questioning look on him, asking if the blonde was being serious.

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. He obviously didn't have a choice. He couldn't avoid this. Now he wasn't just an asshole, but an idiot as well. But to be fair, he had a valid reason for his childish behavior. It wasn't just that he didn't want to talk about Gaara. Kakashi was a man who'd pretty much listed out Naruto's entire life, just by looking at him. The risk of him spotting lies was too grave.

He didn't want to risk the man somehow figuring out what he was up to nowadays.

"Should I take you back to day care?" Kakashi asked, raising a brow.

Naruto said nothing. Just sighed again, and marched out of the elevator. He walked past the older man, towards his office. He heard the footsteps following him. The blonde picked up his pace. He wasn't liking this at all.

Naruto made his way into his office, without even as much as glancing at his secretary, who politely greeted him. Kakashi returned the greet in the blonde's behalf, then following him inside the office. The man closed the door. Naruto seated himself behind his desk, somewhat avoiding making eye contact. Kakashi stopped to stare at him, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment. When receiving none, he decided to speak up.

"Wow. This is some advanced rudeness."

Naruto clenched his jaw slightly. The millionth sigh of that morning escaped his lips.

"Why are you so damn determined to talk to me?" he eventually asked.

The other man decided to take the seat across Naruto. He watched the blonde curiously for a while, as if trying to find answers to his questions. He possibly did find some. Cause that's just how his damn brain worked. And it pissed Naruto off.

"I wasn't. Not before you started avoiding me", Kakashi stated.

The blonde felt even more like an idiot. He should've known better than to try avoiding the man. It of course had only made him suspicious.

"I ain't avoiding you. I'm just…busy", Naruto muttered, trying to sound compelling. Wasn't really working that well.

"Continuously too busy to answer the phone for over six months?" Kakashi questioned.

The way he said it kind of did take away the remains of Naruto's credibility. Even though he really would've wanted to keep on lying and avoiding the whole situation, the blonde sighed in defeat. He knew that further avoiding this would only be a waste of energy.

"Hn. What is it then? What's so damn important?" he grunted, fully aware of his tone.

Even though Kakashi didn't deserve it, Naruto wasn't even trying to sound pleasant. The man raised a brow, but didn't comment on the blonde's approach. Naruto instantly realized Kakashi was analyzing his behavior. Acting objectively and neutral would've been the way to go, but he just didn't feel like it. So he just let the man stare at him and make conclusions.

"Several things. First of all, where's Sabaku?" Kakashi asked, going straight to the point. Naruto forced himself not to react in any way particular. He just shrugged casually.

"Dunno. Haven't seen him since the trial", he answered. Since that wasn't actually a lie, Kakashi probably would buy it.

The man's eyes narrowed. His gaze studied the blonde for quite some time. The eyes roaming all over him made Naruto somewhat uncomfortable. He already knew Kakashi might find something Naruto necessarily didn't want to be found. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. At least he didn't voice it. But he did say something that nearly knocked the wind out of the blonde.

"Did ya know he's been declared wanted in Russia?"

Naruto froze. But he was quick to rid himself of the shock. A reaction too severe would've made Kakashi even more suspicious. Even though the blonde was screaming bloody murder inside his head, he came off as calm and controlled.

"No. I didn't. What for?" he asked casually. Kakashi tilted his head, as if trying to find signs of nervousness.

"For doin' business in the black market", the man revealed.

Naruto paused to think. He had a hunch of what it might've been about.

"Well, sucks for him. What'd he do then? Sell something?" Naruto asked, keeping his casual tone.

He hoped Kakashi wouldn't notice the nervousness lurking behind his cold surface. He liked to think that he'd gotten good enough with controlling his emotions for it to go unnoticed.

"They don't know. Apparently he's paid a shipping company notorious for black market involvement to ship something overseas", Kakashi said, still carefully studying Naruto's every movement and reaction.

The blonde almost smirked. His hunch had been correct. It seemed that Gaara shipping dead yakuzas back home had somehow been noticed. But they probably didn't know it really was dead bodies he was sending over. Had that been the case, Kakashi would've been aware of it. But Naruto had to wonder how exactly it was possible that Gaara had been linked to it at all.

"Hn. I find that hard to believe. But even if it's true, he's too smart to get tracked down that easily", the blonde said. Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"I know. That's why I feel there's something weird about this", he said, leaning back in the chair.

Naruto grunted. He suddenly realized the reason behind it. Why the redhead had supposedly been put under suspicion in the first place.

It'd been deliberate. He'd known a warrant for his arrest overseas would reach the blonde's knowledge at some point. The main reason why the two of them hadn't had any direct contact with each other, was to make yakuza think they no longer had any connection at all. By getting himself wanted, Gaara had been able to let Naruto become aware of his whereabouts. What a clever bastard.

Even though a warrant for arrest sounded pretty bad, the blonde wasn't concerned about it. Japan had no extradition treaty with Russia. If Gaara had made it back already, he wouldn't be held responsible for anything. He wouldn't get sent back to face charges.

"Yeah well, whatever it is he's supposedly done, I don't know where he is. I finished my business with him months ago. I have no reason to keep in touch with him", Naruto said dismissively. Kakashi snorted.

"We both know you weren't in it just for the sake of money", the man stated.

The blonde's eye twitched in annoyance. Even though he liked the man, Kakashi was starting to get on his nerve.

"I might've taken it too personally at the time, yeah. But that was over six months ago. I haven't seen him, I haven't heard of him. Why would I have, if he's in fucking Russia?" the blonde grunted, somewhat losing his calmness.

Kakashi saw that. It deepened his suspicion, but also made him realize his approach wasn't the right one. Pissing the blonde off wouldn't help. The older man sighed.

"I doubt he is anymore. He wouldn't have stayed there to get arrested. He's probably back home already. I figured that maybe he would've contacted you", Kakashi said, taking his demanding tone down a notch. It did make the blonde a bit less agitated.

"He hasn't. I don't know what he's up to. I did my job, got him out of prison and moved on. Okay?" Naruto muttered.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. He knew that voicing his thoughts might not be a good idea, but couldn't refrain himself from doing it anyway.

"You really think you made the right call?"

Naruto lifted his gaze to meet the other's. He was aware that his stare had turned freezing cold. He couldn't help it.

"Ya saying that I let a guilty man walk away free?" he asked, easily understanding the man's implication. Kakashi smirked.

"I ain't saying that. I ain't saying whether he really was innocent or not. I'm asking your personal opinion", he clarified.

Naruto raised a brow. He could've just boldly lied and said that he believed Gaara was innocent. But instead of that, he decided to tell what he felt was the truth.

"He didn't belong in prison. I made the right call."

Kakashi watched him silently for a while, before eventually nodding.

"Okay. I'll take your word for it", the man said surprisingly acceptingly.

Naruto was somewhat taken aback by the amount of trust Kakashi seemed to put into his words, but didn't complain. At least the tense conversation could finally come to an end. The older man seemed to agree on that, as he completely changed the subject.

"You've been working out", the man blurted, like it wasn't absolutely random and blunt. Naruto raised a brow.

"Wow. Ain't gonna lie, it's been a while since I've last been on a date, but I'm not this desperate", he said, smirking. Kakashi chuckled.

"I ain't asking you out for one, either. You ain't really my type. Too much going on downstairs and too little upstairs for my liking", the man chuckled. "But you're nearly twice the size since I last saw you. And ya weren't small then. It's like you've been living in a gym."

Naruto smirked. Kakashi was exaggerating in his opinion, but he had to admit, killing criminals sure had its perks. Like getting back into ridiculous shape. But he couldn't really tell the man that, now could he.

"Yeah, well. I kicked the wife out. Had more time for shit like workin' out", the blonde said. Kakashi tilted his head curiously.

"Yeah. I noticed your wedding band is gone", he pointed out. Naruto raised a brow. Did seriously nothing go unnoticed by him?

"Hn. Yeah", he muttered, wondering if there was something else the man had noticed. Because there probably was a lot to notice, if just being careful enough.

They were silent for a while. Eventually Kakashi let out a sigh and stood up.

"Yeah, well. I got you to talk, so I guess I can see myself out. How 'bout we go get a drink sometime around?" he asked.

Naruto stood up as well, slightly surprised. The man's invitation came kind of out of the blue. The blonde huffed. Even though he otherwise gladly would've complied, he didn't really have the time.

"I'm busy as hell. I can't promise anything" he said, walking the man out. Kakashi chuckled.

"Didn't you just say you've got more time on your hands thanks to having thrown your wife out?" he pointed out, stopping to stand in the doorway.

Naruto almost cringed. He had said that. Shit.

"Uhm…yeah. You know, It's Wednesday now. I have a day off on Friday. So how 'bout tomorrow?" he suggested after a moment of hesitation.

It seemed like even though he wasn't sure how, he'd have to create more time out of thin air.

"Sure", Kakashi complied. Naruto gave him a half-forced smile. He already knew he'd have to say goodbye to sleep tomorrow night.

"Okay. I'll call ya", the blonde promised. Kakashi nodded, gave a smile in return and then left.

Naruto closed the door. A sigh escaped his lips. He actually did have time tomorrow night. He had a day off from the office on Friday and hadn't a kill to take care of either. But he gladly would've spent that rare time off just sleeping his exhaustion away. Obviously that wasn't going to happen. It was too late to whine about it now. Just the thought of the sleep deprivation lying ahead made him nauseous. It was a miracle he made it through the rest of his time at the office that day.

Several hours later, Naruto was back home. After consuming eight cups of pitch black coffee, strong enough for its consistency to be somewhat syrupy, he wasn't as tired anymore. But instead of being dead tired, he was now going on complete overdrive, hands shaking and having severe problems to keep still.

Sasuke had fortunately been his saving angel that day. He'd actually cooked food with his own hands, which was a rare luxury in their house anymore. With Sakura gone, Naruto's diet mainly consisted of takeout food. So it was a nice change. The man had also taken care of walking the dog, he'd cleaned out the blonde's weapons from the night before and even washed his bloodied clothes. Sasuke would've made a good wife. Naruto made the mistake of pointing that out and ended up dodging a frying pan. In Naruto's opinion, it only proved his point of Sasuke being wife material. Which he also blurted out like a moron.

"Shut up and take away your damn plate", the pale man growled, after realizing the pan had missed its mark. Naruto shook his head.

"Like hell I am. I ain't coming near you. I value my life more than that", he chuckled. Sasuke gave him a glare.

"How could anybody stand being your wife? I'd go fucking crazy if I was married to you", he hissed.

Naruto just chuckled again. It only irritated the other one further. But in order to not be a complete asshole, the blonde moved to take his plate away. And just because he wasn't sensible enough to stop while he still had his head in place, Naruto leaned closer to Sasuke, giving him a sneering smile.

"Thanks for the food, _sweetie_", he said sarcastically.

The paler man gave him a glare so murderous, he physically felt it. But just to be as irritating as possible, the blonde gave Sasuke no time to protest as he gave the man a peck on the lips. Sasuke was quick to almost throw up.

"Oh my fucking god. You're disgusting", he hissed, while wiping his mouth frantically.

Naruto laughed the most sadistically amused laughter ever, while rushing to get the hell away from the other man. Throwing his plate into the sink, he ran out of the room knowing something would be thrown at him. A fork came flying by, proving him right. It flew against the wall, almost denting it.

"I'm gonna have nightmares, you piece of shit. Run, before I kill ya", Sasuke's voice growled from the kitchen.

Naruto walked away, still laughing. He would never get tired of pissing the other man off just for the sake of it. It truly was entertainment at its best.

By the time evening came, Naruto had gone through information concerning his current case, taken a shower and packed up his things for the night's job. Even Sasuke had calmed down from his tantrum. As amusing as it was to piss him off, he could get scary as hell. That's why Naruto had patiently waited for him to stop feeling nauseous, peeking inside the kitchen every now and then. Only when there no longer were sharp items thrown at his head, did Naruto know it was safe to go near him again.

"I have to leave soon. This one's a two hour ride away", the blonde said, as he stepped inside the kitchen. Sasuke still looked vaguely pissed off, but nodded.

"I found the night scope you've been looking for. It was under your bed. You seriously are the worst hitman ever", he muttered, lighting up a cigarette. Naruto huffed.

"Hey. I'm tired. I have the right to lose important shit", he said, knowing it wasn't really a valid reason at all. Sasuke chuckled.

"Yeah, whatever. Just don't whine about everything missing then", he said, smoke escaping his lips. Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, yeah. By the way, I'm going out for a drink with Kakashi tomorrow. Wanna come along?" Naruto asked. Sasuke raised a brow

"I didn't know you did shit like that with him", he stated.

"He showed up at the office today. Didn't really wanna talk with him for obvious reasons. But he was damn persistent. And I ended up agreeing to go for a drink with him", Naruto explained, while lacing up his combat boots.

"Hn. Yeah, I'll come along. I haven't been out in ages", Sasuke complied.

Naruto threw on a jacket and closed the bag he'd packed earlier on. He had no rush to leave just yet, so he took a seat by the table to relax for a while. He stopped to stare at his friend. The blonde smirked.

"The older you get, the more you look like Itachi, ya know", he suddenly said. Sasuke glanced at him, but said nothing.

"How's he doin' anyway?" Naruto wondered out loud. The other one shrugged.

"Dunno. We haven't spoken in years. I guess he's still busy leading the Research Institute", the raven muttered.

Naruto frowned. The other's discomfort discussing the subject was evident. The blonde knew Sasuke didn't like talking about his brother. Even though Itachi had been the reason the two them had decided to get away from gang life, Sasuke hadn't been particularly close to him for a long time. That's just how life sometimes turned out. They lived on opposite sides of the country, were both workaholics and simply had never made the time to keep in touch. Sasuke never spoke of him, either. Naruto figured the man was somewhat bitter about it.

Realizing it was best to just drop the subject, Naruto stood up. He still had no real rush to leave, but guessed it wouldn't do any harm.

"I'll get going. See ya tomorrow", he said, picking up the black bag and then made his way to the front door. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah. See ya", he muttered.

Naruto's gaze lingered on him for just a moment longer. He then pushed the door open, ready to leave.

"G'night", he said with a weak smile. Surprisingly enough, Sasuke returned the smile. "Yeah. Don't die."

With that, Naruto left the house. Knowing there was another long night ahead of him, the blonde let out a sigh. He reached his car and stopped to stand outside of it. He reached to his pocket to grab the keys, but decided to take out something else instead. He took his hand out of the pocket, grabbing on to a picture. The picture Sai had sent him. Naruto turned it around to reveal the gruesome sight again. Even though it probably should've made him repulsed, he smiled instead. And the reason was simple.

Gaara had gotten himself wanted just to do this for him. That made it a little easier for Naruto to bear with the exhaustion of working his ass off.

After all, it all was for him. All he did still was for Gaara. Every kill so far had been, and every single still ahead would be.

* * *

_Sometimes they turned out a little crooked. It always made Gaara grunt in a displeased manner. The dull blade of his knife occasionally didn't work the way he wanted with the already cool, dead skin. He wasn't that skilled when it came to making aesthetically pleasing work of art. Though many might've disagreed, to him it was art. To him the cuts on their faces was art. In its finest form, no less. It was art, because the will to do it came from the purest place in his heart. Which wasn't that pure at all, but just a little less tainted than the rest of him._

_The crooked ones, those irked him. He would've wanted the cuts to be perfectly straight, just like the blonde's. The faulty ones felt like a disgrace towards the homage they were meant as. But he tried not to mind it. The unsatisfactory lacerations he tried to make up for by trying to cut the next one perfect. Perfect like the one he did them for. Perfect like his scar faced angel. _

_But even after three months of trying, they never turned out as perfect as him. There was always something a little off. Something a little too much to the right, a little too deep, slightly too shallow. And sometimes absolutely fucked up altogether. Gaara didn't like it. Not at all. But he also knew they'd never look as perfect as the blonde. It wasn't possible. For nothing was as perfect as him._

* * *

**That's some hell of a six months, eh?**

**I ain't trying to turn blondie into a complete monster, just desperate enough to do bad shit, which I also tried to make clear. Hopefully I succeeded in balancing it at least vaguely. So yeah...more killin' for money business. I sure am one to spread positivity around, ain't I? To those who might not like this delightful little twist; sorry luvs, but it's essential for the future plot. And, there'll be a better explanation for it later on.**

**In case you've already forgotten; love ya'll like kids love eating crayons. Or dogs love lickin' their balls. You choose. Peace out, see ya in a week.**


	35. At a Crossroads of Rumors

**Sorry, sweethearts. I'm late. I've been sick all week and haven't done much besides blinking and breathing. But baby, I'm back. Hope ya enjoy this one.**

* * *

By the time Naruto got done with his work at the office the next day, he wasn't very far from simply collapsing. He'd arrived back home at five in the morning the previous night, absolutely exhausted and had passed out the second his head hit the pillow. Only to wake up three hours later to abuse yet another alarm clock useless. Saying that he was running on the last remains of his life-force would've been an understatement. He quite positively had none left anymore. He wasn't sure what he was running on. The Holy Spirit perhaps?

It did sound like a cruel, ironic joke. He was aware.

Last night's job had gone fairly well, without interruptions or major trouble. It'd been a tricky one, though. Different from the norm. Taking out three guys at once, shooting long distance qualified as out of the norm for him. And no major trouble didn't mean none at all. He'd gotten his dose of lead. Nothing serious, just a scratch. Between blasting the first guy's head to pieces, and taking down the second, the third one had been quick enough to return the fire. The bullet had torn his arm open. Barely touched him, but still enough to leave a nasty flesh wound.

It wasn't deep and would heal just fine, but it did sting. And it'd taken him acting worthy of an Oscar-nomination to keep his coworkers from asking questions. He'd gotten quite the practice in the past months when it came to pretending he wasn't in pain. He'd gotten injured during his nightly job before. But so far, he'd been able to play it off as something other than a result of fighting hitmen. He had an entire list of excuses and whites lies written down for that purpose. Drunken fights in bars was one of his favorites. Coming from a freshly divorced man, nobody had a reason to question the truthfulness of that.

Naruto felt true relief when finally locking the door of his office. Anxious to leave the place, he began making his way towards the elevator, only to get stopped by a voice calling his name. He turned around to see Shikamaru rush after him. Though he felt like sighing in utter exhaustion, the blonde forced a kind smile.

"Hey. What's up?" he asked, trying to hide the tired, dull tone of his voice. The man caught up with him by the elevator and stepped inside behind him.

"I haven't seen you all day. I thought weren't here at all", Shikamaru said, pushing a button to take them down.

"Nah. Didn't really leave my office. I'm piling up with paperwork", Naruto muttered, leaning against the wall.

"Hn. I feel the pain. I've been reading, shredding and stapling paper all damn day", Shikamaru sympathized. The blonde just nodded. He hadn't really been doing as much paperwork as he had been avoiding the general population. He left that untold.

"At least I have the day off tomorrow", Naruto told, vaguely happy. The other man sighed.

"I don't. But my winter leave's starting next week. Hallelujah for that", he muttered.

The blonde's interest perked up just a little. Somewhere between balancing his life as a lawyer, as well as a hitman, he'd somehow forgotten people in fact did take justified leaves every now and then. He hadn't taken any time off since getting back six months ago. God knows he needed it. Perhaps he could use a winter leave as an excuse to sleep two weeks straight. Sasuke would be pleased, if nothing else.

"That sounds fucking divine", Naruto admitted. "Maybe I should do that too. Take time off. I'm so damn tired."

Shikamaru glanced at him. Naruto missed the somewhat worried, slightly hesitant look in his eyes. The man took his time, but eventually couldn't stop himself from voicing his concerns.

"You know…you haven't been working overtime anymore. Yet you're dead tired", he said, perhaps a little cautiously.

The blonde glanced at him from the corner of his eye, as if asking what the point of this observation was. Shikamaru grunted.

"As your friend, I'm obligated to tell you that you do in fact look like shit. Dawn of the Dead kinda shit", he admitted, not bothering to sugarcoat it.

Naruto sighed. He couldn't really take it as an insult, since he knew it to be true. It was actually a miracle Shikamaru hadn't pointed it out earlier on. The blonde was well aware of the dark circles around his eyes and permanent frown between his brows. He was the physical manifestation of exhaustion, and knew it. It'd become difficult to hide it anymore. He'd been somewhat surprised nobody had commented on it. Most likely people were afraid to tell a newly divorced man he looked like shit, figuring he must've known it himself.

"I know", Naruto settled as a simple reply. It came out more tired than he'd planned. Shikamaru knitted his brows in slight concern.

"Is this about the divorce?" he asked, though a little hesitantly.

The blonde nearly snorted. The question was so outrageous, he almost wanted to tell the truth. Tell that not a single cell in him was grieving the end of his marriage, but it was the running around at night, killing human beings that kept him from getting enough sleep. And not even the guilt of it, but the quantity of it.

Oh, how telling the truth would've lightened his heavy load of exhausting secrecy.

"Yeah. Must be that", he muttered.

Shikamaru's worried expression remained, but he pushed it no further. The tone of Naruto's voice indicated that the conversation had run its course. He saw no use in forcing it. Which the blonde was grateful for. In fact he was very pleased, as well as surprised, of the courtesy Shikamaru had shown in the past few months. Oddly enough, the man hadn't pried about anything really. Not about the divorce, not about Naruto's worn-out appearance. Not even about Gaara.

The only discussion they'd had about the redhead had been very short, and very final. It'd happened soon after the blonde's return to the office. After Gaara's trial, and departure at that. Shikamaru had asked about the trial, and how Naruto felt about it. Naruto had told it'd gone surprisingly well, and felt pleased of the work he'd done. The man had nodded, paused, and then straight up asked if he was going to keep in touch with the man. Naruto had naturally told him no, which was in fact the truth. Shikamaru had accepted that answer.

The blonde had almost thought he'd get away without having to embellish the truth, when his friend had then bluntly pried about the situation with yakuza. It'd struck a nerve in Naruto, which he'd skillfully concealed. He'd told it was taken care of and no longer posed any threat. Essentially he'd lied through his teeth. Whether or not Shikamaru believed him, he wasn't sure. But it hadn't been brought up again. That was good enough.

The elevator reached the bottom floor. The doors slid open and both of them stepped out. Making their way out the building's exit, they reached the cold winter air, which hadn't really warmed up since morning. Naruto stopped to take himself a cigarette, Shikamaru stayed to watch him light it up, a slightly judgmental look in his eyes.

"Those things are gonna kill you, y'know", he pointed out. Naruto chuckled.

"We're all gonna die anyway, aren't we?" he said in his defense. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. He let the blonde smoke a few drags in silence, before speaking again.

"If you're taking time off as well, maybe we could hang out. It's been awhile", he said.

Naruto could feel the slight blame in his voice. It didn't make him feel particularly guilty, but just a tad uncomfortable. Shikamaru must've seen that, as he then dropped the judgment from his voice.

"We could call up the guys from law school. Maybe go get wasted, like old times", he suggested, offering a smile.

The blonde returned the smile, but only halfheartedly. He could hear the hopefulness lurking behind the other's words. For a moment, he wished it could've really been like the old times. Back when they used to spend most of their free time together, when they still met up with the guys from law school every other Friday. When they still laughed together. It would've been nice to revisit that time. But he couldn't lie to himself. There was no going back to that time anymore. He'd never belonged in that world in the first place. Only he didn't have the heart to turn the guy down altogether.

"Yeah. Maybe", he said, a weak smile on his lips.

Shikamaru smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Naruto instantly knew the man saw behind his lie.

"I'll call ya. I promise", the blonde assured. The other man chuckled, shaking his head.

"Wanna bet on that?"

The blonde almost cringed. For his promises to be worthless enough to be betted on, he truly must've been a lousy friend. But regardless of that, Naruto smirked.

"Sure. 12 000 yen?" he suggested. Shikamaru chuckled.

"Deal."

They parted ways after that. Shikamaru started heading towards the train station, while Naruto walked to his car. The blonde had barely sat behind the wheel when his phone started ringing. With a tired groan, he reached to his pocket for the device, checked the caller and sighed. He'd completely forgotten.

"Hey, Kakashi."

He tried hard to conceal the tired tone of his voice. He wasn't sure to what extent he succeeded. Not that he was sure if the man had even listened, as he barely got to finish his greeting before getting interrupted.

"Hey. I've worked two hours overtime, banged my head against the wall repeatedly, and had a fight with my boss. I have the crying need to get hammered. How 'bout you?" was Kakashi's instant reply.

He sounded mildly distressed. One could understand that. Naruto had to smirk at the man's obvious annoyance.

"Dunno about wasted, but I could use a drink or two", he chuckled. Kakashi grunted.

"Good enough", he accepted.

"I asked Sasuke to come along. Do ya mind?" Naruto asked. There was short moment of silence on the other end of the line.

"Sasuke? Oh yeah. That guy. I don't mind", Kakashi complied.

"Cool. I just left the office. I smell like an open grave, so I'm gonna go home and shower", the blonde informed, turning up his nose at the stench on him. The smell of blood and death of last night still lingered around, as he hadn't had the time to wash it off.

"Sure. Any place you got in mind?" the other one questioned. Naruto took a moment to think about it.

"You know that abandoned record store outside downtown? There's a bar next to it", he eventually said.

"No, I don't. But I'll find out. See ya there around eight?" Kakashi suggested. The blonde glanced at his watch. He was pleased to learn that he might have time for a couple hour comatose nap.

"Sure. See ya then."

"Yeah. Bye."

Naruto hung up. He stopped to stare at his now silent phone, a slight frown on his face. The place he'd suggested probably wasn't the kind Kakashi would've preferred. It was located at the edge of the city, in a neighborhood notorious for its high crime rates. To be exact, it was the part of town Naruto had grown up in. He was aware that bringing a man like Kakashi there might've not been the best of ideas, but figured it wouldn't be the end of the world. He had a feeling the man had seen his fair share of poverty and crime. He'd given the impression of a somewhat shady past of his own, after all.

Dragging anyone, including himself, into that hellhole was actually a matter of convenience more than just masochistic self-torture. Naruto had intended on going over anyway. It was a place Kiba was often seen at. And he had some business to discuss with him. Knowing he might run into the man there, he figured he might as well kill two birds with one stone. Call it laziness, Naruto thought of it as efficiency.

Just a few hours later, Naruto had showered, dressed himself and succeeded in looking somewhat presentable. The nap hadn't been necessary after all. He wasn't as tired anymore. Not after two caffeine tablets and a freezing cold shower. Neither was he on a bad mood. Not even though Sasuke was. He'd come home not long after Naruto, pissed off out of his mind. He'd had a lousy day at work and on the way home, he'd run into someone he'd rather have not seen ever again. He'd run into Sakura.

"That woman is fucking unbearable", Sasuke hissed, demanding sympathy. All he received was a chuckle.

Naruto would quite possibly have reacted the same way, had he been misfortunate enough to cross paths with her, but couldn't help the amusement the other's reaction stirred.

"If I knew how, I'd pity you", he assured. Sasuke shot him a glare.

"I don't think you fucking understand. She wouldn't let me ignore her. She wouldn't stop asking about you. She made a scene in the middle of rush hour. I almost slapped that bitch", the man hissed.

Naruto watched him claw the air, as if imagining the woman in front of him. It'd been a while since he'd last seen Sasuke pissed off enough to mime acts of violence. But not once had it failed to amuse the blonde.

"She's crazy. I already knew that", Naruto pointed out, fighting not to laugh at the raven. The man looked like he was about to pull his hair out. He truly wasn't a fan of Sakura's.

"She wouldn't stop whining about you not answering her calls. Why should I have to suffer for that? The woman looks like a gargoyle when she cries. I did nothing to deserve watch that happen", he growled, honestly upset.

Naruto grunted. His amusement came down a notch. Though he found his friend's over-dramatic tantrum entertaining, he couldn't deny he was just as tired of that woman as Sasuke was. Naruto had moved on from their relationship long ago. Not once had he experienced any regret or longing. He hadn't as much as thought about her. His attitude towards her was absolute indifference. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about her.

She'd done her everything to make Naruto change his mind. Even after signing the divorce papers under the threat of a court battle, she'd still continued pestering him. That included countless calls, showing up at his house unannounced and even forcing her way to his office. Only after threatening the woman with a restraining order, had she stopped coming around. But though she no longer bothered him with her physical presence, she still called him. To an outrageous extent. Naruto had been forced to change his number several times, only for her to somehow get her hands on the new one.

She still called him. And he still refused to pick up. That he'd stopped doing after realizing her calls never consisted of anything but pleading for forgiveness and begging for mercy. She always repeated the same desperate rant. That he should forgive, forget and start anew with her. And every time, he laughed in her face. It wasn't the lack of forgiveness that made him turn down her pleads. He simply did not love her. He'd told her that. Several times. It hadn't done much good. Which had now lead Naruto to understand how unhealthy her behavior was.

It wasn't even remotely normal anymore. It was no longer just about her loving him, wanting him back. It'd become an obsession to her. She was obsessed with him, and the utopic idea of them being the perfect couple. So far her neurotic behavior hadn't done much harm to the blonde's quality of life, apart from occasional annoyance. But Naruto did slightly fear the day it'd go beyond that. The day she'd lose the last light on the attic.

"Just forget about it. Instead of wasting your time on that psycho, get dressed. We gotta leave soon", Naruto muttered, pushing away the disturbing thought of his ex-wife. Sasuke sighed.

"Yeah, yeah. You take the dog out" he grunted, leaving to change.

The blonde glanced at the dog sitting beside him. Thing stared up at him with its jet-black puppy eyes. Naruto couldn't resist smiling. He moved to open the front door.

"Ready to go-", he began, but didn't have the chance to finish his sentence, before the dog was already on the yard.

"…out?"

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. For a supposedly vicious dog, Thing's puppy-like enthusiasm was extravagant. An elite guard dog, indeed.

About an hour later, Naruto and Sasuke had reached the part of town that wasn't really a section of the nation's pride. As soon as they crossed the last street that was listed as part of downtown, the change became evident. Prostitutes everywhere, cops circling around the blocks repeatedly and shady people exchanging dirty money for crystal meth. Their rotten teeth and faces sored by the drug made the blonde want to gag. He wasn't a fan of drug abusers. Mainly because they more often than not were untrustworthy and unpredictable. But he couldn't say he detested them. It would've been hypocritical, as it was a miracle he hadn't ended up the same way.

Naruto scanned around the streets that were his childhood. The manifestation of his teenage years. These were the alleys he'd sinned for in the name of his gang in order to survive. These were the streets he'd once called home. As had Sasuke.

"Hn. Didn't think I'd end up here again", the raven grunted, glancing around.

Naruto noticed the tension of the man's shoulders, only to realize his posture was equally as defensive. Must've been survival instinct kicking in subconsciously. The blonde huffed in a bitter manner.

"Home sweet home, eh?"

He wasn't ecstatic about being there, either. But he'd started to get used to it. He'd been forced to go there several times in the past few months. Kiba still lived there, which meant that whenever Naruto wanted to visit him, he had no choice but to come back. It wasn't really the past that bothered him about the place. Not even the generally sad life itself roaming the alleys. It was the fact that there were a lot of people there who weren't particularly fond of him. He'd turned his back on these streets. That wasn't something people usually got away with.

But though he wasn't liked, it posed no real threat for him to be there. Naruto knew nobody would try to start trouble with them, even if they weren't liked. They were hated, yet respected. Hated for leaving the gang. Respected for giving birth to it. They'd given these poor souls something to live for, after all. Even if it was the saddest form of life they'd given them, it was enough for nobody to try and harm them.

Naruto truly was astonished by the way the gang had grown. When they'd left, it absolutely hadn't been their gang responsible for all the crime in that town. They'd been but a bunch of kids desperate to survive in the tough world, forcing themselves to do bad things for that to happen. It was only years after his leave that the gang took over the city, taking down the previous leading gang.

Naruto hadn't been there to see it, but he'd heard the transition had been brutal. Dozens died, several more simply disappeared and the police had been left helpless. Only when the gang finally got what they wanted -the leadership of the slums in entirety- did the situation calm down. But it never went back to what it once was. Not when the order was entirely new.

"I haven't carried a gun in a long time, ya know", Sasuke said. Naruto chuckled.

"I wish I could say the same", he said smirking. It wasn't even a lie.

Carrying weaponry in that part of town was necessary, if hoping to be taken seriously. So was showing the tattoos on their skins. Anybody who didn't carry a mark telling they belonged there, wouldn't get an especially warm welcome. Not on the block they were heading to.

"Was it really fuckin' necessary to come here?" Sasuke grunted, still evidently displeased.

"Yeah. I need to see Kiba", Naruto stated, deepening the other's discomfort. Sasuke wasn't a fan of the man.

They had reached their destination. A bar that reeked of alcohol and violence. It was located next to a deserted record store, just like Naruto had told Kakashi. The blonde stopped to look at the old, worn-out store. As a kid, he'd often used to spend the little money he'd had to buy secondhand cassettes, and on really good days, CDs. The memory made him smile just a little. Music had been his only way of escape back then. And even now, more than a decade later, he still found comfort in it. It was the one loophole in his phases of misery. And one of the few good memories of that time years ago.

Naruto didn't stay to reminisce for long. He soon tore his gaze away, and shoved his happy memories back into hiding, as the two of them made their way inside the bar. The place looked exactly same as it had ten years ago.

"It's just as ugly as I remembered", Sasuke muttered, quickly taking a seat at the nearest free table. He wasn't keen on attracting too much attention.

"Hn. First class foulness, ain't it?" Naruto said, seating himself across his friend.

Sasuke had no need to confirm that self-evidence. They fell silent for a while. Both scanned around the bar, deep in thought. Naruto's gaze got glued to the corner table farthest away from him. A smirk appeared to his lips.

"Remember the time I thought it'd be a fantastic idea to play Russian roulette?" he asked.

Sasuke followed the blonde's gaze to the other side of the room. He did remember it. He also remembered the table it took place around.

"Yeah. That fuckin' idea of yours cost as a gun dealer. Well done, moron", the raven muttered. Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah, but he was an asshole anyway", he said dismissively.

Naruto shook his head in some level of disbelief. He'd really been a stupid damn kid. Playing a game of Russian roulette should've been an obviously horrible idea. It never ended well. Somebody always died. It'd been just pure chance he hadn't been the one doing all the dying. He had no way of defending his past stupidity. Not apart from blaming it on the subconscious will to find an easy way out of poverty and degrading life.

Naruto was about to say something, when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. The blonde turned his head to see the one grabbing him. He'd been ready to bash a face in, but dismissed that thought as he found Kiba standing behind him.

"Yo. What's up?" the man asked.

"Not much. Came to see ya", Naruto told with a crooked smile.

Kiba took the liberty to sit down by the table. He glanced at Sasuke. Sasuke glanced at him. They exchanged a short, cold glare, but neither said anything. Kiba then turned back towards the blonde.

"Is this business we're talkin'?" he asked. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Did ya take care of the three from last night?" he asked right away.

Kiba dragged out answering the question just enough to take another glance at Sasuke. He was aware the raven knew of the blonde's recent change in career, but remained displeased of the man's presence. It annoyed him to not have a say in the matter.

"Yeah, I did", Kiba muttered, tearing his gaze away from the one returning his hostile glare. Naruto decided to ignore their childish rivalry.

"Whatcha do with them?" the blonde questioned. Kiba raised a brow, indicating he didn't appreciate the lack of trust put in him.

"They're cast in cement under my house. Unless somebody's gonna start tearing it down, they'll stay put just fine."

It was Naruto's turn to raise a brow.

"That's a little…extravagant", he concluded. Kiba flashed him a grin.

"I've been doin' some renovating in the basement. I was casting a new floor, so I figured why the hell not?" he explained.

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. What a way to do improve one's house. Just throw a few bodies inside the new floor. Fantastic idea.

"You've made yourself a haunted house, my friend", he said, giving the man a sneering smile.

Kiba was quick to give him a piercing glare. Naruto was well aware how immaturely terrified the man was of things like that. For a supposed badass ganger, he could be a complete wuss.

"Shut the fuck up. It ain't gonna get haunted", Kiba muttered, mostly to assure himself.

Naruto laughed at the other's grim face. Even Sasuke cracked a smirk. Which of course was an efficient way to provoke Kiba. The blonde didn't give them a chance to start a war of insults, as he moved on to a more serious subject.

"Any word on Akatsuki?" he asked, taking his voice down a notch.

Kiba turned to face him, taking a more serious tone to himself as well. Naruto held high hopes for getting a positive reply. When it came to gathering crucial information, Kiba was the one to go to. The man could smell useful rumors from miles away like a detection dog. Having a houseful of those said creatures, he seemed to have started transforming into one himself. Only this time, it wasn't enough.

"No. Not really. Somethin' big is goin' on, but no clue what. They're keepin' their secrets well under the radar, like always", Kiba told.

Naruto frowned. Though it wasn't exactly what he'd hoped to hear, it was better than nothing. He became curious about what this 'something big' could possibly be. A change of plans? A change inside the organization? A big job? All of those were actual possibilities. Those, and a million other options. Naruto had no way of making any firm conclusions.

"But y'know…yakuza's getting pretty damn tired of you", Kiba continued, lowering his voice.

The bar wasn't really a place to have a discussion about the mafia. There were two quite contradictory reasons for that. The gang had started to divide into two different groups, when it came to the subject of yakuza. The majority would've found the simple mentioning of them provoking, as they absolutely detested them. They weren't fond of having the mob stepping on their toes, which was at times inevitable.

But then there was the minority that'd started doing jobs for them. Which again meant that talking badly of yakuza might stir up some type of violent behavior. Naruto found the newly developed dividing of the gang quite fascinating. It was only a matter of time when they'd start going at each other. The outcome of that was unpredictable. But it also wasn't his problem, so he couldn't bother wasting his time on it.

"Can't blame them", Naruto said, a little too nonchalantly in Kiba's opinion.

"Oi. This ain't a joke. Most of them might've gone after Sabaku, but they're getting desperate. They haven't succeeded in killing either one of you. And now you've been hunting them down, instead of the other way around. They're getting frustrated", he muttered, almost whispering.

Naruto glanced at the man from the corner of his eye. He knew it was no joke. He was well aware of the situation, and the direction it was heading to. So far he'd gotten off fairly easy. Yakuza and Akatsuki had put most of their focus on Gaara, letting the blonde enjoy his moderate freedom. But he also knew he hadn't used that privilege to its fullest potential, as he'd willingly gone after them and started hunting for their heads. Which inevitably had pissed them off. He had efficiently outshone Gaara as the bigger threat. It was only a matter of time before they'd start seeking for payback. The chances of surviving that were slim to none. He was running out of time and knew it.

"Hn. I know. But I'll manage. Somehow", Naruto assured, though he wasn't actually so sure. Kiba frowned, but didn't comment.

"Just try to stay alive. I need to run. I still have a group of rookies to look after. I'll wait for your next call", the man said, rising to stand up. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. See ya", he hollered after the man already walking away.

Kiba gave him a small wave, before disappearing through the bar's entrance. Naruto stared after him for a while, before turning towards Sasuke. The man's tense look told a thing or two about the seriousness of reality. The blonde was well aware of it, but could only cope by belittling it.

"Took them long enough", he muttered. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"You're in shit. Deep shit", he stated. Naruto rolled his eyes. "Ya think?" he grunted.

It wasn't the ideal situation. But he'd known it would inevitable. Having had his fair time to adjust to that, he wasn't capable of stressing about it too much. He'd come up with something. He always did. And Naruto would've assured Sasuke he'd be fine, hadn't there been another grip on his shoulder. Only a firmer, more demanding one. The blonde turned to see the one behind him, somewhat expecting too se Kiba again, but came to find there an evidently displeased, silver-haired man. Kakashi at his best, truly.

"I can't believe you made me come here", the man growled, before Naruto had the chance to even greet him. Naruto smirked.

"Why hello. Please, do take a seat", he offered, gesturing him to sit down.

Though reluctant, Kakashi did take the seat. He paused his hostile glaring to face Sasuke. After a quick glance of him, the man smiled and offered a handshake.

"Hey. We've met before, I suppose", Kakashi concluded. Sasuke shook the man's extended hand.

"I guess. We both worked on Sabaku's case", the paler one reminded. Kakashi had moment of realization.

"Oh, that's right. And we work at the same station, don't we?" he questioned. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah. But it's big ass station", he pointed out.

The older one gave a kind smile. "True."

Having taken care of the mandatory courtesy, Kakashi turned back towards the blonde. His kind smile vanished in a heartbeat, replaced by another displeased glare. Naruto wasn't particularly fond of the look. It made him feel like a child.

"You. You I will smack the living hell out of", Kakashi grunted, pointing a blaming finger at the blonde. Naruto could only sigh.

"We'll be fine. They know me here", he tried to assure. The man snorted in a sarcastic manner.

"That ain't the problem. _Me_ being known here is", he grunted, shifting slightly uncomfortably.

Naruto frowned. The normally very indifferent man seemed quite distressed.

"I'm supposed to be dead around here, kid", Kakashi muttered. The blonde raised a brow.

"Dead?" he questioned. The man sighed. It was as if he couldn't have bothered to explain.

"I grew up here. After I became a cop, I did a long undercover job in the old gang. When the new one came in to take them down, my job came to an end. As far as people here know, I died", he told, quietly enough for nobody else to hear.

Naruto had a short moment of awe, the child in him taking over just enough to marvel how amazingly movie-like that sounded. But the awe was shortly lived, as he remembered his own life had taken quite the extraordinary turn, and not necessarily in a good way. The blonde grunted.

"That was a long time ago. Those who knew you are long dead. People die young here", he said, trying to give some assurance. Kakashi huffed.

"I know. These kids are too young to remember me. And this ain't the block I lived on. But that job left me half a face stamped with outdated gang insignia I'll never get rid of", he muttered.

Naruto was forced to admit that might be a problem. It was doubtful anybody would recognize the man, as people there truly did die young. The turnover rate of gangers was high, as they generally seemed to be too incompetent to survive. But even those brainless twats would notice ink that wasn't theirs and then go bananas.

"We can leave", the blonde suggested.

Kakashi sighed. "Nah. I can't be bothered. Too tired. Too lazy."

Naruto snorted. It'd been a while since he'd last heard someone say they were too lazy to assure their own safety, but wasn't going to argue about it.

"Whatever floats your boat, old man", he chuckled. Kakashi didn't seem too fond of the last two words, as he narrowed his eyes at the blonde.

"I'm not an old man. You're just a brat", the man argued. Naruto shrugged.

"Could be", he admitted.

He wasn't actually sure of the man's age. He looked no older than thirty-five, but by all logic must've been in his mid-forties. Talk about aging well.

"I'm gonna go get a drink. You two want somethin'?" Naruto asked, pulling himself on his feet.

Getting two simple nods of acceptance, he figured he'd get the freedom to choose in their behalf. He turned to leave the table, but was stopped by Sasuke's voice.

"Naruto."

He turned back to meet the raven's demanding gaze. Even before Sasuke said anything, the blonde's jaw clenched. He didn't want to give his friend the chance to tell him what he already knew, so he simply complied to what he'd heard the man say a million times before.

"Yeah, I know. Moderation", he muttered, then turning back around and walking away.

Sasuke watched the blonde go, a slight scowl forming on his face. He knew Naruto hated him for repeating himself, but couldn't let that stop him from doing it. He couldn't let him slip.

With the blonde gone, Sasuke and Kakashi were left to enjoy some nice, awkward silence. The kind that included nonexistent chirping of crickets. As the older one, Kakashi felt obligated to make that disappear.

"I didn't know you two were friends", he said. Sasuke could only nod.

"Yeah. We grew up together", he told. Kakashi tilted his head curiously.

"That means you share the same past then, huh?" he figured.

"Hn. Pretty much", the raven muttered. The older man smiled kindly.

"You two sure made it far. I thought I was the only one. Not many get out of here, y'know", he pointed out.

Sasuke had to agree. The lives that took a turn for the better were a rarity around there. And though Naruto might've backtracked from his path in the right direction, the accomplishment itself remained quite astonishing.

"Yeah. Funny how life works out at times", Sasuke smirked.

Kakashi gave him a smile. And then they ran out of small talk. Naruto was taking an awfully long time to get back. The silence fell back to a state of awkwardness, which Kakashi considered shattering with more meaningless chatter, but ended up changing his mind. He decided to take up a subject less random, and more significant. Even if it did come across potentially bold.

"How close are you to him?" Kakashi asked bluntly.

Sasuke raised a brow. He was somewhat surprised by the sudden curiosity, but eventually decided to answer truthfully.

"We live together."

It was Kakashi's turn to raise a questioning brow. Two, actually.

"Oh. I didn't…I didn't know he swung that way", he said after a while of wonderment.

Sasuke stopped to stare at him in confusion. It took him ridiculously long to realize what the man was assuming. But as it dawned on him, his face instantly reflected some level of repulsion.

"Oh fuckin' hell no. No, just…ew", Sasuke rushed to correct him. Kakashi tilted his head.

"No?"

"No."

Silence. Awkward silence.

"Oh. Okay."

It took a while, but eventually Sasuke found the humor in it. He couldn't help but to chuckle at the preposterousness of it.

"We ain't like that. He doesn't swing that way. And even if he did, just…no. It'd be like fucking my brother", he snorted, shaking his head.

Kakashi found the other's reaction amusing. It seemed like he'd severely misunderstood their situation.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to make you nauseous", he chuckled.

Sasuke smirked, but was quick to become serious again. He realized there had to be a reason behind the other's sudden curiosity.

"Why'd you ask?" he questioned.

Kakashi masked his face with equal seriousness, contemplating what would be the best way to phrase his further prying.

"I saw him yesterday for the first time in months. And he seems…different. Strange, even", he began.

There was a short pause, which Sasuke let happen. The older man seemed hesitant to continue, but eventually did anyway.

"I'm good at reading people, but I couldn't figure it out. Do you know what happened?"

Sasuke froze for a fraction of a second. He didn't know what to say. Obviously he did know what'd happened. But he couldn't tell the man the truth. That being the case, he went with the easiest lie.

"He just got divorced. That dents a man's ego, I guess", he said, trying to shrug it off.

Kakashi was silent for a while, studying the pale man. It was as if he was trying to find traces of a lie. But Sasuke was a good liar. Even though that wasn't something to generally take much pride in, it came in handy every now and then. This was one of those moments.

The silver-haired man eventually gave up on detecting any lies, and lowered his gaze to the floor. He hesitated for a while, but eventually voiced his question.

"So it has nothing to do with Sabaku?"

Sasuke tensed up upon hearing that name. That man was a subject he wasn't fond of. Mostly because he still felt guilty for telling him to leave. But also because he knew how much the redhead meant to Naruto. Even after all these months, the blonde still missed him. To an extent that wasn't much of a stretch from insanity. And Sasuke had gotten to see that first hand. All of it. The bad, the worse and the absolutely worst.

"No. I see no reason for that. They haven't had any contact as far as I know", Sasuke eventually said, trying not to show any sign of lying.

Kakashi's gaze lingered on him just long enough for the raven to feel uncomfortable. It turned away eventually.

"Okay", the man then answered casually.

Sasuke raised a brow at the surprisingly easy end of discussion. But he had no complaints. And since Naruto returned right then, the discussion would've ended anyway.

The blonde reached the table and laid down a tray. It wasn't a small tray, either. But more than anything, the entire thing was covered in shot glasses. Sasuke stopped to stare at the tray for a little while, before turning to give Naruto the most judgmental glare he could.

"That is so far from moderation, you deserve to be slapped. Repeatedly", he hissed, not hiding his honest will to do it. Naruto rolled his eyes and took his seat.

"Relax, love. It ain't for me. For you, mostly. I just can't be bothered to run back and forth for you, princess", he said, smirking.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in mild offense, but was already reaching for a shot of something green.

"If this is absinthe, I'll kick you in the face", he promised, but downed the drink before Naruto had the chance to reply.

Judging by the look on Sasuke's face once the shot was gone, it wasn't absinthe, but still horrifyingly strong.

"Wow. That tastes like shit", the raven declared, yet reached for another one anyway.

Naruto chuckled at his friend and let him make faces at the bitter aftertaste, while himself safely settling on a beer. He was content to leave the poisonously strong liquids to the two others, who quite happily took advantage of his generosity without shame.

"So. How's it feel to be back?" the blonde asked the silver-haired man emptying a shot glass. He didn't seem to mind the bitter taste of it, and simply shrugged.

"Wouldn't have come if you hadn't asked. But as much as I hate it, it does feel like home", he admitted.

Both Naruto and Sasuke could identify with that. As disgusting, dangerous and violent as the neighborhood was, it did feel like home. Always would. There was no running from the past, after all.

"Yeah. It does", Naruto agreed, a weak smile on his lips.

The three of them enjoyed a brief moment of silent nostalgia. It was shortly lived, though. None of them were really the sentimental type.

Naruto glanced at Kakashi. He had to ask a question that'd bothered him all day.

"I didn't expect you to ask me out for a drink, to be honest. Ya sure there ain't any hidden agenda behind this?" he asked bluntly. Kakashi chuckled.

"Wow. Ain't ya suspicious? No, there really isn't. I just like you. You're...entertaining", he replied. Naruto wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or not. It sounded too much like a comparison to a zoo animal.

"Not sure if that's flattering or not", he muttered, taking a gulp of his drink.

"It is. I've been piling up with work more than usually. I needed to get out", the man assured.

"Something big happened in the city?" the blonde asked casually. Kakashi sighed.

"Kinda. And not just in the city", he muttered.

The man paused to think. He must've wondered if it was wise to tell anything specific. But being the carefree kind of man he was, he ended up doing that anyway.

"It seems there's someone slaying mobsters and hitmen. The killing rate's so damn high it's hard to ignore", the man then revealed.

Naruto might've suffered a minor cardiac arrest. He fought not to choke on the liquid still halfway down his throat. The success of that could be described as a strangled cough. It earned him two questioning glances, the one from Sasuke a mix of horror and wondering of how Naruto could choose such a horrible timing for choking.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked. The blonde rushed to nod frantically and replied only to wheeze embarrassingly.

"Yeah. Just forgot how to swallow. Go on", he assured. Kakashi gave him a funny look, but shrugged it off.

"Hn. So, yeah. That's happening. Nobody knows who's doing all the killing. It's been happening all around the country, but seemingly we're dealing with just one guy", the man explained.

Naruto simply nodded like it was all news to him, all the while stifling another cough. Thankfully Kakashi didn't seem to notice his struggle. He seemed to be deep in thought, only breaking it to chuckle ironically.

"I really shouldn't be, but I'm kinda pleased someone's slaying them. Takes down my load of work", the man joked.

At least he laughed like it was one.

"Hn. Yeah", was all Naruto could say. There wasn't much he could've commented objectively.

The blonde felt a knot tie in his chest. He was well aware of how good Kakashi was when it came to profiling. It was a scary thought. The fear of the man having figured something out was unavoidable. But he didn't let it bother him in case it wasn't needed. There was no certainty he knew anything that might've been problematic to Naruto. He felt like he needed to figure that out before freaking out, but sort of feared prying about it.

He understood that though he might be risking it, this was a unique chance to gain information he otherwise wouldn't. Kakashi seemed quite happy to talk about the subject, though he was bound to secrecy. Knowing it was doubtful he'd find another man as irrespective of sworn silence, he was forced to decide whether or not to let this chance slip. Considering that the man had quite efficiently helped empty the tray of alcohol, he wouldn't even remember this discussion in the morning. Naruto couldn't let this go to waste.

"So you've been workin' on it, eh?" he asked, as casually as he could. Kakashi nodded.

"Yeah. I was assigned to profile this guy. I've spent hours trying to figure out an outline, but I keep failing. Kinda eats away my pride", the man muttered.

A wave of relief washed over the blonde. He hadn't been aware of his tense shoulders before they relaxed.

"That's tough", he commented, having nothing else to say. Kakashi grunted.

"That ain't the only thing making my job a living hell. This guy has stirred quite the hate in the underworld. Gangs and organizations working for the mob have gotten on the move, tryin' to track this dude down", he told.

It wasn't much of news to Naruto. He was well aware of all the pissed off people looking to get payback. Which was exactly why he needed to learn something useful. Something he could base a plan on. But before he had the chance to even try and pry about such, Kakashi took him by surprise. The good kind.

"Even Akatsuki has awakened from their slumber."

Both Naruto and Sasuke became instantly more alert. They tried not to let their sudden enthusiasm show, but especially the blonde might've slightly failed at that.

"What does that mean?" he asked, perhaps a bit too demandingly.

Kakashi didn't seem to notice the tone of his voice. Must've been the impressive amount of alcohol he'd downed in only twenty minutes finally kicking in.

"A lot of rumors goin' on about 'em", the man revealed.

Naruto skipped a breath. He realized Kakashi truly might've known something he wasn't aware of. He couldn't let that possibility go unexplored.

"What rumors?" he asked, just a little too hastily.

Kakashi glanced at him, turning slightly more hesitant to continue. A chuckle escaped the man's lips.

"I'm not supposed to tell ya any of this, y'know", he pointed out.

The blonde's hand clenched into a fist unintendedly. But he relaxed it as soon as the act reached his awareness. He couldn't afford fucking this up. He calculated that Kakashi had drank enough for his rehearsed city dialect to start cracking back to the street slang it must've once been. That meant it couldn't be that hard to make him talk. Naruto forced a smile and chuckled.

"C'mon. Don't leave me hangin' here", he half-pleaded.

The other man stared at him for a while, as if contemplating it. The blonde soon learned that it was in fact even easier to convince him than expected.

"Nah, fuck it. Fuck protocol", Kakashi complied, shrugging nonchalantly.

Naruto let go of the breath stuck in his throat. It was times like these he was truly thankful alcohol could do wonders. Kakashi took a more comfortable position to sit, before continuing.

"You must know that Akatsuki is as underground as they get. They'd might as well be thin air. But now there's rumors circling about their current leader", he revealed.

The blonde wasn't far from dropping off his seat. He gripped to the edge of his seat in the exiting realization of this being even better than he could've hoped. But very subtly, of course.

"You know who they are?" he asked in awe.

Kakashi shook his head. The blonde couldn't help but to feel just slightly disappointed. But the man was quick to pull him up from that pit of disappointment.

"Nah. Nobody does. But there's word on where they might be", he told.

Naruto could've kissed the man. He had waited months for information of this kind. And especially now that his hunters were starting to get impatient, this knowledge was more than needed.

"Where's that?" he asked, trying so hard not to sound too ecstatic.

And that was how Kakashi nearly gave Naruto an honest, lethal heart attack.

"Suna."

Naruto had to stop and wonder if he'd heard correctly. He could almost swear he had, thus he concluded he wasn't imagining things. But that didn't make it any less hard to believe. Kakashi was telling him that the leader of those dickheads might've had resided only a three hour train ride away this entire time. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. He tried to refrain from doing either.

"Suna?" he asked to verify. Kakashi nodded. "Yep."

The blonde paused to think. He assimilated the fact that he finally knew something potentially useful, but now had to figure out how he'd use it to his own benefit. On his last trip to Fuchu, Sai had told him that eliminating Akatsuki's leader might put an end to his hell. At the time, it'd sounded ridiculous. Back then he wouldn't have stood a chance. But as time had now gone by, Naruto was reconsidering his thought on the subject. He no longer was a complete amateur when it came to disposing of those dangerous to him. He no longer was dependent on Gaara, or anybody else at that. He'd learned of the way the mafia and its freelance organizations worked, leaving him less likely to fall because of ignorance. And most of all, he was getting desperate.

Naruto almost chuckled out loud. His choices were limited. Very limited. They weren't running out of hitmen any time soon. He could keep on killing them all he wanted, only to find himself facing yet another one. They'd only fight back harder. And eventually, they'd win the fight. It was inevitable. That left him with only one option. A potentially suicidal one. Naruto knew he might die trying, but if he miraculously succeeded in the plan forming in his head, he might get a whole other chance at life. Akatsuki would come to a halt without a leader. Yakuza wouldn't care about avenging an organization that's stopped being useful.

Naruto turned to face Sasuke. Their gazes met for only a second, but no more was needed. They both knew what lied ahead.

They would have to go to Suna.

* * *

It was cold enough for hell to freeze over. The freezing December air had forced the majority of the city's population inside their warm, cozy homes. Everybody, but the people in that particular part of town. After all, there were three things that didn't mind the cold. Penguins, polar bears and prostitutes. There weren't penguins or polar bears there, but prostitutes all around. And killers and rapists to fill the lack of fluffy animals. Among these sad creatures, there was someone who fit in well, yet loathed all of them. Including the fluffy animals.

Gaara stood in front of a building he didn't want to stand in front of. He knew he'd have to go inside, but wasn't happy about it. He wasn't actually happy about being in that city in general. Even the shadiest parts of Russia had been more appealing than the hellhole before him. But he had no choice, and knew that. With an angry grunt, the redhead stepped inside the building.

He met a sight that made him want to gag. A roomful of drunken people, loudly making evident their lack of intelligence, instantly spiked up his blood pressure. It was like watching a pack of wild wolfs fighting. People never failed to remind him how much he hated them.

The redhead forced himself to make his way further inside. Since it was a bar, there was a counter. And that's where he ended up going. He seated himself down on a stool by the counter, laying down a black bag he'd been carrying around for six months. It contained everything he owned. Which wasn't much.

Gaara glanced around him. He truly didn't feel pleased to be there. In that bar. In Fuchu. Anywhere even near it. But he was there already. He had to suck it up. In order to get done with his business as quickly as possible, he tried to spot the man he'd come looking for. If it turned out the guy wasn't working that night, he wouldn't be able to promise everything living in a ten miles' radius wouldn't get killed. That summed up quite well his current mood.

Fifteen minutes went by, and there was no sign of whom he'd hoped to see. Gaara was on the verge of madness for a fun change. Some guy, pissed drunk out of his mind, had come to start a fight with the redhead for no apparent reason. Miraculously, Gaara had refrained from tearing him into pieces. An icy enough glare and a flash of his gun had been enough to make the guy back away. But even then, the redhead remained angered and absolutely annoyed.

He was almost ready to give up, when the door leading to the backroom opened up. Gaara glanced in the door's direction, his gaze finding vague relief to his rising rage. Sai stepped through the doorway, instantly spotting the redhead. He seemed somewhat surprised to see him, but was quick to hide it. The man then calmly made his way to the counter and stopped to stand across the redhead. He didn't make eye contact, just started counting out the cash register's content, but did acknowledge Gaara's presence.

"Come to fight again?" Sai asked, an amused smirk on his lips. The smirk irked the redhead, but he forced himself to keep calm.

"No", he answered simply. Sai chuckled.

"Really? I almost could've sworn", he sneered.

Gaara clenched his jaw in annoyance. He still held no fond feelings for the man at all. And that feeling was rapidly growing stronger.

"I came to talk with ya", he hissed through gritted teeth.

Sai stopped counting the cash in his hands. He glanced at the redhead. He stared at him silently for a while, before putting the money back into the register and tilting his head curiously. He said nothing, just watched. Gaara was almost getting impatient, when Sai suddenly simply turned his back on him. The redhead's anger skyrocketed. He wasn't a fan of getting ignored. He'd been ready to resort to violence, when Sai turned back around and placed a drink in front of him. Gaara glanced at the glass of vodka on the counter, before turning back towards the other man.

"I thought you left the country", Sai stated.

Gaara's tense shoulders relaxed just slightly. He took his time, but eventually nodded.

"I did."

He gulped down the drink Sai had given him. The man was quick to fill it up again. Gaara had no complaints. Sai stared at him. He felt the man's piercing gaze on him, finding it somewhat oppressive. Eventually Sai spoke again.

"You look different", he stated.

Gaara snorted. It was true. He did.

"What 'bout it?" he asked, slightly defensive. Sai smirked knowingly.

"Nothin'. He'd like it, ya know", he mused.

Gaara glanced at him askance. He knew whom the man was talking of. He could've somehow carried on the conversation on that subject, but decided not to. He didn't want to talk about him with that man. Not any more than was absolutely necessary.

"So why'd ya come back?" Sai soon questioned, as Gaara didn't say anything. The redhead didn't appreciate the prying, but answered truthfully. "I came to see you."

Sai raised a brow. "Wow. Flattering. Ain't there someone else you should go see?"

Gaara shook his head. "I can't."

Sai sighed. He actually felt bad for the redhead. And Naruto, as well. Those two were hopeless. And blind as bats. But he left that unvoiced.

"So what did ya wanna talk about?" Sai asked instead.

Gaara had drunk the glass empty again. Judging by the redhead's gaze glued to the bottom of the empty glass, he needed a refill. Sai fulfilled his wish. Only when he got a full glass handed to him, did Gaara tell.

"I'm leaving the country again. Further away this time. I need to get them further away from him. But I came to ask you for a favor", he revealed.

Sai looked like he wanted to hit the other man. Gaara wasn't really sure why.

"What is it?" the man sighed, sounding strangely uninterested. The redhead ignored it.

"I'll be gone for a long time. I need to know there's someone looking after him. I want you to do that. I know you have connections to people who can do that. I don't even care if you succeed in getting him in bed. As long as he's safe, I don't care", he spoke.

Gaara wasn't looking at the other man, thus missing the dramatic roll of eyes going on. But he did hear the frustrated grunt that left the man's lips. Gaara glanced at him. Sai looked like he was about to strangle him.

"Fuckin' hell, you are such a fucking blockhead", the man suddenly hissed.

Gaara raised a brow in disbelief. Though he probably should've gone absolutely crazy for being spoken to that way, he was too surprised by it to react in any way particular. Not many dared to talk to him in such a manner. Even fewer survived it. But Sai didn't seem to care. He let out a sigh, not believing the level of ignorance the redhead seemed to live on.

"God I feel like slapping you, sweetheart", he said. It earned him a piercing glare.

Gaara could've gone and lost his shit, but frankly couldn't be bothered. Instead he settled on gritting his teeth and only imagined ripping the man's head off.

"I ain't got the time for your shit. Just promise me you'll look out for him, so I can get the fuck out of here", he grunted, drinking up the liquid in his glass. Sai furrowed his brows slightly.

"So he really didn't tell ya?" he thought out loud. Gaara paused to glance at the other one.

"Tell me what?" he asked, slightly suspicious.

Sai sighed, closing his eyes. He did not feel like being the one to tell this. But obviously, he had no choice.

"If cutie finds out I told ya, he'll gut me", Sai muttered. It only made Gaara even more determined to find out.

"If ya don't, I'll gut you", he assured. Sai chuckled. "I'm sure you would."

The redhead said nothing further, only waited for the man to start talking. Sai took his sweet time, but eventually gave in.

"First of all, yakuza's hunt for you two ain't as random as you might think. They have a fuckin' army of hitmen, all meant to kill you", he told.

Gaara downcast gaze quickly moved up to face him. The disbelief on his face must've been evident, as Sai nodded for reassurance.

"How the fuck did I not know about this?" he hissed after a while.

"Because cutie didn't want you to know", Sai stated bluntly.

The redhead was suddenly confused. Why would the blonde have kept something like this a secret?

"Then how does he know about it?" Gaara asked. The other man smirked. "I told him."

The redhead narrowed his eyes at him. "How do you know?"

"I have my resources", the man said dismissively.

Gaara paused to think. He had a hard time understanding why the blonde had left such a thing untold. Because it was no small thing at all. And judging by the way Sai had phrased his words, the blonde had known about it even before they'd parted ways. After thinking about it for several silent seconds, there was only one answer he could come up with.

Naruto had wanted to take the burden of that knowledge onto himself alone.

Gaara shut his eyes, letting out a frustrated breath. That fuckin' idiot. Why had he done that to himself?

"Hn. What else? If that was 'first of all', then what's next?" the redhead asked, forcing himself not to overreact.

Sai's reluctance to tell anything visibly deepened. Gaara instantly knew he wouldn't like whatever it was he'd say. And he fucking hated to be right.

"Cutie's a hitman now", the man finally said.

Sai got the privilege of watching the redhead nearly choke on nothing but air. Gaara wasn't a man who easily became shocked, but this time he nearly suffered a stroke. He couldn't remember ever being as horrified. And it took a good minute of blank staring, before he was able to speak.

"What?"

Sai bit his lower lip, slightly nervous as of what the redhead would do. But even though he was afraid the man would go completely crazy, he nodded.

Gaara had to stand up. He left his seat to just stand still and stare at the other man. He was unable to say anything for a long time. Eventually his shock turned into rage instead. And not being able to stop it, the redhead kicked the counter as hard as he could. It obviously left a hole in the wooden surface. Sai frowned at him, but said nothing.

"What the fuck?!" Gaara growled, not even trying to hide his anger.

Sai started to get nervous. Not because he was afraid of Gaara, but because he had a barful of people who were easily provoked by any type of violence. The redhead didn't seem to care.

"You're fuckin' lying", he hissed. Sai shook his head.

"No, I'm not. Sit down before those animals smell your anger. I don't wanna clean up any corpses tonight. I just had the floors washed", he muttered, giving the other one a piercing glare.

Gaara shivered with rage. He wasn't far from disemboweling the first guy even glancing his way. But even though he didn't want to, he sat back down. He found it hard to stay still. Sai was quick to try and calm him down.

"Listen. I told him that you'd react this way. That you wouldn't like it. But it didn't seem to matter to him", he said.

If that was meant to calm him down, Gaara had to say the man failed more than miserably. He was pissed beyond words. When he'd told the blonde to get stronger, he hadn't meant for the man to become like him. He hadn't meant for him to become a hitman. That was truly the lowest form of human life anybody could live. He'd never wanted the blonde to go down that road. He'd never wanted him to sell his soul for dirty money. And apparently Naruto had known that. Why did that idiot never listen to him?

"Why the hell would he do that? He knew what it fucking does to a guy. He fuckin' knew", the redhead growled, his voice low with anger, maybe a hint hurt.

Sai watched the other man. He couldn't help but to feel bad for him. He didn't pity him, but could feel the hurt and disappointment that Gaara obviously struggled with. Sai didn't feel like telling depressing stories, but felt like he now had to. He had to tell the redhead what'd happened.

"He never intended it to happen", he said. Gaara glanced at him, jaw clenched in anger.

"Then why the fuck did it?" he growled.

Sai sighed. He decided to pour the other man's empty glass full again. And then he took one for himself. He didn't care if he was working a shift. He needed it. Telling bad news to a guy like Gaara was like pestering a wild tiger. The chances of getting mauled to death were high.

"Cutie sent me a letter a while after you left. For no particular reason. Just to catch up. I sent him one back. That went on for a few weeks. He never told me anything too shocking really, but I could feel the anger and hurt in his words. So I asked him about it. And he actually told me", Sai began telling.

Gaara's anger showed no signs of fading away. If anything, hearing the other man talk about the blonde made him somewhat even more raged. There weren't words strong enough in his vocabulary to describe how angry he was at him.

"He told me that there hadn't been many that'd come after him. And that'd somehow made him frustrated. Said that it wasn't enough of a challenge", Sai continued.

The redhead gritted his teeth. If only the blonde was there so he could kick him in the face. The whole point of him leaving had been to keep yakuza away from Naruto. That moron truly seemed to enjoy hard life.

"So he started going after them. Instead of them hunting him, he started hunting down them. Just for the sake of it. To get better", Sai spoke, taking a gulp of the strong liquid in his glass.

Gaara raised a brow. To him, the blonde's actions sounded absolutely idiotic. But he did kind of understand the point behind it. The only way to get better was to actually do something. Logically speaking it hadn't been the worst of ideas. But he still didn't get how that'd lead the blonde to kill for money. Which was the actual issue.

"Even if that idiot did go after them, how would he have ended up doin' it for money?" the redhead questioned.

Sai chuckled, shaking his head. The redhead obviously had no idea what'd been going on.

"Ya don't understand. His kill rate was ridiculous. In less than a month, he killed nearly 40 yakuzas", Sai revealed.

Gaara knew he looked like a moron, staring blankly at the other man, but he couldn't help it. That was a ridiculous number. Even he would've had troubles achieving something like that in less than a month. Especially if it meant finding the targets all by himself.

The redhead unexpectedly shivered with something unpleasant. He could only imagine what kind of a man the blonde had become. After murdering forty people, nobody stayed the same. It wasn't possible. He must've turned into something else.

"40?" Gaara muttered, mainly to himself. Sai answered anyway. "Yeah."

Sai gave the other one a moment to think about it. Not that it did much good.

"A kill rate like that doesn't go unnoticed. And it didn't. He started getting job offers", Sai then stated.

The redhead frowned. Even though he hated the idea of Naruto killing for money, he couldn't help but feel just a little bit pleased, even proud. The blonde obviously had done a good job, if he'd actually gotten job offers without asking. A small smirk appeared onto the redhead's lips, but it quickly faded away.

"Why would he have accepted them?" he asked.

"He didn't. Not at first. But apparently a friend of his told him to consider it. Said it would help him learn", Sai said.

The redhead's anger was quick to go up again. It didn't take him long to understand it must've been Sasuke who'd encouraged Naruto. That man was the only one the blonde would've listened to.

"So he took a job. He went through with it. And after that…well, he hasn't stopped", Sai stated.

Gaara shut his eyes. He felt so angry. But at same time, he felt helpless. He felt like he should've been there. To do it for him. To save him from crossing that line. But he hadn't. And it was too late now. The redhead could only wonder how many the blonde had killed so far. However big that number was, he knew it was more than enough for there to no longer be a chance for the blonde to turn back. He was too deep already. He was trapped already.

"Shit", Gaara muttered. That was literally the only thing he could say. Sai grunted.

"I don't know what his plan is now. But I know he has to come up with something. Yakuza's getting tired of him killing their men. I'm pretty sure cutie knows that. He knows he has to do something. The situation's getting bad enough for Akatsuki to get on the move as well", he said.

Gaara raised a questioning brow. "What do ya mean?"

Sai tilted his head slightly. He watched the other one for a while. It seemed like the redhead hadn't really kept up with anything going on. But nobody could blame him really. There had been nobody to inform him overseas.

"You want to keep him safe, right?" Sai suddenly asked. Gaara seemed confused.

"Yeah", he said. He didn't get the point of asking for obvious answers. Sai seemed thoughtful.

"I'd advise you to forget about leaving the country", he then said. The redhead waited for further explanation.

"It won't help. They're getting too impatient. Cutie's rapidly becoming a bigger threat to them than you. Even if you went to the other side of the world, they wouldn't follow you anymore. They're preparing to send most of their men after cutie", Sai clarified.

It didn't help Gaara's aggravating feeling of helplessness.

"Then what the fuck am I supposed to do? Go back to him?" he growled, grabbing his own hair in frustration. Sai shook his head.

"Nah. Then there'll just be twice as many men after him. And you", he stated.

The redhead glanced at the other man. He said nothing, but his gaze actually pleaded for help. That wasn't something he usually did. And Sai knew that. The dark-haired one sighed, knowing he'd have to give the man something. Anything.

"Listen. There's a rumor going on. About Akatsuki's leader", he eventually revealed.

Gaara's interest perked up instantly. Judging by the look on Sai's face, he wasn't supposed to be talking about this. The redhead didn't really give a shit. With a glare, he demanded to know more.

"It ain't safe to talk about this, to be honest. Ya know how private they are when it comes to their leader. But then again, the danger of this rumor almost proves it to be true", Sai said.

"What the fuck is it then?" Gaara asked, getting impatient. The other one chuckled at his frustration, but decided to relieve his obvious discomfort.

"Nobody still knows who they are, but there's rumors of their location", Sai finally said.

For just a fraction of a second, Gaara could've kissed that aggravating son of a bitch. He'd been waiting for information like this for years. If Sai truly had something useful to tell, the redhead might reconsider when it came to his urge to shoot him through the face.

"Where?" Gaara asked immediately. Sai chuckled.

"Before I tell ya that, I wanna give you advice I told cutie months ago", he said.

The redhead obviously didn't appreciate the other man holding back the information he wanted, but had no choice. So he listened.

"Yakuza ain't gonna run short on hitmen any time soon. Neither will Akatsuki. You could spend the rest of your damn life killing them, but that won't do shit. If ya want to end this, you'll have to take Akatsuki's leader out of the equation", Sai soon said.

Gaara frowned. Taking down everything that remained of Akatsuki had always been the plan. But going after their leader hadn't been topical just yet. Not when he had no idea who he was dealing with. Not when he had no idea how to handle it properly. Considering that at the moment, it was nearly impossible for him to succeed, Sai's suggestion sounded ridiculous. But he was right. The only way to potentially survive was to kill the boss of that entire army of dickheads.

The redhead grunted. There was something he came to think of.

"Have ya told blondie about this?" he asked. Sai shook his head.

"No. He might've become vicious as hell, but he ain't ready yet. I know Akatsuki well enough to say that", he said.

Gaara nodded, agreeing. Knowing that the blonde wasn't aware of these rumors somewhat relieved him. The guy wasn't ready to go after them. Neither was Gaara. Not to the extent he would've liked. But he couldn't let that be an issue.

"Where is that fucker?" he asked.

Sai didn't reply right away. He paused, as if hesitating. But eventually, a smirk spread across his lips.

"Suna."

Gaara could've flinched, but didn't. He didn't even bat an eye. Instead he rose to stand up, downed the rest of his drink and glanced at Sai. He hesitated, but eventually said it anyway.

"Thanks."

The other man gave him a crooked smile. He got none in return, but hadn't really expected one. Gaara had already turned his back on Sai, but stopped upon hearing the man's voice.

"He misses you, ya know", Sai spoke to the other's turned back. The redhead didn't turn around, but stayed to listen.

"Every letter he's written to me, he says he misses you", he continued.

Gaara lowered his gaze to the floor. He hadn't planned on turning back around, but couldn't help it. He turned to see the other man. Sai directed an oddly gentle smile to him.

"It's all for you. He does it for you. Don't let him down", he said.

Gaara suddenly felt a strange strangling feeling in his chest. It made his mind momentarily go back in time. Back to him. Back to being with him. Back to holding him. The ghost of the blonde's touch came to linger on him for a while, before fading away. And then he was back at the bar, back hundreds of miles away from him.

The redhead stopped to stare at the other man for a while longer. He said nothing. He didn't have to. The look in his eyes was enough for Sai to know what went on inside his mind.

They had no further exchange of words. Gaara simply turned around, and walked away. He made his way outside, not looking back. The strangling feeling inside him didn't go away. But he didn't really mind it either. Not when it gave him the determination he needed.

He would go to Suna. To the town he'd once called home. It'd stopped being that a long time ago. It wasn't home anymore. It was now just a ghost of his past. A ghost he would have to face, so he could go back to where his real home waited for him. Back to the blonde. That's where his home was.

* * *

**Tehee. We all know where this is goin', don't we?**

**See ya next week. Love ya'll. **


	36. Sin City

**Hello, lovelies. Here's a new chapter for ya. Hope it pleases you magnificent creatures.**

* * *

"I don't fuckin' care if your hair looks like shit. We need to fucking go", Naruto growled for the millionth time.

Sasuke stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at himself. This had been going on for the past twenty minutes now. Naruto would tell the other one they had to leave, and Sasuke would come up with something he still needed to do. Naruto had been patient when the man had decided to check he'd properly hidden the load of guns they'd packed with them. He'd been somewhat patient when Sasuke had thought it would be best not to leave wet clothes in the washing machine. He'd still barely held on to his patience when the raven had declared he wouldn't leave without showering.

But fixing his fuckin' hair…that was crossing the damn line.

"Dude. I mean it. We're gonna be late. I fuckin' hate traveling with you", Naruto hissed to the man still standing in front of the mirror.

He did hate traveling with Sasuke. He always had. That neurotic moron had to have everything organized, yet never did it in time. No. Because doing all that shit just an hour before leaving was a way better idea. Naruto was certain that man would eventually run late for his own funeral.

"Shut up. We'll make it just fine", Sasuke muttered, ignoring the blonde's gritting of teeth.

Naruto glared at his friend for a while, trying his best not to explode. But after another two minutes or so, he could no longer just stand still.

"I'm waiting outside. Otherwise I'll just fuckin' behead you", he growled, before turning around and walking away.

He could hear Sasuke mutter something insulting under his breath, but didn't stay to listen. He made his way to the front door, grabbed his bag and marched outside. Only when he'd seated himself in the car, lit up a cigarette and repeatedly banged his head against the steering wheel, did he feel slightly less homicidal.

Sasuke was always late for everything. Naruto hated that. And Sasuke knew Naruto hated it. But because he was a self-centered, egoistic prick, he never seemed to care. At least that's how the blonde had concluded it to be.

To be honest, Naruto's pissed off mood wasn't really about Sasuke and him being late. It was about the fact that they were going to Suna. To chase down the leader of Akatsuki, who supposedly resided somewhere in that city. Even though it was just a rumor, Naruto couldn't let that slim chance of it being true slip away. But he had so many mixed thoughts and emotions going on because of it. He could barely sit still with anticipation, yet he feared going there would end up being in vain. He could already smell the blood of those lowlifes he would get to spill, yet he wondered if he could actually handle this. Simply put, he was confused as shit and had no idea how he was supposed to feel. In the end, he concluded it was best not to feel anything at all.

But even shutting his emotions down didn't entirely wipe away the nagging feeling in the back of his head. He had this taunting feeling that something would go wrong. He just felt it. And even though it most likely was just general negativity kicking in, it bothered him. He wasn't sure what it meant exactly, but it made him uneasy. The feeling had kept him awake all night. Which wasn't good considering he was supposed to be more alert than ever before.

At least Naruto could leave his house in peace. He'd gotten Kiba to take care of Thing. He knew the man would take proper care of it. And it'd been no surprise that the dog had instantly fallen in love with him. That guy was like a dog whisperer. Even though the blonde's dog was supposed to be a vicious animal designed for protection, it'd immediately greeted Kiba like they went years back. Vicious, indeed.

The blonde had also informed the office that he'd be taking his winter leave now. Didn't feel that much like a vacation, to be honest. But at least he wouldn't have to worry about anybody asking questions.

Naruto hadn't gotten much time to prepare for this trip. It'd been only two days since Kakashi told him about the rumor. And now the train to Suna would leave in thirty minutes. Whether or not they'd be on that train, was up to the princess in front of the mirror.

Just as Naruto was ready get up and march back inside to violently drag the raven out, the shotgun side door opened up. Sasuke threw his bag to the backseat and seated himself down. Naruto stopped to stare at him. After a while of being glared at, Sasuke glanced at the blonde, raising a questioning brow.

"It looks exactly the fucking same", Naruto stated, honest disbelief in his voice. "Your hair looks the same it did fucking twenty minutes ago."

Sasuke gave him an icy glare.

"I thought we were running late", he pointed out. Naruto's eye twitched in irritation.

"Fuckin' princess", he muttered under his breath.

Sasuke flipped him off. Naruto ignored it, started the engine and drove the car off the driveway faster than necessary.

They did make it in time. They had made it to the station in time, found the correct train and were now halfway through the ride. Sasuke still moped at Naruto for calling him a princess. And Naruto remained pissed off at Sasuke for always being late. But other than that, everything was peachy. In the most sarcastic way possible.

Naruto stared out the window, watching the scenery passing by. He'd done that for half an hour already. Just watched out the window, deep in thought. He didn't feel particularly stressed anymore, now that they actually were on the way. But he did feel sort of…depressed. He'd been thinking about Gaara a lot. More than usually. Nonstop, to be exact.

He knew that had the man known what he was planning on doing, he would've gotten strangled to death. Actually, had Gaara known about anything Naruto had been up to in the past few months, he would've gotten strangled to death. But he wasn't sure he'd even minded it. Strangling meant physical connection. Even if the redhead did appear to maul him, at least he'd get to see the man again. Naruto closed his eyes and let his head tip against the window.

He was falling apart. Jesus fuckin' Christ he missed him.

Sasuke glanced at the blonde. He noticed the somewhat pained look on his face, as well as the hand gripping the tag around his neck. The raven's eyes softened slightly. He didn't say anything, but reached out to touch the hand that held on to the tag. Naruto's eyes cracked open to meet the other's. The grip he had on the tag tightened. For a while, neither one said anything. But eventually, the blonde had to voice it.

"I fuckin' miss him."

Sasuke almost flinched at the pain in the blonde's voice. It was rare for Naruto to state that so openly. Even though Sasuke was aware the blonde missed him, he usually didn't talk about it.

"I know", the paler one said after a while.

And that was the end of that conversation. They didn't really talk about him anymore. About Gaara. It never ended well. Even though Naruto had forgiven Sasuke for what he did, it occasionally came up. Usually when they were fighting for an entirely different reason. And when that happened, things got plain ugly. Usually both of them ended up bloody and beaten up. It just wasn't a healthy subject. Nobody gained anything from it.

It did bother Sasuke to know just how much it pained the blonde to not have the redhead with him. His friend's obvious everyday struggle against his own feelings and fears was hard to watch happen. Sasuke had done his best to be there, without pushing it too far. He felt like he'd succeeded, mostly. But at times, it wasn't easy. Sometimes it was difficult to be there for him anymore. Those moments were always passing and never lasted long, but they existed.

It wasn't that Sasuke no longer cared as much. He was simply tired. Tired of never being able to really ease the blonde's pain. And because they refrained from even speaking of the redhead, it was occasionally hard work to help him through the shittiest days. Those days truly were something he'd never expected to see Naruto live through.

They weren't just bad. They were hellish. And not only for Naruto, but Sasuke too. The extent of the blonde's mental instability had come as a shock to him. The bad days, the unstable days, they were often very violent and deranged. And though Sasuke had learned to live with it, even learned to handle it, he never thought of those days when they weren't topical. He didn't want to. The man his friend became on those days, was someone whose existence he didn't want to acknowledge, when not necessary.

Lately, there had been more bad than good days. Sasuke had started to notice that the timespan between those two was rapidly shortening. That was one of the reasons Sasuke was so worried about Naruto working too much. The more he worked, the less he had good days. That's why taking time off to go to Suna was a blessing in Sasuke's mind. Technically, the trip was just as much work as anything else Naruto did, but it had seemed to lighten him up. Maybe the change would do him good.

"Suna is a big city. Even if the guy is there, how are we supposed to find him?" Sasuke asked, changing the subject.

Naruto let go of the tag, tucking it back under his shirt. He sighed.

"Dunno yet. Every big city has a ghetto. I guess that's a good start", he said, shrugging. Sasuke huffed.

"Yeah, I guess."

The rest of their time on the train was mostly silent. Mainly because Naruto was in a dark state of mind and Sasuke didn't feel like making any mistakes. As the train finally arrived to Suna, both of them were relieved to get out. Being trapped in a speeding metal tube, while oppressed by depressing thoughts and questions of what was to come, wasn't appealing.

They left the train, made their way through the station and stepped onto the streets of Suna. Even though the city was deep in the south, the chilly winter air had its affect. Naruto felt grateful for choosing combat boots instead of his usual torn up Converse, which were in fact old as the sky. He might not get pneumonia. That was a plus.

"So, what now?" Sasuke asked, as they stopped to stand before the station.

Naruto took out a pack of cigarettes, placed one between his lips and paused to think. He hadn't really planned this as thoroughly as he probably should've.

"Well…I know that the gang around here is on okay terms with the one back home. So I guess we should go find out where they're at", he concluded after a while of weighing his options.

"Do they do business with yakuza?" Sasuke asked. The blonde shrugged.

"Dunno. I hope not", he said. The raven raised a brow.

"If they do, we're fucked. Ya know that right?" he pointed out. Naruto nodded, lighting his cigarette.

"Yep", he said casually. Sasuke was slightly disturbed by the other's laid back attitude, but didn't comment.

Naruto took a drag from his cigarette, scanning around him. He spotted a cop taking speed readings on the other side of the street. Without saying anything to Sasuke, he started walking towards the busy street, intending to cross the road. The raven narrowed his eyes questioningly, but soon followed after him. Only when he realized the blonde was in fact approaching the cop, he started to wonder what was going inside the other's head. But he had no chance to ask, as Naruto had already reached the officer.

"Yo. Wanna help out?" the blonde asked.

The cop turned around to face him. The officer was a man in his fifties, with the most absurd mustache ever seen. The man studied the blonde from head to toes, slightly turning his nose up at the sight.

"Yes?" the cop eventually asked. Naruto's eye twitched at the man's tone, but he decided not to point it out.

"I need to get to the shittiest part of this town. Care to tell me which way to go?" Naruto asked bluntly.

Sasuke's eyes widened at the blonde's boldness. Was he seriously asking a cop how to get to the heart of sleaziness?

"Excuse me?" the officer asked after a while of staring at the blonde like he was the biggest moron on the planet. Naruto didn't seem to mind it.

"Yeah. Where is it?" he simply asked again.

The cop gave him a long, strange stare. But after a while of glaring, the man shook his head disapprovingly. Naruto was expecting some sort of outburst, but instead became pleasantly surprised. The officer reached to his pocket and took out a folded map. It'd been a while since Naruto last saw one of those.

"You sure are bold, aren't you? Well, I guess I'm gonna get the joy of arresting you later on for something or other", the man muttered, unfolding the map.

He took out a pair of glasses, placed them on his nose and brought the map closer to his face. After a while of squinting, he let out a sound of recognition. The man took out a pen, circled something on the map and then turned to show it to the blonde.

"Here. A few miles to the east, on the edge of the city. That's the part of town every sane person avoids like the plague", the man said, pointing at the circled area on the map.

Naruto gave him a pleased nod. He hesitated for a second, but ended up asking a risky question.

"The gang around here. Do they do business with the mob?"

The cop glanced at him, narrowing his eyes. Sasuke felt like punching the blonde. As if Naruto didn't look suspicious enough without asking questions like that.

"Just what's your business here, son?" the cop eventually asked. Naruto flashed him an innocent looking grin. It didn't really suit him as well as it had years ago.

"Just doin' some research. For a…documentary", he said, blurting out the first thing that came to mind.

The cop gazed the blonde from head to toes again, not believing a word he was saying. But he didn't make an issue out of it.

"Whatever. I can't arrest you for lying your eyes out, unfortunately. I don't know anything about the gang's business. I'm just a patrol cop. But here, take the map with you. See you at the station later on, boy. I'll come by your cell", the man said, handing the map over to Naruto.

The blonde might've muttered something under his breath, but the cop didn't seem to notice. Or care. Naruto had no intentions of getting arrested for anything here. He had more important things to do than wasting time in a cell.

"Yeah, well…thanks", Naruto muttered, shoving the map into his jacket pocket. The officer gave him a nod.

"Sure. Good luck with your…documentary, Pinocchio", he said, slightly chuckling. Naruto smirked.

"Thanks, old man. Rock that 'stache", he said, winking his eye.

The man didn't bother giving him more than an amused shake of his head. Having gotten the information he wanted, Naruto gestured Sasuke to follow him and started walking down the street. Time to head east, then.

The contrast between middle class dream life and the heart of crime became evident as soon as they'd passed downtown. The tall, well-maintained buildings turned into grim, grey garage-like structures with paint chipping off. The clean streets suddenly flooded with litter and dirt, injection needles lying on the sidewalks. There wasn't a single corner free from the act of prostitution. They had walked into the city of sin.

"Jesus. This place is even uglier than the slums back home", Sasuke muttered, turning his nose up at the sight. Naruto nodded, mimicking the disgust on the other's face.

"This looks like fuckin' Chernobyl. I'm kinda just looking for a warning of nuclear fallout", he grunted.

The further into the filthiness they went, the uglier it got. The cop hadn't been lying when saying sane people avoided the place like the plague. By the looks of it, Naruto wouldn't have been surprised if the place in fact was infested with plague. The people there sure looked like it. Every other one was either a junkie or dying of an STD, and the rest were simply malnourished to the point of collapsing. Though Naruto had seen the many forms of social ruin, poverty this extreme was a shock even to him.

If this truly was where Gaara had grown up, he no longer wondered why the man didn't like people.

"We gotta find a bar or a brothel or something as disturbing as that. That's where the worst scum usually hangs around", Naruto stated. Sasuke shivered at the thought of it.

"Just imagine what the travel guide of this place would be like. 'Welcome to hell. In case you dream of catching a disease, try one of our infested brothels. Or just step on a needle. It's up to you'."

Naruto had to laugh. The piercing sarcasm in the other's voice made it clear just how much the man detested being there.

"You'd sure make a great tour guide here", the blonde chuckled. Sasuke grunted.

"I feel like I'm getting infected with syphilis just breathing this air", he muttered.

The blonde chuckled, shaking his head at the other's pissed off state. He was about to say something, when something caught his eye. On the other side of the street there was a bar. In front of the ugly building loitered a load of men, who could've been identified as gangers even from a mile away. He stopped walking and nudged Sasuke slightly.

"Oi. Over there", he said, nodding in the direction of the bar.

Sasuke stopped walking as well, and turned to see the building. The expression of pure disgust on his face told Naruto that the man was not ecstatic.

"I should've brought a fuckin' bible with me", the raven muttered. Naruto snorted.

"Nah. The thing would just burst into flames in your hands", he chuckled.

He started making his way towards the bar before Sasuke got the chance to smack him in the head. That guy's slaps were seriously painful. Yet Naruto never stopped provoking him. He truly did lack all survival instinct.

The inside of the bar wasn't any prettier than the outside of it. If anything, it was even uglier. And smelled horrible. But pushing aside the need to throw up, the two of them walked further inside the place.

They earned several lingering, piercing stares. It seemed they had 'outsider' written all over them. But Naruto had already expected that. That's why he'd made sure he had a gun within reach, and a knife shoved down the shaft of his boot. Had he not, they might get killed in just the split of a second. And the murderous looks directed at them clearly proved that possibility to be actual.

Both of them avoided making eye contact and simply ignored the hostility directed towards them. To show no interest in it gave them more respect than provoking or showing fear. But apparently, it wasn't enough.

A guy, way over six feet tall, stood up from his seat, and approached the two strangers. Naruto ignored him until it became impossible. Having a giant like that tower over him, blocking his way, forced him to acknowledge the man. Slowly lifting his gaze up to meet the other's, he made his lack of interest as evident as possible. The guy didn't seem to appreciate it. He said nothing, nor did he make any sudden movements. Instead of just losing his shit, the man reached to take out a knife. A massive knife. He might as well have been carrying around a machete. The blonde had to question if the man was possibly using it to compensate something.

Naruto raised a brow, as if daring him to use it. Sasuke felt like slapping him again. That blonde moron's urge to provoke everything living was ridiculous. And dangerous. And to prove that point, the massive guy lifted the corner of his lips into a smirk. Naruto could see the man's grip on the knife tighten, indicating he would actually use it. After observing the traits of violent pricks preparing to start fighting, the blonde knew when to get serious himself. And that's why he didn't get hit by the blade, when it finally came forward.

"You. Sit down", Naruto told Sasuke, while dodging the knife again.

The raven dropped his jaw, feeling like a princess all over again. But he did as told. He figured the blonde knew this shit better than him. It'd been years since he'd last had to fight for his life after all. And boy, did he make the right decision. As soon as Sasuke had seated himself down among 50 glaring gangers, the huge dude wielding the knife suddenly became more serious. He stopped waving the knife around randomly, instead using force ridiculous enough to put a raging bull in shame.

Naruto realized he wouldn't handle this with his bare hands alone, and decided it was best to grab a knife of his own. The size difference between his weapon and the other's was laughable, but he had no choice. Taking out firearm would only have gotten him shot by everybody else in the room. But he knew he might manage.

It ain't size that mattered after all, eh? It's how well you used it.

Almost chuckling at his own idiotically phallic jokes, the blonde finally had something to stop the other's knife with, instead of just dodging every swing. But it was easier said than done. The guy was five times stronger than him. He seemed five times bigger, as well. Naruto struggled to do something else than simply jumping from side to side, trying his best not to get sliced to death.

It took a while, but eventually he found his chance to grab the wrist of the hand bringing the knife forward. He grabbed it and held on with everything he got. It wasn't easy. But he managed, and finally succeeded in kicking the guy in the gut. The only reason why the man even flinched, was the blonde's steel-toe boots. Having iron shoved against one's abdomen didn't feel particularly good. Not even for a guy that monstrous.

The man was forced to double over in pain for just a second. But it was enough for the blonde to give him another kick, in the head this time. The man fell to his knees. His temple had been scratched open badly enough to bleed. Judging by the hiss of pain, the guy wasn't particularly excited about getting kicked in the head. Naruto was pleased to know that if nothing else, at least he'd given the man a pounding head ache.

But that really seemed to be all the man had suffered. It took just a second for the man to get up, twice as pissed as before. The murderous look in his eyes made it evident he was done kidding around. Naruto cringed at the lack of impact his kick had had on the man. And he then knew he might be in serious shit.

The guy was faster than he'd expected. With an angry, animalistic growl, the man jolted forward. Before Naruto had a chance to properly react, the man's knife had already come forward again. He wasn't able to dodge it. Not entirely. The wall behind him cut off his step back. The blade slashed across his chest, slicing his skin open.

The blonde fell against the wall, somewhat taken aback. It took him a while to realize what'd happened. For a second, he stopped to stare at the man and his knife. The blade was bloody. Naruto slowly lowered his gaze to see his chest. A long cut went down his entire torso. The blade had cut the front of his shirt almost in half. Under the torn fabric, he could see blood seeping out. The blonde brought a hand up to touch the wound. He could feel the slit in his skin. The feel of it made him shiver with disgust.

He drew his hand away, glancing at his now red fingers. The bleeding wasn't bad. That meant the cut couldn't be deep. The knife had only slashed the skin. The wound stung, but didn't particularly hurt. But it would. And Naruto wasn't going to stand there, waiting for the pain to kick in. While he still had adrenaline to dull the pain, he pushed himself away from the wall to stand straight again. He laid a venomous glare on the man who'd succeeded in cutting him. The man smirked obnoxiously.

Naruto ignored the man's provoking smirk. He glanced at Sasuke. The raven looked slightly horrified. Nobody could blame him, really. That cut could've ended up a lot worse.

The blonde turned his gaze back towards the huge guy in front of him. Without saying a word, the blonde went on to calmly remove his jacket. He dropped it to the floor. He then glanced down again. The torn shirt would only get in the way. In order to stop that from happening, the blonde ripped the last of the intact fabric apart, then ridding himself of it. The ugly wound got revealed, along with his tattoos. Something changed in the other guy's eyes. But Naruto gave him no chance to ask questions, as he jolted forward, ignoring the pain now slowly announcing itself present.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but got cut off by a combat boot kicking him in the back of his knee. The man's leg gave out enough for Naruto to smash his forearm into the guy's throat. Even though the dude was considerably taller than him, he miraculously got the man's balance to falter with the hit. The guy came crashing down onto the table next to him. The blonde held his forearm even harder against the man's throat to keep him pinned down. But it wouldn't keep him still for long. Naruto noticed that the man's free hand was resting against the table, palm side up. Not wasting time, the blonde lifted his knife above his head, and then brought it down with as much force as he could muster. The blade pierced the guy's hand, and sunk into the wood. The man let out a painful growl. Nobody blamed him for it. His hand was nailed to a table after all.

The guy's face twisted in pain, and his eyes glared an icy glare at the blonde. The man's grip on the ridiculous size knife had loosened enough for Naruto rid him of it. He grabbed the knife into his own hold and brought it against the man's throat. He wouldn't kill him. The only reason everybody else in that room had stayed to only watch, was because this guy had to be the boss of something. And when the boss fights, nobody interrupts. But if he were to cut the guy's head off, it'd be a different matter. He'd have 50 pissed off gangers all coming for him at once. Which he wouldn't survive. So he kept the blade on the man's throat only to keep him still.

The man stared angrily into his eyes. Soon his gaze moved to study the blonde's face. A flash of something happened behind his eyes. Naruto frowned, wondering what it meant.

"I knew it. I know you", the man suddenly said.

The blonde frowned further. What the hell was the guy talking about?

"I doubt that", he stated, pushing the blade harder against his throat. The man didn't seem to get affected by it. He was tough, Naruto had to give him that much.

"Nah. I know you. You're that gang leader from up north", the man then said.

Naruto was taken aback enough for it to show. He hadn't expected people to remember him anymore. Not after so many years. But to be fair, this guy was older than him. If he'd been around when the blonde had gathered his reputation as the dumbass kid who'd stubbornly fought through anything and everything, it might've been possible. The guy might've truly remembered him.

The blonde hesitated for a while, before removing the blade from the guy's throat. He stepped further away, giving the man the chance to lift himself to sit up. He didn't come off as threatening anymore. Mainly curious. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man.

"I ain't leading shit anymore. But I guess ya do remember me", he said.

The man was in the process of pulling the knife out of his hand. He removed the blade, not showing any signs of pain anymore. The man lifted the knife to his eye level, studying it for a while.

"Hn. Nice piece of metal. Expensive", the man stated, offering it back to the blonde.

Naruto reached for his knife, wiping it clean and then shoved it back down the shaft of his boot. It was the same knife he'd sent home from Fuchu several months ago. He'd grown quite attached to it. It really was a good knife. Hadn't let him down so far.

The other man rose to stand up. He towered above the blonde again, as well as literally everybody else. That dude was ridiculously tall. And wide. Somehow it reminded Naruto of Gaara, even though the redhead wasn't that tall. Just the way the man carried himself was somewhat similar.

"I gotta say, for being two heads shorter than me, ya fight well", the man said with a smirk.

Naruto still remained suspicious of him, but was able to relax just slightly. The people around them had gone back to their business, seeing that nobody was going to die after all. They actually seemed to be disappointed by it. How delightfully healthy.

"Hn. Ya ain't half bad yourself. Nobody has cut me this bad in a long time", Naruto muttered, eyeing the wound on his chest. It'd started to sting like a bitch.

Sasuke watched the scene happening before him. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the irony of it.

"Really, blondie? Compliments?" he asked, raising a brow. The blonde turned to face him, lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Oi. You just sat on your ass while I was getting cut in half, princess. How 'bout ya let me compliment the guy who actually succeeded in that", he chuckled. Sasuke flipped him off.

"Call me a princess again and I'll cut your balls off", he growled.

Naruto chuckled. So did the guy who'd just been nailed to the table.

"That time of the month?" the man joked, laughing a deep, devilish chuckle.

Sasuke instantly wanted to disembowel him. Especially when it only made Naruto laugh even harder.

"I'm armed, bitch. Don't forget that", Sasuke hissed at the blonde, rising to stand up.

"Is your sense of humor on a fuckin' vacation?" Naruto asked his approaching friend.

Sasuke stopped to stand next to the blonde, ignoring his babbling and studied the wound on his chest. It wasn't pretty, but neither was it dangerous.

"You'll live. But it messed up one of your tattoos", Sasuke said. The blonde shrugged.

"Whatever. I can always get more", he pointed out.

The third man watched the blonde curiously. Naruto felt his stare, and turned to face him. He raised a questioning brow. The guy grunted.

"We met once, ya know. Years ago", he suddenly said. Naruto raised another brow as well.

"I don't remember you", he admitted. The man chuckled.

"I don't blame ya. You were just a brat back then. Maybe fifteen. But you already had a reputation for causing trouble. I guess that troublemaking took you further than expected", he said. The blonde huffed.

"Don't know 'bout that", he muttered, mainly to himself. The man probably didn't hear him.

"I wouldn't have recognized ya if it weren't for those scars", he then said, pointing at the blonde's face.

Naruto frowned. What a great way to be remembered. But to be honest, his scars were the one thing people usually remembered him by. It was easy to remember someone with fuckin' whiskers on their face. At one point, it'd been a trademark he hadn't asked for. Apparently it'd stuck.

"I did notice your tattoos. We ain't rivals exactly. So I guess we could try to get along. Depends on what your business here is", the man then said.

Naruto thought about it for a while. Even though they hadn't started off on best terms possible, this might be his only chance to get information.

"Okay. But first I need a drink", the blonde declared. The guy chuckled.

"Alcohol, drugs, women. Whatever ya want, I'll treat. Ya fought well enough to deserve it", he said with a smirk.

Naruto thought back to the junkies and prostitutes he'd seen on the streets and shivered in disgust at the thought of it.

"I'll just take the booze."

It wasn't much later when the three of them had seated themselves down, and Naruto had gotten what he'd requested. He was halfway through his third glass of whiskey, which had made Sasuke give him several meaningful looks. The blonde had ignored him, but gotten the point. Deciding the third would be his last, Naruto slowed down the pace of consuming it and took a moment to study their newly attained acquaintance.

The man truly was huge. And had ganger written all over him. He was covered in tattoos, from head to toes, face included. He wore a bandanna, covering his hair, but Naruto could spot a few brown strands sticking out from beneath it. The blonde tried to look for any possible yakuza tattoos, but found none. That gave him enough hope to ask about the gang's relation to the mob.

"Do ya do business with yakuza?" he asked.

The man glanced at him. His face instantly darkened.

"No", he simply said.

Naruto was somewhat relieved to hear that. And judging by the look on the guy's face, he wasn't that keen of the mob either.

"How big of a thing are they around here?" the blonde pried. The guy narrowed his eyes.

"Is that what you're here for? To do business with the mob?" he asked, suddenly sounding pissed off. Naruto shook his head.

"No. Not really", he said. The man's stern glare softened slightly, but he remained suspicious.

"Ya come here asking about the mob, and expect me to believe ya don't wanna do business with them? Not so sure, kid", he said.

"Why would I come all the way here to do business with yakuza? Those fuckin lowlifes have infested the whole nation. My hometown is full of 'em. Trust me, I'm not here to get along with them", Naruto said, making his point as clear as possible.

The man's glare lingered on him for a while longer, before he finally tore it away. It seemed like he believed him.

"Hn. Fine. What is it ya want then?" the man asked.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke. The raven nodded, signing that this was the best chance they'd get. The blonde turned back towards the other man.

"Just information", he started somewhat cautiously. The man chuckled.

"Yeah. I figured that out on my own, ya know. Why else would you have come here?" he pointed out.

Naruto huffed. He would have to get straight to the point, it seemed.

"There's a rumor going around. About Akatsuki", he then stated.

The man's jaw instantly clenched in anger. Naruto could see that this might've been a bad subject to pick up. But as the man didn't do anything beyond gritting his teeth, he started hoping he actually might get something out of him. At least he seemed to know what he was talking about.

"Ya know…not many dare to say that name in my presence. And those who do, leave to the morgue. But I guess you couldn't have known that", the man said after a while.

Naruto frowned. This dude seriously didn't like Akatsuki. He didn't blame him though.

"Trust me. I ain't into them any more than you are", the blonde muttered. The man glanced at him, before shaking his head and chuckling.

"Nah. You don't get it. Nobody hates them as much as I do. But that's another story", he growled.

Naruto realized that there probably was a story behind this, but he didn't really care enough to ask about it. He just wanted an answer to what he'd come to ask.

"The rumor. Do you know about it?" he asked, straight up. The guy nodded. "Yeah."

"I need to know if it's true or not", Naruto demanded. The man snorted.

"We all wanna know", he stated.

The blonde grunted. He felt disappointed. Apparently the man wouldn't be able to tell him the answer after all.

"Fuck. What _do _you know then?" he asked.

The man glanced at him, pausing to think. After a while, he smirked. Naruto had a feeling he wouldn't like this. He was right.

"I like ya, kid. But not enough to do this kinda charity. I do know something I'm sure you'd like. But you ain't getting it for free", the man then said.

Naruto sighed. He slumped down in his seat, not hiding his lack of interest in doing favors. The guy shrugged.

"Your choice, dude", he stated.

Naruto glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He really didn't need any more work. He already had his hands full. But he also didn't come all the way here to turn down a miracle. The chances of them finding a guy like this, on the first try nonetheless, had been slim to none. He couldn't let the rare chance slip away. He had to comply.

"Fuckin' fine. What do you want?" he grunted, sitting up straight again.

He truly hoped it would've been something easy like transporting drugs, beating someone up or stealing some shit. But like usual, his hopes were in vain.

"Ya know how to kill a man?" the guy asked, smirking. Naruto sighed, but followed it with a chuckle.

"You could say that", he admitted, and paused before continuing. "But if that's what you're askin' for, then your info better be fucking astounding. Cause I ain't into charity either."

The guy's smirk grew wider. "Oh, it is."

Naruto watched the man for a while, pondering his options. In reality he had only one.

"Deal."

The man seemed pleased. He leaned back in his seat, giving the blonde a content smirk.

"Good. How soon can you take care of it?" he asked.

Naruto glanced at the empty glass in his hand, doing the math. Three glasses of strong whiskey meant about an equal number of hours, before he would be sure to shoot a positively steady shot.

"Tonight", he said simply. The man was pleasantly surprised. "I like the sound of that."

The guy then waved at the bartender behind the counter to come over. His wish was fulfilled and the woman came to stand next to him. The man wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. The woman seemed slightly disturbed by it, but said nothing. She didn't dare.

"Get me another beer, love. And just plain water to blondie over here", he said with a smirk.

The woman nodded and turned away to finish the order. The guy gave her a slap on the ass. She flinched, but continued her walk away. Naruto glanced at the man, somewhat disgusted by his way of treating women.

"Can't have ya drunk", the man said to Naruto. The blonde gave him a forced smirk. "Of course not."

The next few hours went by slower than necessary. Naruto would've wanted to get the hell out of there to do his job, and then get the information he was dying to know. But he had to be patient. He couldn't risk fucking up the job because of whiskey in his veins.

The wound on his chest had started burning like hell. He'd put up with it for hours, but eventually he'd been forced to simply pour water down his bare torso. It'd soaked his jeans, but he didn't mind. It'd felt like heaven in liquid form. The man who'd caused his wound glanced at the cut.

"Sorry 'bout that", he chuckled. The blonde smirked.

"Nah. I've had worse. Besides, I nailed your hand to a table. I think we're even", he pointed out.

"True", the man said, taking a look at his hand. He frowned.

"I gotta say, haven't had this happen before", he muttered, glaring at the cut going through his hand. Naruto shrugged.

"I have. Hurts like a bitch, but heals just fine."

The man just nodded, still staring at his own hand. Naruto had to admit, even though the guy acted like an asshole towards women and seemed to be somewhat egoistic because of his status, he was an okay guy. Had a sense of humor and seemed like a fair dude. To the extent men like them could be.

Sasuke had been oddly quiet the whole time. He always was, but now he'd mainly just stared at the wall, not even listening. Naruto glanced at him.

"Ya still moping cause I called you a princess?" he asked. The raven turned to see him, giving him an icy glare.

"Seriously, dude. Once more and I'll make you a eunuch", he grunted. The blonde chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, luv", he apologized, actually meaning it. Sasuke still glared at him, but soon tore his gaze away, seeming at least a little bit more content.

"Yeah, whatever. Just don't forget the time I had to carry you home from the bar bridal style", he then reminded, smiling an evil smirk. Naruto flipped him off.

"Asshole."

"Dickhead."

The third man watched them curiously. He studied the interactions between the two others, before boldly blurting out a question.

"You two fags or somethin'?"

Naruto turned to face the man, raising a brow. Sasuke did the same, only with more horror on his face. The amount of times that people actually asked that, was ridiculous.

"With each other? Jesus, ew, no. That'd be like fuckin' my brother", the blonde said, turning up his nose. Sasuke kind of gagged at the thought of it.

"Ya two act like you're married", the bold gang boss chuckled. Naruto shook his head.

"Fucking no. But I don't blame ya. If I had a dollar for every time somebody asked that…well, that'd be a lot of fuckin' money", he said. The other man huffed.

"Good to hear ya ain't queer. They're disgusting. Why fuck dudes when there's a world full of bitches?" he said, obviously not putting much thought into it.

Naruto cringed. He glanced at Sasuke, knowing he'd see rage in the other's eyes. And he was right. But even though the blonde would've gladly liked to let the raven bash the guy's head in for saying that, he couldn't. With a meaningful look and almost unnoticeable, stiff head shake, he signed Sasuke to keep his mouth shut. The raven clenched his hand into a fist, knuckles turning white, but kept quiet.

"Yeah. Right", the blonde muttered as a reply for the man.

He could feel the icy glare Sasuke was directing at him, but was forced to ignore it. The blonde knew he'd never hear the end of it, but had to act like the guy wasn't being a complete prick. He couldn't risk losing his chance on getting information.

"Hn. I wouldn't tolerate one of my guys being a fairy. Real men ain't like that", the guy continued mumbling.

Then even Naruto's eye twitched with annoyance. He might've not cared about the guy's opinion, hadn't it made Sasuke upset. He had to get the man to change the subject, before the raven would go mental. Naruto might've called him a princess, but he was a damn vicious princess when pissed off.

"So who am I supposed to whack?" he asked the man, hoping it'd make him forget all about fags and fairies.

"A dealer who owes me tons. Given him too many chances. And now he's run out of 'em", the man said. Naruto nodded.

"Where's he at?" he questioned.

"Should be just a couple blocks away. There's a whorehouse he hangs out at. Ya should find him there", the man told.

Naruto nodded. He glanced at Sasuke again. Judging by the way his hand was twitching with the need to kill living things, the blonde decided that they might as well go already. He rose to stand up and put on his jacket. How much good it did considering he hadn't a shirt on anymore, was somewhat questionable.

"Right. Time to kill a guy", he stated, picking up his bag from the floor, then turning towards the one who'd hired him. "Do you care how I deal with this?"

"Nah. Whatever floats your boat", the man said, waving his hand dismissively.

Naruto found that to be a good thing. He had his own way of doing this. The blonde had already turned to leave, when the guy's voice made him turn back around. He was offering the blonde a piece of paper.

"Before ya go, take this. There's my number, directions to the whorehouse and a description of what the guy looks like. Call me when you're done and we'll meet up", the man said.

Naruto took the piece of paper and shoved it into his pocket. He gave the man a nod, then turned around again and started making his way out. Sasuke had stormed out already. No surprise there.

The blonde stepped outside to find Sasuke kicking the outer wall of the building. Several dangerous-looking guys were glaring at him, some of them reaching for a gun. Naruto rushed to the raven and grabbed him by the arm.

"Stop it, moron. I ain't getting shot because of this", he hissed to his friend.

Sasuke turned to look at him, pure venom in his eyes. The blonde cringed. He knew a shitstorm was about to go down.

"You piece of motherfuckin' shit. Do you know how much I'd like to disembowel you?" Sasuke growled, yanking himself free. Naruto gritted his teeth, but knew he deserved it.

"I know, I'm an asshole. I just really need to get that guy to talk", he tried to reason. It was, of course, in vain.

"I don't fucking care. Seriously. He can't be the only prick in this town who can tell ya what you need to know", Sasuke hissed. Naruto sighed.

"Probably not, but I don't feel like wasting time looking around for another one. And you can't seriously think that we'd find a guy here who is any better", he said.

Sasuke looked like he was about to punch the blonde. Had he, Naruto would've taken it. But he didn't have to. Instead of becoming violent, Sasuke simply growled like a wild animal and gritted his teeth in frustration. The blonde sighed again and gave the other one a small smile.

"Hey. I'll make it up to ya, okay?" he said, and put an arm around the raven's shoulders.

Judging by the ice cold glare he received, it wasn't appreciated. But the blonde ignored it, and started dragging his friend down the road with him.

"When we're done, I'll kill him, okay? Just for you, luv", Naruto suggested.

Sasuke glanced at him. The blonde gave him the cutest puppy eyes he could muster. Apparently it worked, as the other one rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

The blonde flashed him a grin. Sasuke couldn't help but to chuckle. He would've killed the guy himself, hadn't he supposed to have been one of the good guys. But if Naruto wanted to do that, he wouldn't protest. Enjoy it, if anything.

Content enough, they continued walking down the road, towards the place the man had directed them to. It was dark by then. Not that late, but dark. And as the sun had gone down, the streets had suddenly filled up with even more junkies and gangers. It was crowded to the point of Naruto having difficulties seeing ahead. This particular street appeared to be the busiest one, forcing them to actually shove their way through.

They weren't that far away from their destination anymore, when the blonde suddenly stopped walking. Sasuke came to a halt as well, turning around to give Naruto a questioning look. The blonde just stared into the crowd behind him, an odd look on his face. The raven frowned.

"What is it?" he asked.

Naruto didn't reply at first. He stared for a while longer, before finally turning back around. The strange look on his face remained the same, which didn't fit that well with the reply he gave.

"Nothing."

Sasuke's questioning look lingered on him for a while longer, but they continued walking. After a few steps, Naruto couldn't help but to glance over his shoulder once more. He frowned in confusion. He could've sworn he'd seen a man with red hair, pale skin and scarred face. For a second, he thought he'd seen Gaara.

He must've gone insane.

* * *

Gaara glanced over his shoulder, then frowning. He tore his gaze away, back towards the street lying ahead. He thought he'd seen a flash of familiar blonde hair somewhere among the crowd, but concluded he must've just gone crazy. He'd thought about him too much. Enough to hallucinate, apparently.

Forgetting about his moment of insanity, the redhead picked up his pace. He hated being there. In Suna. In the slums of Suna. And especially among the people of Suna's slums.

The streets were crowded to the very limit. It'd always been that way. The darkness lured out the scum hiding during the day. Most of the scum wasn't familiar to him anymore. This was a place where people died young. Only few survived. And after being away for so many years, not many looked familiar. But those who did, also recognized him. And they stepped away from his path. On these streets he was more feared than anywhere else. Here he was more feared than anybody else. Partly for good reasons, partly for legends and myths that'd stayed behind to live a life of their own.

Gaara was awakened from his thoughts by a slight shove. Somebody had bumped into him. The redhead glanced down, finding a young man stand before him, looking displeased. He couldn't have been older than 17. So he was a boy, more than a man. And judging by the attitude, he had no idea who he'd bumped into.

"Yo. Piece of shit, watch where you're going", the guy growled, teeth bared.

Gaara raised a brow, watching down on him. The boy didn't seem to like the lack of fear in the redhead. The little guy obviously thought of himself as a tough guy. Gaara smirked, but said nothing.

"What's with the grin, fucker? Wanna get stabbed?" the boy blustered.

It only amused the redhead further. A low chuckle flooded from his throat. The boy narrowed his eyes in anger and took a defensive stance. The guy was just about to start ranting again, when another man hurriedly came to stand behind him. An older man. With fear in his eyes.

"Fucking stop it", the older one hissed, gripping the younger one's arm. The boy yanked himself free, not caring much.

"Like hell. This fucking fag deserves to have his throat cut open", the little dude growled.

The older man glanced at Gaara. The redhead returned the gaze. He didn't even try to hide the will to kill in his eyes. The man flinched. He then leaned slightly closer to the young guy, and then spoke with a lowered voice.

"Dude. You don't get it. That's Sabaku", he muttered, his voice slightly faltering.

The boy froze completely still. In the split of a second, all of his attitude vanished and got replaced by pure, honest horror. He slowly turned to see the redhead standing tall before him. Gaara tilted his head slightly, still silent. He didn't need words. His gaze was enough to make the little thing shit his pants.

"Fuck."

That was all the boy could stutter, before Gaara had reached out his hand and gripped him by the throat. The older man watched in terror, as the redhead lifted the boy up with just one hand. Since the guy weighed next to nothing, it wasn't a challenge in the least. Soon the boy was two feet off the ground, legs kicking in the air. Gaara smirked.

He wouldn't kill the kid. The guy was still just a stupid brat. But he couldn't let him get away with it either. Dumb kids needed lessons. Also, these streets needed a reminder of who he was and what he could do.

"He's really fuckin' sorry. Let him go, okay? Please let my brother go", the older guy stuttered out.

Seeing a grown, supposed thug nearly break down crying was the most hilarious thing ever in Gaara's opinion. And that's why he replied nothing to the man's pleads. He simply held the boy raised, till he no longer could breathe. The struggles to get air and kicks to get free went ignored by the redhead. And only when he saw that the kid was on the verge of passing out, he finally let go.

The boy fell to the ground, coughing and panting. And crying. He didn't dare to look at Gaara, but wasn't able to run away either. So he stayed there, lying on the street, gasping for air. The older man kneeled beside him, helping him to sit up. He then lifted his gaze towards the redhead. He said nothing, and neither did Gaara.

Then, without a word, the redhead left. He started walking away from the two men, towards the crowd of people who'd stopped to stare at the scene. Most of them stepped aside as soon as they saw him approach, the dumbest ones when he stepped in front of them. But suddenly the streets weren't crowded anymore. Not for him, anyway. Apparently the streets remembered just fine.

The redhead continued his walk towards his destination. He didn't really want to be there, but had no other choice. He had to find that son of a bitch that supposedly resided here. And to do that, he had to find a certain someone. There was only one place he could think of where to go.

It didn't take him that long to finally arrive where he'd intended on going. Gaara stopped to stand in front of a building as gruesome as a train wreck. Watching that ugly fucking thing brought back memories he didn't want to remember. But he had no choice. The redhead stepped inside the building. After only a few steps, his eyes locked on the one he'd been looking for. A smirk appeared to his lips. It didn't take long for the one he was watching to notice him. And as soon as they did, pure horror painted their face. Gaara couldn't help but to sadistically chuckle at the sight.

He took a few steps forward, until he reached them. He stopped to stand before the one still in terror. Their fear was evident, but so was the deep, deep confusion. Gaara tilted his head slightly, laying his cold eyes on them. The smirk on his lips grew into a sick grin. And once his deep voice eventually spoke, it made them flinch.

"Hey, big brother."

* * *

**Ooh. New people. How exciting.**

**Now, outrageously off topic; my life's been the epitome of shit hitting the fan for the past ten years. And right now I'm going through another real bad patch. I ain't gonna go into detail, cause that'd be just plain fuckin' depressing. But you people need to know that every time somebody tells me they're looking forward to another chapter, or liked the previous one, they give me a reason to wake up the next day. I know some may find it ridiculous that writing a damn story could be a reason to wake up, but to me writing has always been the only way out of the darkest times. I'll get out of this one too, eventually.**

**So thank you. Thank you for reading, thank you for being one of my three reasons to wake up. Thank you for being you.**


	37. The Man Who Made the Monster Meek

**Helloooo, cuties. I'm in an oddly good mood today. I wonder if there's something wrong with me. Hn, dunno. Anyway, here's a new chapter for you beautiful things. Hope it satisfies ya'll.**

* * *

Naruto stood outside a building he'd identified as the whorehouse that guy had talked about. At least that's the conclusion he'd come to, while watching the barely clothed women, and disgustingly drunk men walking in and out. The sight made him gag. Everything about this place was repulsive. The blonde glanced at Sasuke, who stood next to him. He looked equally as disgusted. More, actually.

"You don't have to be here, y'know", Naruto said. The raven frowned. He shivered with disgust, but shook his head.

"Nah. I'm fine", he muttered. The blonde didn't buy it.

"Look. You ain't getting anything out of this, so you might as well go. Besides, I don't want you to see me…do my job", he said.

Sasuke turned to face him, raising a brow. He didn't fully understand why it was the blonde didn't want him to see that. But if Naruto didn't want him there, he wouldn't push it.

"Hn. Fine", he complied. The blonde gave him a small smile.

"Okay. I'll call ya when I'm done, eh?"

"Yeah", Sasuke complied.

Naruto felt pleased. He really didn't want Sasuke to see him kill that guy. It wasn't as if Sasuke hadn't seen death, or somehow would've been disturbed by it. He'd killed a man himself, after all. So it wasn't about protecting him from the act itself. It was about the way the blonde changed when doing that shit. He became another person. He wasn't himself anymore. He had a different persona for that job. And that was what he didn't want Sasuke to see.

"Ya got your gun?" the blonde asked. The other one nodded.

"Yeah. I thought I'd go and find a gun dealer. We're gonna need more of 'em in case ya do find the guy we're here for", he said. Naruto nodded.

"Okay. Stay alive", he said with a weak smile. His smile got returned.

"You too."

And then the raven left. Naruto watched him disappear into the crowd. For a second, he felt worried. This city was rotten to the core. Even worse than home. But his worry disappeared soon. Sasuke knew how to handle himself. He was no real princess, after all.

The blonde turned back towards the building before him. Even though he feared he'd catch an STD just by walking in, he stepped inside. He was instantly introduced to one of the most repulsive sights he'd ever seen. Just the smell of the place made him nauseous. It reeked of sex, drugs and just plain sin. The vile red lighting made everything seem unworldly. Fully nude women walked around the hallway, turning to see the blonde. Naruto felt both pity and disgust towards them. How could somebody live like this?

"Hey, handsome", a female voice suddenly spoke beside him.

Naruto turned to see the speaker. A red-haired woman, in her mid-twenties, stood next to him, batting her long eyelashes. She was dressed in a rag that didn't leave much to the imagination.

"Lookin' for company?" she purred, reaching her hand out to run her fingers across the blonde's bare chest.

When she pulled her hand back, a look of vague disgust came to paint her face. Her fingers had been stained with the blood that'd seeped from his wound. The woman was quick to compose herself.

"I see that you're hurt. Let me make it better", she said, smiling invitingly.

That woman sure wanted to get her money, not caring if the potential customer was bloody or not. Naruto clenched his jaw, slapping away the hand sliding down his bicep.

"Nah, luv. I ain't here for you", he stated.

The woman momentarily frowned. But once again, she was quick to continue her act. Her hand came back to touch his chest, sliding down over his stomach, to his waistline.

"C'mon. I'll take good care of ya", she purred, still moving her hand downwards.

Naruto stopped her before she got too near places he absolutely didn't want her to go. If just breathing the air inside this place felt like getting infected by something nasty, getting touched by her certainly felt worse.

"I ain't buying your body, lady. But I'll pay you money if ya help me out", the blonde said. The woman's eyes lit up like stars. Seemed like the word money was enough to make her happy.

"Whatever ya want, sexy", she said, smirking.

Naruto kind of wanted to gag, but refrained from it. Instead he took out the note the ganger had given him. He then handed it to the woman.

"I'm lookin' for a guy who matches that description", he said, referring to the text on the paper. The woman eyed the piece of paper, before nodding.

"Yeah. I know the guy", she stated.

Naruto raised a brow, waiting for her to tell more. The woman gave him a smirk, reached out her hand, obviously waiting to receive something. The blonde glanced at the waiting hand, before rolling his eyes. He then reached to the pocket of his jeans and took out the cash he had on him. It wasn't much, but what he thought of as little, was fortune to the woman. She snatched the money from him, counted the bills and then shoved them down her bra.

"He's here. He's always here. Just paid for a girl fifteen minutes ago", the woman revealed.

Naruto shut his eyes and sighed. So he would have to go and kill the guy in the middle of his paid moment of joy? How fucking fantastic.

"Right. Which room?" the blonde asked. The woman turned around and pointed at a door down the hallway.

Naruto sighed again. He then put down his bag, crouched down and opened it. The woman stayed to watch what he was up to. As the blonde then pulled an assault rifle out of the bag, she flinched. Naruto rose to stand up again, loaded the gun and picked up his bag again. He glanced at the woman who still stood frozen next to him.

"Thanks, luv", he said with a smirk, not getting a response. He hadn't expected one, either.

He started walking towards the door, leaving the woman to watch him go. The people he passed on the hallway turned to look at him. Most of them decided it was best to get the hell away from him. Both men and women rushed to run away, even in the middle of kneeled-down action. Naruto ignored them, only focusing on the door which now was in front of him. Since his hands were full, he backed away a step and then kicked the door down. It fell off the hinges quite effortlessly and crashed to the floor with a loud bang.

What waited him behind the door didn't make him ecstatic. There was the guy he'd been looking for, which was good news. But he also was half naked, sprawled over a woman on a bed, thrusting into her like a wild animal. The blonde frowned at the sight. It seemed like the man hadn't even realized he'd just kicked down the door. But in order to make the man more alert, he walked next to them and tapped him on the back with the barrel of his gun. The guy jolted in surprise, lifting himself off the woman. That's when the woman noticed the blonde, as well as his gun. She let out a surprised gasp, while the guy looked like a deer caught in headlights. It was obvious he knew what was coming. And since that was the case, Naruto didn't waste time on any useless introductions.

"Congratulations. You're number 110. Kinda."

The man's eyes reflected confusion over the blonde's words. But he never got the chance to say anything. He was dead before that. It took less than a second, and the guy was on the floor with five holes in his chest. The woman still in the room screamed in horror. Naruto tore his gaze away from the dead dude on the floor and laid them on her instead.

"Oh, shut up. He was a dickhead. Go put on some clothes, girl", he grunted.

The woman actually did go quiet. After a while of startled staring, she realized the blonde wasn't going to hurt her. As soon as that realization kicked in, she hurried to run out of the room. Desperately shoving her way through the small crowd gathered at the doorway, she disappeared.

Naruto turned back towards the dead body on the floor. What a waste of air and space that dude had been. But at least the man was cold now. The blonde had done his job. His hired kill number 110. He wasn't getting money for this, but information could be just as valuable. Sometimes even more.

The blonde let out a grunt and reached to take out his phone. He dialed the number written on the paper, lifted the device next to his ear and waited for an answer. It took several rings, but eventually his call got picked up.

"Yeah?" was the answer.

"Yo. It's taken care of", Naruto muttered. A sound of vague surprise could be heard from the other end of the line.

"Wow. That was quick. Ya sure he's dead?" the man asked. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Yes. Dead as a stone. So, where are ya?" he asked.

The man took a moment to think. And then he presented a wish the blonde couldn't help but to grit his teeth for.

"I'm still at the bar. But I wanna see the body. He's given me a lot of trouble. I wanna be sure. Take the dude with you and meet me here", the man demanded.

Naruto glanced at the body again, feeling pissed off. He was going to have to drag that piece of shit with him?

"Are you fucking serious? You want me to drag this useless dead meat with me?" he groaned, not hiding the obvious annoyance in his voice.

He probably shouldn't have sounded that uninterested. At least the reply made it very clear that he wasn't given much choice.

"Depends. Do you want your payment?"

Naruto clenched his jaw, but refrained from sighing. Knowing he had no options, he was forced to comply.

"Right. Got it. See ya in fifteen", he muttered.

The blonde felt annoyed enough to refuse any further exchange of words, and hung up before the other end of the line had a chance to say a thing. The blonde couldn't help but to glare at the now silent phone, and even made a face at it. He had only one thing to say.

"Asshole."

The blonde finally released the sigh that'd itched his throat, before putting the phone away and then turned towards the dead guy on the floor. Naruto wasn't particularly pleased. Not about dragging a body with him, and not about meeting the guy at the bar. The location presented a major obstacle when it came to killing him. Naruto hoped he would be able to keep his promise to Sasuke.

He crouched down next to the corpse, stopping to think of the easiest form of transport for it. Concluding he could partly carry and partly drag the body to his next destination, Naruto opened up his bag. He searched for rope, but found none. Instead he found a metal chain. That had to do. Taking it out, the blonde wrapped the chain around the guy's ankles. He then went to close his bag up again. Realizing he hadn't enough hands to carry everything, he decided to place the bag's handle around the dead dude's neck. It would tag along there just fine.

Naruto grabbed the assault rifle from the floor and then somehow managed to haul the body over his shoulder. Concluding he was ready to leave, the blonde turned around and started making his way towards the door. The people who'd come to watch the sight all flinched upon seeing him approach. He stopped to stand in the doorway.

The people there, all of them stared, yet not one dared to speak. Even the toughest guys seemed to humble in the presence of his rifle. They knew it could do nasty shit. And so could its carrier, as they'd just witnessed. But even then, every single one of them seemed to severely lack intelligence, as none had stepped aside. The blonde raised a questioning brow.

"I could carry two. Any volunteers?" he grunted, lifting his gun just slightly higher.

The rushed sound of a dozen people stepping aside followed immediately. Content enough, Naruto lowered his gun. While he'd only taken the rifle along assuming his job wouldn't have been the kind of child's play it'd ended up being, he was pleased with the respect the weapon got. Made everything a million times easier.

The blonde made his way down the hallway, ignoring the stares and mumblings going on around him. The woman who'd helped him still stood by the entrance, watching him intently. When passing her, Naruto flashed her a smirk. She lowered her gaze.

The blonde stepped out of the building, back onto the busy streets, leaving behind the infested brothel hallway. Even though he got several long stares and supposedly threatening glares, nobody approached him. Which was good, considering that the guy over his shoulder weighed like a whale. Trying his best not to drown in general annoyance of carrying a dead dude around, Naruto started making his way down the street. By the time he reached the other end, he was already dragging the body behind him.

The chain rattled against the asphalt. The sound irked him. The pay for this sure better be fucking astounding.

* * *

Gaara sat in a room that brought back memories he'd deliberately suppressed. He stared at walls he'd hoped to never be restricted by again, and anxiously tapped his foot against a hardwood floor he'd thought he'd never have beneath him again. Nothing had changed. Everything looked the same, everything smelled the same, and everything felt the same. The place was as dark and disgusting as ever, the smell of it was as infested with disease and toxins as before, and the atmosphere hadn't improved from its stably pathetic and sinful feel. And most of all, the worth of the people there had only degraded as years had gone by.

He felt sick. He felt physically sick. That's how deeply he despised everything that surrounded him.

On his left sat a man who biologically was his older brother, but in reality, was irrelevant scum. In Gaara's eyes he was barely worthy of being called a man at all. And that said walking irrelevance was well aware of how he was seen by redhead. The nervousness and terror was yet to leave the man's features. He still avoided making eye contact with his younger brother, under the fear of unintendedly provoking him to become violent. Had that happened, there wouldn't have been a chance in hell of making him stop.

Neither one wanted to be there. Neither one had expected to ever see the other again, nor had they desired that. Gaara would've gladly been anywhere else but there. Every single cell in his body screamed to get away. But the rare event of him not having a choice was an unwanted reality. At times life simply sucked, and forced people to face shit they necessarily didn't want to.

To Gaara, his brother was the definition of weakness. Always had been. While he himself had been trained to stay strong and cold ever since early childhood, his brother had gone down a road the redhead despised. The road of urges and temptation, lacking all self-control. While Gaara had been learning how to shoot a gun, his brother had drowned himself in booze. While Gaara had learned how to fight barehanded, his brother had indulged himself in drugs. And by the time Gaara had killed his first victim, his brother had become defenseless against intoxicants and needy women. And when yakuza eventually came to take the redhead away, his brother had already disappeared into a world that consisted solely of those temptations.

All that had made Gaara despise his brother. For his entire life, he'd seen the man as nothing but a manifestation of all that was useless, a being too weak to say no to his own urges. The man before him, Kankuro, might've been his brother by blood, but not by any bond whatsoever. They'd never had a bond. That man had never been a brother to him. To him, the man was a waste of oxygen.

Yet there Gaara was, voluntarily. Sitting only a few feet away from that despicable piece of shit, his demonic urges itching to put the guy out of his misery. But he couldn't do that. He hated to admit it, but simply had no choice. He'd had to come to him.

Even though Gaara hadn't had any contact with him for fifteen years, he'd known the man would've been too much of a coward to leave his hometown. So either he would've been found there or six feet underground. Since he obviously wasn't dead, Gaara had figured the man probably hadn't left his comfort zone. His guess had turned out to be right. The man having spent all his life in the slums meant that not many others knew as much about the city as he did. Since Gaara wanted to know whether or not the rumor was true, he'd been forced to come to his brother. He would know.

The redhead was aware he wouldn't get the knowledge he needed from the man easily. Kankuro had never been one to give anything for free. But Gaara also had no intention, nor desire to work for the information. He'd decided he'd get it out of him either nicely, or by force. The choice was entirely up to the other one.

But so far, he hadn't gotten the chance to even ask. Kankuro had done an impressive job avoiding his younger brother, distracting himself with other people and coming up with excuses not to talk. Gaara had been fairly patient with him, figuring that had he beaten him dead, he'd never get the information he was after. The downside was that Kankuro knew exactly why the redhead was being so uncharacteristically patient, and used that knowledge to its fullest potential. So while Gaara was wearing down the remains of his nearly nonexistent composure, the older one ruthlessly made him wait, knowing he'd be able to stretch facing him.

But as expected, Gaara eventually ran out of patience. He refrained from shooting his brother's head off, but made his point clear by beating up the man's latest distraction. He figured that if Kankuro had time to talk business with his drug distributor, he would have time to talk business with him just as fine. Upon realizing that the redhead had in fact beaten his best distributor to death with bare hands, Kankuro had been quick to get a grasp on reality and stopped avoiding the inevitable.

Gaara had then proceeded to forcefully sit the older one down by a table, slumped down on the chair across the other's and drawn out his gun as a sign that all chances of avoidance had come to an end.

Kankuro couldn't deny he was feeling extremely uncomfortable. He was well aware of how much the redhead loathed him. How much he'd always loathed him. And even though it probably shouldn't have been that way, his feelings for the redhead weren't exactly brotherly either. Not the way they probably should've been.

He was afraid of him. Though he hid it from others, he couldn't deny it. He was also disturbed by him. His younger brother had always been different. He'd always been cold and unnaturally intimidating. Even as a child. Stating that Gaara had positively been the most terrifying five year old to ever walk the planet, was no joke. And apparently he'd remained that way. He now positively was the most terrifying 29 year old to ever walk the planet.

The lack of emotion and inability to interact with other people hadn't changed. The hollow gaze and instantaneous hostility had remained exactly the same. Nothing, absolutely nothing had changed. It seemed that no matter how much time went by, the redhead would never be capable of forming bonds or feeling attachment to another human being. And Kankuro doubted it would ever stop creeping him out.

Once seated down, Gaara took a moment to ignore his brother. Kankuro watched as the younger one detached the magazine of his gun, took out the bullets and then neatly rowed them up on the table. The older one had to admit the odd act made him confused, but absolutely refused to ask about it. Once the redhead was pleased enough with his perfectly straight row of bullets, he finally spoke.

"Let's play a game, brother", Gaara said.

The sick smirk that came to accompany those words sent shivers down Kankuro's spine. The redhead easily noticed his discomfort, and wasn't shy to show just how much he enjoyed it. He leaned a little closer over the table, his smirk growing even more crooked.

"I like to call it Truth or Dare; the undertaker edition."

The flash of anxiety that appeared in the older one's eyes didn't go unnoticed by the redhead. It made him chuckle.

"The rules are simple. I ask you a question. You then answer the question. Either you tell me the truth, or you dare to lie. Nothing wrong with lying", Gaara assured.

The older one had a hard time believing him, which was perfectly healthy. Gaara was quick to prove the other's suspicion to be justified. The smirk on his lips fell, as his eyes grew even colder. The freezing gaze felt like a layer of ice on the other man.

"The catch is that if I spot your lie, it bares consequences", the redhead revealed.

Kankuro couldn't say he was surprised. Neither one of them played games that didn't have dirty rules. The unfortunate thing was that the players of tainted games never had equal footing. And this time, it was no mystery which one stood on the higher pedestal. Well aware of the upper hand he had, the redhead chuckled.

"I'm giving you two choices. I ask a question, you tell the truth, and nobody gets hurt", he said, presenting the first option.

Kankuro watched his younger brother run a finger beside the row of bullets, as if contemplating which one to choose.

"Or…I ask a question, you dare to lie, and then pray to the Devil I won't figure it out", the redhead continued.

His finger had stopped to softly tap the tabletop beside one of the bullets. The older one nervously watched his brother eventually pick the bullet up between his fingers, glance at it, and then crack a small smirk.

"But if it happens so that the Devil ain't on your side today, and I do pick up your lie…well, you'd be amazed how quickly these bullets will run out", the redhead chuckled.

Kankuro clenched his jaw in a mix of anxiety and anger. The younger one's voice was so hauntingly calm, yet cold, that it was difficult not to get intimidated by it. But he also felt angered for the ridiculously unfair equation he seemed to be a part of. It angered him, yet there was nothing he could do. So he simply glared at the redhead, and watched him insert one of the bullets back into the magazine.

Kankuro found it hard to look at him for long, but forced himself to do that anyway. Knowing it was a rare opportunity, he wanted to simply see what his brother had become. And though it didn't really surprise him, he clearly saw that life hadn't treated him kindly. The signs of violence and once lethal wounds were everywhere to be seen. But though the redhead must've at times suffered unimaginable pain, Kankuro knew there was another side to that story. He knew that for every scar and mark on his younger brother's body, someone had paid for with their life. And most likely in an excruciatingly slow and painful manner.

The more he thought about that disturbing fact, the better he realized he would never be able to even imagine the things the redhead had done. Kankuro had to wonder just how evil and cold-blooded a human being could possibly grow to be. There had to be a limit, right?

"You are inhumane", Kankuro found himself saying, not even realizing it.

The reaction to his words could've been anything from ugly insults to brutal violence, but none of that happened. He wasn't sure if the other one had even heard him. He must've. Only there was no reaction indicating he had. The redhead simply ignored it. Didn't even glance his way. Kankuro found himself getting further distressed by the lack of reaction. It was as if he'd become invisible. That was a scary way to feel.

"How do you do it? How the hell do you not give a shit about anybody?" the older one asked, his voice somewhat weak and quiet.

That brought up a reaction of some kind. Nothing too elaborate, of course. The redhead's shoulders barely tensed up, while his eyes flashed with something Kankuro almost dared to call pain. But only almost. It was gone as quickly as it'd come, leaving nothing but the same empty shell the redhead always was. Kankuro was quick to understand that he'd reached the limit of blurting out unnecessities without getting harmed. Settling for that reality, he refrained from speaking any more. The redhead was quick to move on.

"For every lie I catch, one of these lowlifes here dies. That gives you six chances", Gaara grunted.

Kankuro glanced at the table. After a quick count, he determined there were six bullets remaining in front of him. And one was inside the magazine, being loaded into the weapon. In total, seven bullets. Yet only six chances. Gaara noticed the vague wonderment in his eyes, and decided to clarify.

"Guess who the last bullet is for."

There was no question there. It was a very clear, very blunt statement. A promise. Kankuro felt both his anger and anxiety spike. From the options given, the choice probably should've been obvious. But it wasn't that black and white. In a place like that, nothing was.

The slums were an environment that could easily be compared to wildlife. Only the strong survived, while the weak ones were brutally crushed. Natural selection had infested city life there in a way that it wasn't only a guideline, it was a rule written in stone. Hence there was no way in hell Kankuro could've simply given in to his brother's demands. That would've been the ultimate sign of weakness, which didn't play out well around there. Even if giving up right away would've increased his chances of surviving the redhead's twisted game, the people there would know of it. Of him giving up that easily.

Had that happened, he surviving the "family reunion" wouldn't mean shit. He would only move on to face an entire community of lowlifes who'd know he'd given up. That would drop him from the top of the food chain all the way to the bottom. And that wasn't something he had any intention of doing.

Kankuro smirked. Gaara instantly knew the man had accepted the challenge. He rewarded the man with a low chuckle.

"Thought so", he stated.

The soft click of the redhead's gun getting loaded indicated the game had started. Gaara wasted no time to begin.

"Have you heard about the rumor?" he asked straight away.

The older one tilted his head and huffed. "This city is built on rumors."

The redhead frowned. He knew Kankuro was well aware of which rumor he was talking about. The man was simply taking the piss out of the situation.

"I'll rephrase that. Have you heard of the rumor, or shall I gouge your eyes out?" Gaara growled. The older one sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Yes. I have", he admitted. The redhead narrowed his eyes at the other one.

"Is it true?" he asked bluntly.

Kankuro glanced askance at the younger one. He took his time, but eventually replied.

"I don't know."

Gaara stopped to study his brother. He saw that the man's shoulders were tense, but hands steady. No fidgeting was evident. He seemed fairly calm and composed. And hadn't it been for the most unnoticeable change in his breathing, the redhead might've believed him.

"Hn. Wrong answer", the pale one stated.

Kankuro got no chance to voice any opinions before Gaara had already stood up, spotted the most irritating face he could find in that room and fired the gun.

The woman, no older than twenty-five, never saw it coming. The center of her forehead had turned into a tunnel of lead in the split of a second, a bullet lodged in the parietal lobe of her brain. Her instantly cooling body fell to the floor with a thud, the wooden floor quickly staining red with blood. The people near her stepped aside to avoid the slowly growing puddle around her fractured head, fearing the threat of catching diseases.

Not one, not a single damn person bothered to even glance at her beyond that. All eyes in that room were on the redhead, who on the other hand ignored the stares. Instead of even one soul having the courtesy of moving the now deceased woman away, all of them let their gazes linger on Gaara, until they ran out of interest. Which wasn't much of a timespan at all. The reaction to death around there truly told a story. And the leading star obviously was natural selection.

Gaara lowered his gun, turned away from the bleeding corpse and seated himself back down. Kankuro merely glanced at his younger brother. His clenched jaw indicated he'd been taken aback by the cold-bloodedness of the kill, but hadn't been surprised enough to even flinch. And then, as if nothing ever happened, the game continued.

The fired bullet got replaced by a new one, the smirk returned to the redhead's lips and not an ounce of regret could be seen in the eyes of the older one.

"Let's try again. Is the rumor true?" Gaara asked again.

Kankuro stared at his brother silently for a while, contemplating on what to tell him. He considered giving a repetition of his previous reply, but already knew it wouldn't work. He ended up sighing defeat, slumping down in his chair and eventually telling the truth.

"I ain't sure, but I assume it is. Apparently the guy's in town", he muttered.

Gaara stopped to study the other man again. This time, he was unable to find any signs of a lie. Content enough, he moved on to the next question.

"Where's that fucker at?" he asked.

"No damn clue. Haven't seen him", the other one replied.

Kankuro hadn't wasted any time to give an answer. And in Gaara's opinion, it'd been too rushed. Apart from that hurry, he couldn't find any other indicators of a lie, but ended up playing it safe. With a grunt, he stood up again, picked out someone who looked like an obvious asshole, and fired the gun. Another cold body collapsed onto the floor, not far from the first one. This time a man, who could've been identified as a crystal meth addict from miles away.

The fresh victim got the same treatment as the first one. Gaara received some glances, before getting ignored again. A few lingered on him longer, indicating they'd realized his shots were in fact entirely random. But even then, the high rate of absolute intoxication within those people was too grave for them to have any grasp on reality. That was the main reason for the lack of people screaming in panic and fear. Brains cooked to soup with hard drugs had no ability to fear anymore.

The redhead took his seat again, loaded the gun anew, and then turned to see his brother. The man laid an unimpressed look on him. Gaara took it that he might've shot a guy for nothing.

"So you really don't know, huh?" he grunted. Kankuro huffed.

"No. I don't. Get a grasp, baby brother", he said, smirking.

The redhead's eye twitched in annoyance upon hearing the deliberately chosen nickname. He decided to ignore it.

"Who does?" Gaara asked, getting on with it. Kankuro shrugged and shook his head.

"No one does", was his simple answer.

The redhead narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It was surprisingly hard to determine whether the man was lying or not. By all logic, it should've been true. It truly seemed like nobody knew where to find that motherfucker. But then again, Kankuro was surprisingly good when it came to obtaining information nobody else could get their hands on. That was what made him stand out from everybody else. With perfect knowledge of everything that happened in that city, the man was capable of making people bow under his will like puppets.

That's why it wasn't an easy call, when Gaara eventually decided to believe him, despite knowing that might've made him look like one of the puppets. But he reasoned there was a question he could ask, which wouldn't leave the man much room to lie subtly. Asking an encompassing question couldn't be given a vague answer to without it automatically being a bold lie.

"Is there something you know about this that will be worth dying for?" he asked, the slightest smirk tugging on the corner of his lips.

Kankuro raised a brow. He didn't take very long to answer.

"No."

Gaara tilted his head in a curious manner. He took his time to study the other man, but in the end was forced to admit that there was no sign of lies happening. That didn't mean he didn't know anything Gaara would've happily killed for. That's why he decided to rephrase his question, altering it just a little.

"Is there something you know that will be worth four more people dying for?"

Knowing what kind of pressure a question like that would've put on the other one, Gaara knew he'd easily spot a lie if one was given. And as the older one flinched, though not realizing it himself, he knew his question had hit bullseye.

"No", the man said, though it was too late.

The lie had been instant, and Gaara used it to its fullest, most brutal extent. A smirk on his lips, he decided to make the game just a little more fun.

"Congratulations. You are a lousy liar. Go ahead, pick one", he demanded, referring to the people around them.

Kankuro's face fell just enough for the disturbance in his eyes to become evident. He obviously had no desire to be the one picking the victims out. Gaara saw that, but ignored his discomfort. Only when several seconds of heavy silence and desperate attempts of avoidance had gone by, did the redhead give way just slightly.

"Fine. I'll make it a little easier for you", he complied.

He turned to see the entrance of the building, located on the other side of the room. The flow of people going in and out was nearly constant, and he decided to use that to his own benefit.

"Next one that steps in, dies", the redhead declared.

Kankuro's stiff shoulders fell in relief, only to tense up again. Though he was content he wouldn't be the one to pick out the next victim, he had no idea who'd walk in the door. And while he feared his brother would end up shooting someone vaguely valuable, Gaara further ignored the man's discomfort, only waiting for someone to step in.

The wait wasn't long. After a short while of aiming his gun at a closed door, a crack appeared between it and the frame, as someone was there to push it open. The redhead didn't bother as much as glancing at the one who'd appeared to stand in the doorway. He only fired the gun. And as expected, another dead body fell to the floor.

The redhead lost interest in the entrance's direction as soon as the body hit the floor, and tore his gaze away to face his brother again. But it was the flash of a gun in the corner of his eye that made him stop, frown, and turn back again to check if he'd only imagined it. The potential threat of firearm quickly lost its meaning, as his gaze met something that made his blood run cold.

He stopped breathing. His pulse died out. Time stopped existing. Absolutely everything came to a halt.

* * *

Naruto walked down the crowded street, the chained corpse dragging behind him. Rifle in one hand and the other hanging on to the rattling chain of iron, he pushed his way through flocks of intoxicated beings that had no sense of reality present. But it wasn't the long stares or even the people in general that irked him. It was the weight of uselessness he was forced to drag behind him, and the knowledge of soon having to endure a man whose ego burst out of its seams. None of it came across as appealing to him, and he had a hard time believing all the things he agreed to do only to receive in return something that might've been absolutely inadequate on the long run.

Though the blonde's motivation was running short, he was aware that there were no other options to choose from. That being a fact, he eventually succeeded in reaching the bar. The few steps between him and the entrance made him consider simply dragging the corpse up them, but knowing it'd be easier to just pick the rotting thing up, he settled on that instead. With a tired grunt Naruto crouched down, hauled the body over his shoulder and rose back up again, only to find that a morbidly obese man had arrived to block the way with his unnaturally wide existence.

It made the blonde grit his teeth in absolute annoyance, but being the fairly polite man that he was, he let the fat man wobble his way up the stairs first. Carrying the corpse on his shoulder, Naruto followed the manifestation of gluttony up the steps and to the entrance. As the man moved to open the door, the blonde found himself questioning if the guy would actually even fit through.

The answer to that came in a form Naruto hadn't expected. As soon as the man had cracked the door open, one chubby leg stepping inside, a loud bang pierced the air. Quickly identifying it as gunfire, the blonde found himself watching the Michelin Man momentarily tense up, before crashing through the entrance and to the ground with a loud thud. Though Naruto had never expected to see such a tragicomic death, he didn't let it baffle him for long.

In an instant, he had partly dropped the corpse down from his shoulder to shield himself with it, and stepped through the entrance, rifle aimed at the direction of the shot. Normally it would've taken less than a second for him to take perfect aim and pull the trigger, taking down any and all possible threat. But for the first time in six months, his aim faltered.

Naruto froze. His blue eyes widened in shock and lips parted. He nearly dropped the rifle in his hand. The soft sound of his breath hitching escaped his lips, the air in his lungs running stale.

Even though he could see just fine, he had to blink repeatedly to make sure he wasn't going crazy. He wasn't sure if he should believe his own eyes. He wasn't sure, for he could see a man with blood red hair and dead-pale skin. And as the man then turned his way, he could see poison green eyes, a scar he'd traced with his own fingers and blood red lips he'd kissed with his own pale ones.

He could see Gaara.

Absolute stillness ensued. Nothing happened for seconds, which again felt like a lifetime. In fact, time might've halted altogether.

Gaara's heart positively had stopped beating. Though it was possible it hadn't beaten in months. For when it soon started pulsing again, its beat was hard enough to hurt. But his mind wasn't there to mind the pain. The entirety of his brain capacity was occupied by a fight against himself, trying to determine whether he was hallucinating or not. He watched the man who truly looked very much like the one he'd titled to be his sole reason to live. And the longer he watched, the less he cared even if it was only a hallucination.

His body moved long before his mind made the decision to do so. There was no doubt that never before had he been as desperate to reach anything as he was to reach the image before him. Whether it was only that, an image, or the blonde in true flesh and blood, it didn't matter. He absolutely did not care.

The confused voice of his brother questioning the sudden rush never reached his understanding. He only cared about reaching the man that appeared to be standing right in front of him. The man he'd been prepared to never see again, whom he'd missed painfully enough for it to have turned his mind and heart into shredded raw meat.

While Naruto questioned his sanity to an unheard extent, he eventually understood it didn't matter if he was imagining the redhead or not. He just didn't care. And knowing that there was a slim chance he wasn't hallucinating, his grip let go of the corpse in his arms, letting it fall to the floor. His feet moved on their own, nearly tripping over the dead body, yet keeping the footing well enough to run the last few steps.

He reached the redhead, his hands finding a real body to touch. An unplanned, breathy sound of sincere shock slipped from between his lips, while his fist clenched around the collar of the redhead's jacket, nails digging into the fabric. A strong hold came to grip his arm and waist, before moving up his sides, neck and eventually face, touching every inch in a desperate, uncertain manner. The blonde didn't mind the hands roaming over him, or the almost painful tug of his hair. He didn't care, because it felt even better than he'd remembered.

Though he found it nearly impossible to say a single understandable word, the blonde eventually voiced his shock.

"You're…you're real."

His voice nearly broke. And while Gaara could've given him a reply, he failed to do that. Hearing the other's voice made him unable to give anything beyond an odd, strained sound. His mind came to the conclusion that the blonde in fact was real, was there, and wasn't imaginary. And once that realization hit him, he stopped caring about the place, time and people around them, pulled the blonde closer and smashed his lips against the other's.

He kissed him. Kissed as if he never had before. That's what it felt like. Though it felt familiar, though it tasted the same, it felt as if it'd never happened before. The familiar burn in his chest, the tingling heaviness in his abdomen and the instant shortage of breath hit the redhead like lightning. After six months of absolute emotional hollowness, the sudden rush made him feel like he'd caught on fire. And it was intoxicating in a way it never had been before.

The blonde couldn't remember ever needing anything as much as he needed the other's touch then. After living in the certainty he'd never again be touched by the man, it felt unreal. As did the lips against his, the familiar taste of icy sweetness and the general evil feel of the man being so close to him again. And even though the redhead was the closest thing to death one could imagine, the blonde had never felt so alive. Everything that'd died when he'd left six months ago, rose back to life again.

The redhead ran his hands up the other's neck, through blonde hair, before staying to touch the sides of the man's face. While there was a hand gripping his waist to the point of it being painful, Gaara found the absence of another hand distressing. He broke away enough to glance at the rifle still in the blonde's hold, grab it, and violently yank it away from his hand. He threw the weapon away, a low growl flooding from his throat. He made it very clear that he did not appreciate the blonde having any distractions beyond him.

Naruto would've smiled in amusement at the redhead's actions, hadn't the gap between them instantly disappeared again. He had only a sound of contentment to give. And two free hands to hold the other man with.

Something nearly impossible happened. The people with minds barely worthy of being called intellectual awoke into some level of awareness. Hazy and dazed gazes turned to watch the unimaginable happen. A community of generally clueless beings watched a man they all feared make contact with another human without the intention to kill. They saw him hold someone in need and desperation, kiss someone in a way that made him come across almost humane.

That was the truly disturbing aspect. The redhead seemed humane.

The people aware enough to see what was happening all went silent and stepped away. As they seemed to not know how to handle the sight, they instinctively felt fear and moved further away. But even though their shock and uncertainty was evident, there was one gaze that filled with horror beyond everybody else's.

The redhead's brother sat frozen still in his seat, eyes wide in pure shock, face twisted in horror. The thoughts inside his head weren't something words could describe. He had no clue as of what to feel. Disbelief was a given. As was the certainty that he'd smoked really lousy crack. There was no way in hell he could've been seeing right. There was no way it could've been really happening.

Though his mind tried to deny it, his eyes still saw it. The sight wouldn't go away. He saw his emotionally handicapped, mass-murdering brother hold another man in a grip that screamed need. And other than the obvious, Kankuro saw all the little things as well. He saw the way the redhead gently ran his fingers through blonde hair, the way his brother's body shivered when the other man pulled him closer. The way the pale man's knees seemed weak. He saw every single small twitch and tremble.

And that's how he realized it wasn't the crack. The crack had been lousy, but not this lousy. What he saw, was in fact real. He knew, because there was no way his imagination would ever have been wild enough to come up with this shit. Not even in the darkest corner of his mind would there have been place for an image such as the one before him.

Naruto didn't have to look to know people stared. But he also did not care. When they eventually broke away, their foreheads stayed pressed against the other's, hands still gripping each other as if one would suddenly disappear. The blonde closed his eyes, the corner of his lips lifting up just the slightest bit.

"You're shaking", he whispered.

The slight tremble of the other man under his touch was obviously uncontrollable. But oddly enough, the redhead didn't even try to stop it. The blonde felt the other's fingers gently caress the side of his face in an almost neurotic manner.

"I know", Gaara said.

He then took the other's hand into his, brought it up and pressed it hard against his chest. The blonde flinched. Even through the redhead's shirt, he could feel the man's heartbeat. And it wasn't just a beat. It was a pounding. It pulsed rapidly against the palm of his hand, inside the chest that rose unevenly under an irregular breath. It needed no explanation. Naruto let out a small, raspy laughter that soon drowned behind the other man's lips.

"People are staring", the blonde muttered into the redhead's mouth. Gaara shook his head, tightening his hold on the other's hand.

"I don't care", was his only reply.

Naruto opened his eyes. His gaze met a pale green one, staring so deep onto his eyes, it felt penetrating. He let his gaze trail the redhead's face, taking in every little dent and curve. He came to realize that the man no longer looked the same. He had changed.

His face bore marks that hadn't been there before. A deep, distinctive scar went down the left side of his face, only interruption of the straight line by his eye. The previously bare skin of the man's neck had been covered in tattoos, reaching up to his jawline. He was paler, too. Even paler than before. And the darkness around his eyes had deepened, emphasizing that paleness.

He looked very different. But Naruto didn't care. He didn't mind any of those things. It was still him. It was still Gaara. Anything beyond that, meant nothing.

The redhead stared into a pair of blue eyes he'd been prepared to never see again. They were dimmer than before. The coldness came through despite the emotion in them. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. The blonde looked different otherwise as well. His frame had gotten broader, his hair had grown longer in the front. He had scars on his skin that hadn't been there before. But even then, his presence felt the same. And it made Gaara feel calm. He felt like he was home again.

Naruto moved his hand up to trace the new scar on the redhead's face. The pulse beating against his palm quickened. It made him smile.

"I like it", he then said, trailing his finger down the line on the man's face.

Gaara flinched. The discussion with Sai came to his mind for a passing while. The man had known Naruto would say that. He'd known. The redhead finally smiled. Crookedly, but he did.

"Yeah?" he asked, gently touching the other's neck. The blonde nodded. "Yeah."

The stares on them were burning. They were, yet neither one really minded. The decision to eventually acknowledge them was conscious and deliberate. The blonde didn't let go of Gaara, but turned his gaze enough to look past the redhead. He met a pair of truly shocked and deeply disturbed eyes. The man he had come to meet stared at Naruto with such intensiveness, it felt almost oppressive.

The blonde did notice the slight disgust in the man's eyes. It made him tense up in anger. Gaara felt it. He followed Naruto's gaze, finding himself glancing at his brother. Kankuro noticed the redhead's gaze, and was quick to look the other way. Gaara's jaw clenched at the obvious sickness in the older one's eyes. Though he immediately felt the urge to bring harm upon him, it was the man's luck the redhead's priorities were elsewhere.

He turned back towards Naruto. The blonde had lowered his gaze to the floor, his teeth gritted in some level of anger, perhaps anxiety as well. The redhead said nothing, only took him by the hand and lead him to the table the older of the brothers sat at. The man's still horrified gaze followed the two men, watching as Gaara sat the blonde down. Instead of giving as much as a glance to Kankuro, the redhead ignored him altogether.

He then further shocked his brother by crouching down in front of the blonde, one knee pressing against the floor. The redhead placed his hands on the other's waist and turned to look up at him. Kankuro felt his jaw fall open, while his brows furrowed in utter shock. He wasn't the only one. Not one pair of eyes in that room could be certain they weren't imagining things.

To see the monster willingly take such a humble position before someone…it was absurd.

"You okay?" Gaara asked, his nails digging into the blonde's sides, as if worried.

Naruto looked down at him, not minding the grip. He gave a weak smile, but said nothing. Instead he turned to glance at the man who sat on his left, across the round table. The guy's stare was truly shocked and deeply disturbed. Repulsed even. It made him feel angered, yet somehow anxious. Gaara noticed the way he glanced at the man, as well as the lingering anxiety behind the blue eyes.

"Don't mind him. He doesn't matter", the redhead said, not tearing his gaze away from Naruto.

The blonde turned back to the redhead and gave him a small smile.

"I don't. I don't mind him", he said, though the lie was obvious.

Gaara naturally caught it instantly. He frowned, before something resembling excitement lit up behind his eyes.

"He bothers you. I know he does. I can kill him for you", he offered, sincerity in his voice.

Kankuro flinched. He wondered why he bothered getting shocked by his brother anymore. The twisted sickness in him existed on a level that wasn't predictable. Thus he shouldn't have been surprised by the redhead's words. Yet the honest will to do it that came through in his voice, and the sickeningly starstruck look he laid on the blonde man truly were disturbing. Kankuro was bewildered by this man who to him was mostly a stranger, yet seemed to have tamed his psychopathic brother. Kankuro had no idea who the blonde really was, nor did he know what to think of him anymore, but one thing was sure.

Whatever it was the blonde had done to achieve it, he had made his brother worship him like something divine.

Naruto chuckled. Though he found the redhead's enthusiasm to make him feel comfortable flattering, he couldn't let him kill the man sitting across him.

"Don't. I have use for him", he said, gently brushing his finger's against the side of the pale man's face.

Gaara's eyes darkened just slightly, as if disappointed. In all honesty, he himself still had use for his brother, but somehow that fact became irrelevant. All he saw was the displeased look in the blonde's eyes, caused by the man Gaara considered to be worthless, and anything beyond that stopped being important. But since Naruto told him not to act out on his urges, he did as told.

"Hn. Okay", he grunted, but followed it with a crooked smile-like smirk. The blonde gave him a content nod.

Naruto was soon forced to tear his gaze away from the redhead. The burning glare drilling holes into the side of his face was somewhat disturbing, so he turned to meet that said glare. He wasn't sure how to interpret the look in the third man's eyes. It was a mix of shock, disbelief and lack of understanding. Maybe a hint of disgust as well. Naruto found the stare unpleasant, but decided to ignore it. Instead he figured it'd be best to get their business out of the way.

"I did my job. They guy's dead", he stated.

He got no reply. Just more staring, more disbelief and most likely utter denial. Naruto wasn't sure how to feel about it, or about the lack of reply. After a while of getting nothing but a piercing stare, he turned towards Gaara as an attempt to get some sort of assistance. Though the redhead was busy staring up at the blonde, occupied by his own little world of absolute wonderment, he was aware enough to notice the uncertain look in the other's eyes. He barely glanced at his brother, but did speak to him.

"Give him what he wants", he grunted, before going back to just staring at the blonde.

Kankuro snapped awake from his nearing vegetative state. He turned to glance at the redhead. Seeing him stare at the fair-haired man as if he'd been a wonder of the world somewhat made him want to squirm. Kankuro was at a loss of what to think of it. And after a long time of absolute confusion, he decided not to think anything at all. Jaw clenched, and evident dislike painting his face, Kankuro eventually reached to the breast pocket of his jacket. Naruto tensed up for just a moment, unsure of what the man was searching for. But as he then drew out nothing but a few pieces of shiny paper, he relaxed again.

Naruto was quick to identify those shiny papers as photographs. While the man said nothing, he handed the pictures to the blonde. After a brief glance of the guy who refused to face him, he took what was offered. A thin stack of pictures in hand, he started going through them. The dim lighting made it difficult for him to see properly, so it took a while for the images to become clear to him. But once they did, his lips parted in surprise.

With a rush to get better lighting, he was forced to gently shove the redhead away from him.

"Sorry, sweetheart", he muttered, hurrying to get on his feet.

While Naruto went to stand below the lonely ceiling light by the counter, Gaara was left to slump down on the chair, a displeased grunt on his lips. But instead of saying anything, he watched the blonde go through the pictures. He noticed Naruto's eyes slowly light up with vague excitement, picture after picture. He narrowed his eyes at the stack of photos, before turning to glance at his brother. Surprisingly enough, the man returned his gaze, and didn't look away. A short moment of heavy, oppressive silence and staring ensued. There wasn't even a silent dialogue going on. It was nothing more than just a wordless, reciprocal warning. The moment came to an end once Naruto chuckled out loud.

"Damn", he muttered, turning back towards the redhead.

He made his way back to the table, stopped to stand next to Gaara and accepted the arm that wrapped around his waist.

"Look at this", he said, showing the man the first picture of the stack.

The redhead took a hold of the photo, tilted his head curiously and took a moment to look at it. He raised a brow in vague surprise.

"They wear the rings", he stated after a while. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. They ain't the lowest shit."

There were five pictures in total. All of them taken in surroundings that came across as an industrial area. By the looks of it, the pictures had been shot from hiding, but had captured clear images of men, all dressed in black. The images were of good quality, thus revealing even the distinctive rings on few of the men's fingers. Rings Gaara immediately recognized as jewelry worn by the ten leading Akatsuki members. There weren't ten men in the photos, which meant that the leader might or might not have been one of them. He doubted it. He didn't actually recognize any of them.

"Where were these taken?" he asked immediately.

Kankuro was silent for a while, as if contemplating whether or not to answer. But the eventual sigh of defeat told he would.

"The address is written on the back. It ain't far from here", he revealed, his voice low and grim.

Gaara ignored the tone of his voice, and turned the picture around. There was an address scribbled in blue ink, just like the man had promised. The redhead grunted.

"Look at that. Apparently you ain't completely useless", he muttered. Kankuro wasn't sure if he should've thought of that as a compliment or an insult. So he thought nothing of it at all.

Gaara turned to look at the blonde, the corner of his lips lifting up just slightly. Naruto returned the crooked smile.

"Time to hunt 'em down, eh?" he asked, brushing away strands of red hair from the other's face. Gaara nodded.

"Yeah", he answered simply.

Brief silence followed. The small smile on Naruto's face faded away as he spoke again.

"You'll come with me, won't you?" he asked.

The obvious crack in his voice almost made Gaara flinch. As did the realization that he wasn't sure how to answer. He was forced to consider declining. He wondered if he could make the blonde change his mind about going after the Akatsuki leader. He didn't want him there, in danger like that. But that thought got dismissed quickly. Gaara wasn't stupid. He knew Naruto wouldn't change his mind. He would go after them with or without him. And out of those two options, only one was acceptable in his mind.

"Yeah. I'll go with you. To the edge of the world if I have to", he said, unusual sincerity in his voice.

The smile returned to the blonde's lips. Though he still felt the burning gaze of the third man drilling holes into his head, he didn't hesitate to kiss the redhead. The glare instantly turned even more sinister. Naruto eventually turned to look at the man watching them, giving him a dirty look, but no words. Silence followed, only to be shattered by a question the blonde had a hard time processing.

"What the fuck have you done to my brother?" Kankuro's voice questioned.

The horror laced between his words took Naruto by surprise. But even more did the question itself. It took a worryingly long time for him to understand it in its entirety. Shock came to paint his face, brows furrowing in confusion. He turned towards Gaara. The redhead's eyes had grown icy cold.

"He…he's your brother?" Naruto eventually asked, voice unsure.

The redhead's jaw clenched in a dangerous manner, as his gaze wandered off to the furthest corner of the room. It took him a long while to reply.

"That's an obscure definition", he grunted.

Kankuro flinched. Naruto noticed it. He could clearly see the deepened discomfort that'd come to paint his features, as if he'd felt a slight stab upon hearing the redhead imply he didn't think of him as family in any way. The blonde stopped to study the grim-looking man. He wasn't sure how he felt about what he'd just heard. It didn't stir much of a reaction at all, so he didn't bother forcing one. But it did feel odd to look at that stranger and think that parts of him were one with Gaara. It wasn't visible though. They looked nothing alike. But then again, Naruto now understood why the man had somehow reminded him of Gaara.

The blonde also noticed how the man acted in a completely different way than before. The man's egoistic attitude was gone, as well as his confident posture. It was as if he'd hunched over in shame and guilt. The blonde realized the man most likely was afraid of the redhead. That wasn't really surprising, but there was something else to it as well. A few hours back, the man had said he had a reason to despise Akatsuki. And even though it looked like the two brothers couldn't stand each other, there was only one reason Naruto could come up with as an explanation to the man's resentment towards the organization.

It had to be about Gaara. It had to be about Akatsuki taking him.

The blonde had no more time to wonder about the redhead's brother, as Gaara suddenly stood up, grunting in a frustrated manner.

"I need to get the fuck out of here. You coming?" he asked the blonde, sounding slightly pissed off.

Naruto tore his gaze away from the older brother, and turned to see the younger one instead. He raised an unimpressed brow, questioning what he'd done to deserve a tone like that. Gaara sighed, but followed it with a smirk.

"You comin', angelface?" he rephrased. Naruto chuckled. "Yeah."

Content enough, the redhead went to pick up the corpse the blonde had dragged with him. He hauled it over his shoulder with ease, picked up the rifle he'd tossed across the room and then stopped to glance at his brother. Naruto saw the look in the redhead's eyes. He knew the man was contemplating whether or not to act on his urge to kill the older one. And once Gaara lifted up the rifle, attempting to aim it at his brother, the blonde decided to interfere.

He gently pushed the gun's lifted barrel back down, shaking his head at the redhead, telling him to let it be. Gaara's jaw clenched in disagreement, but the gun stayed down. After one last, hateful glance of his brother, the redhead tore his gaze away, turned around and started walking away. He was already out the door by the time Naruto still laid a glance on the man still sitting by the table. He almost felt like saying something, but never did. He left wordlessly, going after the redhead.

Kankuro was left to sit there alone. His eyes had frozen to stare at the now empty doorway. His mind echoed emptily with the absence of understanding. Though he tried to understand, he couldn't. He was a mess of memories from long ago, confusion of the present and ignorance of its meaning. He felt somewhat empty and helpless. Even more so, as he realized there was only one reason why he was alive.

Hadn't the blonde stranger been there to stop the man, Gaara would've shot him.

Kankuro shut his eyes and let out a breath that'd been stuck in his throat for a long while. Once he opened his eyes again, he came to find that the redhead had left his gun on the table. He stopped to stare at it. He watched it and hesitated. But after a moment of uncertainty, he reached out to take it into his hand. It was a beautiful gun. It felt heavy in his hold. And he knew why.

His grip on it tightened. A slightly shaky breath escaped his lips. He wasn't sure of it, but it was almost as if he'd felt a burning behind his eyes. Almost.

* * *

**Back together at last. In such an improbable way it must be faith, eh?**

**For those who were hopin' this thing would finally end; nah. I ain't done yet. Still plenty of twisted shit I need to get out of my head. Best case scenario; you people might still actually enjoy reading it. **

**See you next week. *disgusting amounts of kisses n hugs***


	38. Damned Pieces of a Broken Angel

**I decided to be exceptionally efficient and post a chapter a little earlier than intended. Just cause I can. Hope ya enjoy.**

* * *

It was a strange moment. The moment when Naruto stepped out of the bar, onto the crowded streets of Suna, and saw Gaara standing there waiting for him. It felt unworldly. In a way, it was. He had been so sure he'd never see him again. He'd spent countless hours fighting the pain that'd caused him, and now seeing him right there in the reach of his touch, he had no idea how to feel or think. He was happy. That was a given. But somehow he just couldn't believe it to be true. He sort of feared he wasn't really even awake. That it was all another dream and he'd wake up again, only to find himself alone.

The redhead watched him get down the few steps, step onto the dirty ground and then stop to stare at the pale man. Nothing happened really. They stood there in silence, letting the low form of life around them flow by, simply watching each other exist. As the immediate shock of seeing the other one had now faded away, all that remained was confusion and uncertainty. Confusion of not being able to trust their own eyes, and fear of them truly being unreliable.

That strange moment seemed to go on forever, before Gaara finally took a step closer. He stopped right in front of the blonde, and reached out a hand to touch his face. Naruto leaned into the touch, not bothering to hide the way it made him feel. The redhead could've let their surroundings bother him, but didn't. Instead he ignored everything else but the blonde and closed the small space between them. His lips found their way to the other's, and wasn't shy to make the best of it.

It was different than the first time. It was oddly gentle, strangely slow and succeeded in feeling better than ever before. It wasn't about only feeling the other one there. It was about showing him how much he wanted him to be there. And vice versa.

It came to an end eventually. But the feeling of calmness between them didn't. The blonde stopped to stare at the redhead again, before no longer being able to not say it.

"I missed you. I missed you so fucking much."

Gaara took a hold of the fist gripping the collar of his jacket. The tight grasp loosened instantly. The redhead let his forehead fall against the blonde's.

"I missed you too", he then said.

Naruto smiled. He was almost surprised to hear him say that aloud, but decided not to care and to just enjoy the sound of it. A chuckle escaped the redhead's lips.

"I never thought I'd find home in this city again", he muttered.

Naruto wasn't sure if the man had intended on saying those words aloud, but they took him aback nonetheless. He did realize Gaara wasn't talking about the city, but instead of him. And though it surprised him, that surprise quickly turned into a small smile on his lips. He said nothing in return, but pressed himself closer to the other one. It was enough of a reply.

It would've been nice for that moment to never end. But like everything else, it did as well. The sound of Naruto's phone ringing shattered their while in halted time and made the blonde groan in frustration. But regardless of not feeling like it, he took out his phone, glanced at the caller and picked up.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I found a dealer. I've now got more guns than I can carry. Are you done yet?" the raven said right away, not bothering with any greetings.

"Yeah. Where are you?" the blonde asked. He noticed the questioning look Gaara gave him, but ignored it for the time being.

"By that whorehouse. Try not to be slow as fuck. This shit is heavy as hell", the man groaned at the other end of the line.

Naruto sighed. Had he been honest, all his motivation for doing anything work-related had suddenly become nonexistent. But knowing he had no other options, he complied.

"Yeah. I'll try. See you fifteen", he promised. Sasuke seemed content. "Yeah. Bye."

Naruto hung up. He put the phone away, sighed again and then turned back towards the redhead. The look on the man's face indicated he already knew who'd called. And didn't seem too pleased about it. But since he seemed to know what would happen, Naruto didn't bother explaining much.

"C'mon. I need to go meet him", he said, giving the other one a somewhat apologetic smile.

Gaara couldn't have looked more displeased. And though he didn't voice it, he had his reasons for it. But knowing it couldn't be avoided, he gave a stiff nod of agreement. So they started making their way down the street packed full with people. Naruto came to notice that though the streets were only growing more crowded, they didn't seem to be so. It must've been the redhead's presence that gave that feeling. People seemed to quite efficiently step aside from his path. Naruto had no complaints.

They walked side by side, though not touching. It took a while for that to change. The blonde eventually inched closer to the paler one, their hands brushing against each other's. Naruto hesitated slightly, but ended up cautiously taking the other's hand into his. His hold got returned. Cold fingers entwined with his warm ones. And it felt good. It felt like home.

The walk was mostly silent. It wasn't that there was nothing to say. There were many things left unsaid, so much to tell, only for nobody else to hear. The words they had to speak required absolute isolation from everybody else. Thus it was better to just keep silent.

Their destination came to view eventually. And when they were only a few hundred feet away, Naruto spotted Sasuke. Even among the hundreds of people around him, the raven stood out like sore thumb. Vaguely pissed off, arms full of guns, looking somewhat ridiculous. But even though the blonde saw him, Sasuke didn't seem to notice them. Knowing that, the blonde let go of the hand in his.

Gaara stopped walking. He said nothing, only gave Naruto a certain type of look. The blonde avoided his gaze, and continued walking. He didn't feel like saying it out loud. He didn't want to reject his touch out loud.

As they got closer, Sasuke finally turned to look their way. He visibly froze. His gaze immediately found the redhead, making the man his focus point. Naruto saw the confusion and shock in his eyes, though it was vague. The way all Sasuke's expressions were. They soon reached the raven and stopped to stand in front of him. The pale man continued staring at Gaara, not saying a word. Sasuke seemed slightly tense, Gaara seemed somewhat homicidal. Naruto decided to break the heavy silence.

"Look what I found", he said, smiling weakly.

Sasuke replied nothing. He only kept on watching the redhead, slightly askance. Gaara returned the stare, with a more hostile gaze. The blonde never noticed it, but a silent promise of a future discussion happened between the two men. It was a promise on Gaara's side, and acceptance on Sasuke's. But the moment was quickly gone, as Sasuke let his tense cover fall under the immense relief he felt. He let his head fall backwards against the wall behind him, his hands letting go of anything they held and lifted them up to hide his face behind them. A shaky breath escaped his lips.

"Thank God. Thank fucking God", he whispered into the palms of his hands.

A low chuckle followed, as he let his hands fall to his sides. He shook his head, evident relief in his eyes. He eventually let himself drop down to crouch, fist clenching his own jet-black hair. He glanced up at the redhead.

"Don't you ever fucking leave again", he growled. Gaara frowned, but said nothing. Sasuke didn't bother hiding the desperation that'd gripped him for months, now finally letting go.

"I don't know how much longer I could've handled him. Don't you fuckin' ever leave again", he repeated.

Naruto almost flinched. He saw the desperation in Sasuke's eyes, and heard the pain in his voice. He'd never realized how big of a burden Gaara leaving had been on him as well. He'd been too drowned in his own misery to see beyond it. And now he sort of felt bad for it. But not bad enough to say anything. He didn't want to speak of it. Especially not in front of the redhead.

Naruto felt the stare Gaara had directed at him, but refused to meet it. Instead he stepped closer to Sasuke, gently took him by the arm and lifted him on his feet. Meeting the other's eyes, he gave him an apologizing look. Sasuke's gaze softened. Neither one said anything. They didn't have to. It was okay now. It was all okay now.

Naruto wrapped his arms around the raven, aware that his hold might not get returned. It did, eventually. And that was enough for them to move on from shit that could've brought everything down. They didn't have the time or the will to waste it on anything unnecessary. Once they let go, both of them flashed a small smile, before carrying on like it never happened. Sasuke turned to see the redhead. He watched him for a while, before grunting.

"Russia, huh? Sure fucked up your face", he muttered, referring to the quite dominant scar in the man's pale skin.

Gaara clenched his jaw. He took his time to consider whether to reply in a civilized manner, or to just punch him lifeless. Deciding he couldn't be bothered with such a waste of energy, he picked the first option.

"Hn. I'm aware", he stated. Sasuke snorted, but left it at that.

Instead of pissing the redhead off, he glanced at the dead body that still hung over the man's shoulder. He concluded it must've been the guy Naruto had been hired to take out. That presented a question Sasuke had to ask.

"You got what you wanted?" he asked the blonde, who nodded.

"Yeah. Got an address. That's a start", he figured. Sasuke nodded in agreement. He then tilted his head in a curious manner, narrowing his eyes at the blonde.

"Did ya do like you promised?" he then pried.

Naruto had a moment of confusion, before turning somewhat awkward. He knew Sasuke was referring to whether he killed the guy or not. Though he hated to do it, he was forced to admit he hadn't.

"Sorry. A couple of...unexpected variables sort of messed that up", he admitted.

The raven clenched his jaw. He didn't have to speak for Naruto to know what he wanted to say. The blonde sighed. But before he had a chance to explain, Gaara spoke up.

"Should've shot him, ya know", he muttered, siding with the raven. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"The guy's your brother", he pointed out. The redhead didn't seem too impressed. "So?"

Sasuke almost didn't say anything. But he was too curious not to. "Brother?"

Naruto simply nodded. Gaara looked like he would've wanted to aggressively protest, but obviously couldn't do that. Shooting down biological facts wasn't easy to do. Sasuke glanced at the redhead, and stopped to wonder just how it could've been possible for them to be brothers. The guy hadn't looked anything like him. Though their personalities could be described equally as dislikable. Sasuke didn't really have much to say to the newly attained information.

"Figures", he eventually snorted. It earned him a cold glare, which he proceeded to ignore.

Naruto shook his head at the two men. He was somewhat astonished by how poorly they got along, no matter the occasion, time or place.

"How 'bout we go and dump the dead dude somewhere and get the hell out of here?" he asked, getting anxious to leave the area.

The later it got, the less he liked it. The air there was restless. Must've had something to do with the growing amount of people, loud voices and something that resembled too much echoing gunshots to be ignored.

"Hn. Yeah. Let's go", Sasuke agreed, leaving the redhead be.

With a grunt, Sasuke picked up the guns he could, shoving the rest into the Naruto's arms. They were already about to leave, when a thought passed the blonde's mind.

"Wild thought. We'll get arrested with all these guns downtown", he stated.

The two others glanced at each other. Sasuke shrugged, not coming up with any solid solution. Gaara frowned. After a while, he simply turned around and walked away from them. Naruto watched curiously after him. The redhead didn't go far. He stopped a few feet away, in front of a guy leaning against the wall of the building next to the bar. The man turned to look at the one interrupting his sorry existing, only to flinch with shock. The blonde could clearly hear the discussion that followed.

"That thing there. I'm gonna need it", Gaara stated, glancing towards the ground.

The man followed his gaze, also glancing at the ground. Next to the man's feet was a wooden chest. It wasn't uncommon to see those things around there. As the rates of thievery, break-ins and homelessness were high, many carried their belongings in pretty much anything they could find.

The man turned back to Gaara. It was obvious he wanted to refuse, but after glancing at the corpse hauled over the redhead's shoulder, he decided not to. Wordlessly the man took out the little he had from the chest, then kicking the empty container closer to Gaara. Content enough, the redhead picked the heavy thing into his free hand. He then slightly tilted his head and just stared at the other man. The guy visibly shrunk under the cold gaze. Gaara let out a grunt. Somehow managing to get his hand into the pocket of his jeans, he took out money. He offered the money to the man now staring at him in even deeper shock. Most likely he'd expected to get mauled at best, not offered alms.

"Take it. Either buy something to put your sorry shit in, or overdose and end your existence. I don't care", the redhead grunted.

The man proceeded to stare at the offered money for a moment longer. He then cautiously reached towards the money, eventually taking it. As soon as he got hold of the bills, he pulled his hand away like it'd been burned by Gaara's proximity. With no further exchange of words, the redhead turned back around and walked away, carrying the now empty chest. He reached the other two again, laid the chest down to the ground and nodded towards it.

"Put 'em there. And cover them with something", he stated.

Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other, then doing as told. They tossed the guns into the chest, unpacked the contents of both of their bags on top of the weapons, before closing the lid.

"Good. C'mon, let's go get rid of this dead moron", Gaara then said, already walking away.

The two others took a hold of the chest's iron handles, one at each side, before rushing to catch up with the redhead. The man sure was efficient, they had to give him that much.

It wasn't much later, when they'd already disposed of the dead guy, left the slums and gotten back into downtown. It felt inexplicably fantastic to be back among civilization and moderately sensible human beings. No junkies or prostitutes were in sight and the air didn't smell like disease and death. Like pollution, yes, but even that felt fresh as hell.

They'd walked for miles by the time they reached the center of the city. They were passing the train station, when Naruto's eyes caught something fairly interesting. The same cop he'd asked directions from earlier that day still stood in the same spot, still taking speed readings. That guy sure had a boring job. The blonde slightly cringed. In order to take the fastest route to inner city, they'd have to walk by the station, as well as the cop. Sasuke noticed the officer too, and glanced at Naruto.

"Wow. Aren't we lucky tonight?" he muttered sarcastically. The blonde flipped him off. Gaara raised a questioning brow.

"What?" he asked simply. Sasuke nodded in the cop's direction.

"I smell trouble. Thanks to blondie and his brilliant ideas", he replied, not really explaining much.

Gaara turned to see the cop. Unfortunately, the cop turned to see him as well. It didn't take long for the man to spot Naruto, instantly recognizing him. The blonde internally screamed bloody murder, as the officer decided to make his way over to them.

Naruto knew that the wound in his chest didn't look good. Or the blood on his bare chest. And because he seemed to own exclusively jackets with malfunctioning zippers, he couldn't hide the nasty cut. He would've, had it been possible. Hell, it was in the middle of winter. Who cared about the wound when he was freezing to death?

"Shit", the blonde muttered and came to a stop, knowing he couldn't avoid this.

He glanced at the chest that held the shitload of guns inside. It was now Gaara who was carrying it. Because both Sasuke and Naruto were whiny little bitches, the redhead had taken it away from them after getting tired of their constant complaining. It'd somewhat dented the blonde's ego to see him carry that heavy fucking thing on his shoulder all alone, but was content enough not carrying it to not point it out.

"Well, well. If it ain't the badass blondie", the cop said when approaching, with an obnoxious smirk plastered across his face.

Naruto gave him a sarcastic smile in return. God he hated that mustache. That absurd, hairy disaster simply lying on the man's upper lip. The sight of it made him instantly passive aggressive.

"Hn. Officer Mustache. How fuckin' fantastic to see ya", Naruto muttered, but smirked.

The cop raised a brow. His gaze caught the nasty wound in the blonde's chest. The man cringed at the sight.

"That don't look too good, son. I told you'd get in trouble", the man said, giving him a judgmental look. Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Hn. Yeah. That you said. But I ain't in jail. That one ya got wrong", he said provokingly.

Sasuke once again felt the need to smack the living shit out of Naruto. He didn't seem to have any grasp on what was sensible to blurt out and what was simply deliberate provocation.

The cop chuckled, shaking his head. His gaze then turned towards Gaara. The cop frowned.

"Well, we'll see about that. How 'bout you tell your friend to put down that chest. Let's have a look inside", the man muttered to the blonde.

Now Naruto wanted to smack himself. Sasuke still wanted to. Gaara wanted to. Everybody wanted to. But the blonde did as told. He nodded to the redhead, telling him to put the thing down. He reluctantly lowered the chest down to the ground. But before opening it, Naruto pointed out something relevant.

"Have a look, Mustache. But don't go touchin'. Ya need a warrant for that", he stated. The cop gave him an amused look.

"And why do you think you're qualified to assume that?" he asked, chuckling. Naruto narrowed his eyes, but ended up smirking.

"I'm a defense attorney. I think I know my shit, old man", he said, not even trying to hide the obnoxiousness.

The officer furrowed his brows. He studied the blonde from head to toes, just like last time. The man ended up giving him a weird look of disbelief.

"Nah. I ain't buying that", he eventually said. Naruto just chuckled.

"Really wanna risk it?" he asked, knowing the man wouldn't.

The officer stared at him for a while longer, before muttering something about obnoxious criminals. The blonde let that remark slide. The old man then moved on to open the chest. The heavy lid creaked open, revealing a pile of clothes and other items of irrelevance. He eyed at the content for a long time, as if hoping to suddenly develop x-ray vision. Apparently that hope was in vain, as the man eventually closed the lid with a sigh. He stood back up, giving the blonde a displeased look.

"You ain't all right. I'm sure of that. But you sure are a sneaky one. I'll give you that much", the man admitted. He then glanced at the blonde's wound again.

"Go take care of that, boy. It ain't pretty", the man said. Naruto gave him an amused smirk.

"I'll handle myself, Mustache. Good luck catching real criminals", he chuckled, before signing Gaara to pick up the chest again.

The redhead did as told and hauled the thing onto his shoulder again. The cop stopped to stare at him for a while. He had to marvel how somebody could carry it with such ease. Just the lid on its own had weighed a ton.

"Hn. Right. Go on. Get your ass out of here, before I come up with something to fine you for", the cop eventually said.

Naruto just gave the man a smirk and a sarcastic salute, before continuing the walk towards the city. Gaara and Sasuke trailed behind him, quickly catching up. The raven didn't hesitate to give the blonde a slap on the back of his head.

"Moron", was all he said. It was enough. Naruto chuckled.

"Aw, c'mon. Life would be boring if I occasionally weren't a moron, love", he pointed out. It wasn't much of a help.

"Oh yeah, totally. Cause it's so damn boring to kill people for a living and run around hunting for mob bosses", the raven muttered bitterly.

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He instantly turned to see Gaara, hoping the man hadn't heard what Sasuke just said. Since the blonde still assumed the redhead had no idea what he'd been up to, he hoped it'd stay that way. Gaara gave no sign of acknowledging what'd just been said. Naruto concluded he hadn't been listening. He was wrong of course, but didn't know that. And Gaara wasn't going to correct him. Not yet.

It didn't take long for them to reach the heart of the city. They had been receiving several long stares, mainly because of Naruto's wound. He knew it wasn't pretty, it stung like hell and still occasionally bled, staining his skin in a less appealing way. He knew he had to cover it up. And get dressed properly in general. It was getting even colder as the evening progressed.

Naruto walked beside Gaara, staring down at his own chest, not noticing the sideway glance the other man gave him every few seconds. The redhead couldn't help but to eye the nasty wound, as it seemed painful and more than anything, inappropriate to the eyes of the people walking by. Gaara glanced at Sasuke, who walked ahead of them, before reaching to touch the blonde's back. Naruto flinched in surprise, turning to see the redhead. He met a pair of vaguely worried green eyes.

"You okay?" the redhead asked. Naruto nodded, giving a weak smirk.

"Yeah. I'm fine", he assured, glancing at the wound again. "I'm great, considering your brother almost cut me in half."

Instant anger flashed in Gaara's eyes, though the blonde didn't notice it. But the redhead knew it wouldn't be any use losing his mind over it anymore. The man wasn't there to get his ass beaten anyway.

"Hn. Should've put him out of his misery", he grunted, mostly to himself.

But Naruto was there to hear it. And though he would've liked to, he couldn't let it just slide. He was aware of the less than functional relationship the man had always had with his family, but somehow found it hard it not to be a little jealous of having one in the first place. He probably shouldn't have, but ended up voicing it.

"You shouldn't say that, ya know. You still have family left. Making them extinct ain't gonna make it better", he said, more cautiously than intended.

As Gaara gave no reply, Naruto turned to glance at him. He noticed the tightly clenched jaw, and instantly feared it'd been a mistake to say anything at all. And it probably was, but surprisingly enough, the redhead didn't make an issue out of it. Only gave a simple answer, which Naruto couldn't really deny being true.

"Family ain't a blessing to all, blondie."

Gaara wouldn't look his way, so Naruto knew he'd made the man uncomfortable. And it instantly made him feel bad for it. Especially since he knew the redhead was right. Aware of what the man's father had done to him, Naruto should've known better than to speak of things he couldn't relate to. It'd slipped his mind, somehow.

As an attempt to wordlessly apologize, he inched closer to the redhead and took a hold of his hand. Only for a second, before letting go, but long enough to make a point.

"If it makes ya feel any better, I did nail his hand to a table", he said, glancing at the other one.

Though Gaara might've fought against it, he eventually cracked a smirk. Naruto instantly felt better. And apparently, so did the redhead.

"Yeah. It does", he admitted, a small chuckle following.

The blonde smiled. Gaara's eyes softened. Naruto could've left it undone, but let his head fall against the man's shoulder. An arm wrapped around him, pulling him closer. It lasted as long as it took for Sasuke to come to a halt in front of them, turning around. He never saw them pull apart, as he'd stopped to stare at the entrance of a bar beside them. The two others stopped as well, waiting for the third one to say something. Sasuke glanced at the blonde, frowning.

"You gotta clean that cut and put a shirt on. People are staring and you're freezing", he stated. Naruto glanced at his chest again. The wound sure was ugly.

"True", he had to agree.

Figuring that there had to be a bathroom inside the bar, Sasuke proceeded to drag Naruto inside, Gaara following them. They stood out like sore thumb in there. The place was nothing short of fancy and expensive as hell, thus leaving them feeling out of place. But then again, fancy and expensive was what the downtown mainly consisted of, so they were short on choices.

Gaara was quick to make his way to a table in the corner of the room. He laid the chest down, opened it up and grabbed a black t-shirt, before closing it again. He then turned to face Naruto, who'd come to stand behind him. Gaara gave him no chance to ask questions, as he grabbed the blonde by the wrist and started dragging him towards the restroom. Sasuke was left to take a seat at the table, while Naruto trailed behind the redhead. They reached the restroom's door.

"Get in. Clean that wound and put a shirt on", Gaara commanded, giving the piece of clothing in his hand to Naruto.

The blonde glanced at the shirt, and then Gaara again. The redhead raised a brow, as if asking what could possibly have been unclear about those instructions. The blonde tilted his head to the side, watching the other man curiously. He took a quick glance over the man's shoulder, at the raven sitting by the table, before turning back to Gaara again. A smirk tugged on the corner of his lips.

"Wanna help me out?" he then asked.

The look that briefly passed the redhead's face truly was a glorious thing to see. It was a mix of surprise and confusion, as if contemplation of how to interpret this invite. The confusion seemed to make the redhead unable to speak, so Naruto solved the issue by pulling the man inside with him, closing and locking the door behind them. Gaara considered asking what he could possibly have been needed for, but forgot all about it, when he saw the blonde take off his jacket.

Though he'd been nearly bare chested the entire time, it suddenly became difficult for the redhead not to bluntly stare. He hadn't been aware the blonde could improve any more appearance-wise, but noticed that the past six months certainly had treated him well. The ugly cut on his chest seemed to get completely out-weighed by everything around it. Gaara wasn't a religious man, but for a second, he was almost sure a God had to exist.

"Well?" Naruto soon asked, nearly startling the redhead.

The redhead snapped out of whatever trance he was in, and lifted his gaze from the areas that in fact weren't the blonde's eyelevel.

"Huh?" was all he asked, sort of forgetting how words worked. His shortage of intellect behavior seemed to amuse the other one enough to create a small smirk.

"Take care of me, will ya?" the blonde requested, letting his back lean against the door behind him.

Gaara was quite sure he missed a breath. There was no way Naruto wouldn't have known how many ways there were of interpreting his question. But being a fairly composed man, the redhead decided not to overthink it, and instead did as the other one wished. The options of medical supplies in a public restrooms best described as nonexistent, he grabbed a handful of paper towels, wetted them under the tap and then stopped to stand before the blonde.

He pressed the wet paper against the other's wounded chest. It must've hurt, but Naruto refused to show it. Instead he just watched the redhead try to avoid making eye contact. But though he tried, Gaara eventually met the other's gaze, and instantly found it impossible to look away. He felt sort of chained down by the blue eyes.

Cold water ran down the other's chest and stomach, all the way to his waistline. Gaara glanced down just long enough to see the water drip down the blonde's tan skin, only to regret it right away. While he liked to think of himself as a fairly controlled man, he had forgotten how that fact came crumbling down around the blonde. He lifted his gaze back up, finding that he was still getting intently stared at. It didn't bother him. It made his imagination restless and more active than necessary, but didn't bother him. With a mindful of inappropriate thoughts, he cleaned out the other's wound, until the tan skin was free of blood.

Once done, Gaara reluctantly tore his gaze away, turned around to throw the bloodstained paper away and moved over to the sink to wash his hands. As the blood washed down the drain, he lifted his gaze to see the mirror in front of him. The reflection showed him his own image, as well as a curious looking blonde standing behind him. He watched him for a while, before lowering his gaze again. He washed his hands clean from blood, turned the water off and then turned around. He learned that Naruto stood way closer to him than expected. The blonde was more or less just an inch away. Nothing happened for a while.

"Thanks", the blonde eventually said.

Gaara was silent for a long while, reluctantly admitting that he was very, very distracted by several different aspects of the other one. His proximity, for one.

"You're welcome", he then stated, not knowing what else to say.

He felt strangely stupid. For six months, he hadn't felt stupid once. But as soon as he was in the company of Naruto again, all acumen seemed to disappear into thin air. He had yet to explain that phenomena.

Gaara knew that the absolutely distracted state of his mind must've shone from his eyes like the sun through drapes at an aggravatingly early hour of a July morning. At least Naruto smiled, mildly amused. But the amusement was quickly gone, replaced by a look of hesitation. Then that disappeared as well.

The blonde tilted his head slightly to the side and leaned closer, until the space between them was almost gone. But only almost. He stopped there, as if waiting. Gaara did nothing. To Naruto, that was a good sign. So the gap disappeared.

The cautiousness of it all quickly turned into actual need, and eventually blunt desperation. Saying that the redhead's brain had dropped from his head somewhere way lower would've been an understatement. He had no brain left at all anymore. At least that was the sensation. But then again, he was having a lot of sensations. All of them caused by a hand sliding up his stomach, another violently unbuckling his belt, and a pair of lips suppressing any sounds he might've slipped out.

He could've lied and said that his body wasn't embarrassingly quick to respond to it, but that would've been useless considering that he had no way of hiding it. But the blonde didn't seem to mind it. It did make him chuckle, which again made Gaara bite down to his lower lip hard enough to hurt. Naruto only chuckled again.

"Don't be mean, love", he said, a small smirk lifting the corner of his lips.

The redhead would've replied something mildly unkind, hadn't he been distracted by the hand sliding down his jeans. He quickly determined it was best not to act anything short of respectful.

"Wasn't my intention", he succeeded in saying, though barely.

The blonde snorted, but didn't stop successfully bending the redhead further under his will. Which did not take that much effort. Only a while later, Gaara would've gotten him the moon from the sky, had he asked. But he didn't ask for that. He asked for nothing. He was on a generous mood today. Thus when the redhead opened his eyes to find the other one on his knees before him, he reminded himself to never complain about anything again.

He would've given that promise out loud, but ended up biting the inside of his cheek instead. Otherwise he would've let out an unnecessarily loud sound. Spelling out the reason for that would've been a waste of time. Instead of speaking anything at all, his hand somehow found its way to grip a fistful of blonde hair, the other one holding on to the edge of the counter knuckles white, keeping his legs from giving out. And not long after, he came to find the surprising difficulties of keeping quiet. His success on that ended up being questionable.

Sasuke sat by the table, his fingers tapping against a half-empty glass of whiskey, eyes wandering around the room. He'd done that for fifteen long minutes, waiting for the two others to return. In his opinion, it couldn't have taken that long. But he also refused to go and find out, as he had no will to see any more of the redhead than absolutely necessary.

It wasn't that he didn't want him around, or even the never-ending rivalry between them. He was pleased he was there, as it meant that Naruto would slowly start piecing himself back together. But it was the inevitable confrontation he'd have to go through at some point that made him uneasy. The second he'd met the redhead's eyes among the crowd of the slums, he'd known the potential of getting mauled by him was actual. There was no doubt in his mind that Gaara knew of what Naruto had been doing. The wrath in his eyes had very clearly told he was well aware of it and was not happy Sasuke hadn't stopped the blonde from going to such a length. Thus he wasn't really looking forward to it.

Sasuke glanced at the closed restroom entrance again. Just as he was considering going over to knock on it, the door finally opened. Naruto stepped out, fully clothed again. Sasuke sort of expected the redhead to follow him, but the blonde simply closed the door behind him. Sasuke raised a brow, but said nothing.

Naruto walked away from the restroom, stretching his jaws. They'd suffered an unexpected numbing sensation, which he found slightly uncomfortable. But he didn't really mind it. Or the taste in his mouth. Or the other new aspects that'd come to light. Had he been aware it was that easy to get the redhead entirely under his will, he probably would've happily numbed his jaws a long time ago. The more you know.

Naruto reached Sasuke, who gave him a questioning look. The blonde took a seat across his friend, giving him a supposedly clueless grin.

"What?" he asked casually. The man just stared at him for a while.

"Where's the lunatic?" he then asked. Naruto shrugged.

"Dunno. Stayed behind", he said dismissively.

Actually, he did know. He'd left the redhead to sit on the floor to pant his lungs out and stare blankly at the wall. Though he'd looked like he'd suffered a seizure of some sorts, Naruto hadn't stayed to watch him rediscover his composure. He might've found mild enjoyment in having drained all sensibility out of the man, but had decided not to make Sasuke wait any longer. So he'd left Gaara there to wonder what his own name was, as the man had seemed unable of remembering such.

Naruto felt the long-lasting stare Sasuke laid on him, but proceeded to ignore it. Eventually the man gave up on his glaring, sighed and moved on to an entirely different subject.

"So what now?" he asked, on a general level. Naruto took the liberty to sip from the other's glass, before replying.

"We've got an address. Some kinda industrial area, I guess", he said. Sasuke frowned.

"That's where we'll find the guy then?" he questioned. Naruto shrugged, as he couldn't be sure.

"That's the best we got. But I doubt there's anywhere else he'd be in this city", he figured.

Sasuke could only nod. He seemed somewhat content with the answer. Though it was vague, it was still better than what they'd expected. One could've almost called them lucky. And speaking of lucky men, before Sasuke had the chance to say anything further, the sound of a door opening cut him off. And not so much the sound of it, but what stepped out from behind it. Both Sasuke and Naruto turned to see the redhead finally crawl his way back to civilization. The blonde fought to stifle an outrageous laughter. Sasuke raised a brow.

The redhead looked even less lively than usually. His eyes stared blankly ahead, hair a mess and face not particularly bringing out the supposed intellectual brilliance in him. It was almost as if he wasn't sure of the time and place, as he simply stopped to stand still, eyes glued to the generally uninteresting floor. There might've been a train of thought happening, but it certainly wasn't detectable on the outside.

He eventually did find his way to the table, only to slump down on the seat next to Naruto's, not much of a change happening in his empty gaze. It was safe to say that his mind wasn't in the room at all. Sasuke couldn't help but to stare at him, wondering if the redhead was in fact suffering a seizure of some sorts. As the man continued to find his own fingernails way more interesting than anything around him, Sasuke finally waved a hand in front of his face. He got no response.

"Yo. Did you have a stroke?" he asked, finally pulling Gaara out of his faraway land somewhere over the rainbow.

"Huh?" he asked, moving his blank eyes towards the raven instead of his own lap.

Sasuke stared at him like the man was the biggest idiot he'd ever met. One might even say he became vaguely concerned for the redhead's wellbeing, as he truly did not seem all that okay.

"I asked if you had a fuckin' stroke", Sasuke repeated.

Gaara took his time to answer that. After a while of more blank staring, he shrugged.

"That's one way to put it", he muttered, only further confusing the raven.

Sasuke considered the option of pretending like he cared enough to ask again, but decided he couldn't be bothered. He gave up on even trying to understand, and rolled his eyes in the rhythm of a sigh.

"Whatever. Can we leave now? I'm tired, I'm hungry and so damn close to a tantrum", he openly admitted. Naruto gave him a kind smile.

"Yeah. Let's go find a hotel", he said, feeling nothing short of tired himself.

Gaara's opinion on the matter nobody even bothered to ask. It was unlikely an answer would've been even remotely possible. That being the case, Sasuke downed the rest of his drink, while Naruto nudged the redhead back to reality. By the time Gaara was on his feet, hauling the heavy chest over his shoulder again, Sasuke was already through the door in all his impatient glory.

The blonde chuckled at the raven's rush, while stopping by the door to wait for the redhead. Once the man reached him, Naruto was making his way out, only to get pulled back inside and pushed against the wall. Knowing that Sasuke couldn't see inside, the redhead took the liberty to kiss the blonde roughly enough to make him melt like ice under the sun. Once the paler one pulled away, Naruto was left to stare at him with a somewhat idiotic look on his face. Gaara ignored the other's surprise.

"I fuckin' worship the ground you walk on", he said, as serious as one could be.

The blonde continued staring at him, the idiocy on his face deepening. But it didn't take long for that to be gone, and a smirk appear to lift up the corner of his lips.

"You better", he replied, not shy to be obnoxious of it. To be honest, he had the right to be.

The redhead's eyes flashed with something that could only be described as raged need. But apart from letting out a low growl and abusing the other's mouth once more, he suppressed it. They then left through the door, Gaara first and a chuckling blonde following him. An oblivious Sasuke stood outside waiting, as clueless as ever.

While wandering around the city looking for a hotel, the atmosphere around them changed in an odd way. Naruto was somewhat amazed by how quickly it suddenly seemed as if the redhead had never been gone at all. The man's low voice, the generally evil feel of him and overall existing all felt as familiar and safe as before. It's like the past six months never happened.

But they did. And though it all seemed mostly the same, something was different. Naruto couldn't put his finger on it, but something felt out of place. He tried not to mind it, repeatedly pushing the thought away, but it was easier said than done. The feeling didn't nag him because it was unpleasant. It wasn't. It was just different. And it made him confused. He didn't like that. But knowing there was nothing he could do about it, he decided to live with it.

After about twenty minutes of aimless walking around, Sasuke spotted a hotel sufficient enough to fulfill his ridiculous standards for a place to sleep. For a middle-class working guy, the man sure was dainty. But nobody complained, as the level of exhaustion was mostly equal among them. While all of them would've liked nothing more than to collapse on an excessively priced bed, Naruto realized he'd have to go by a store. Either that, or become a whiny bitch for suffering from the lack of nicotine. And since the two others had no will to listen him bitch, they complied.

Spotting a 24-hour corner store just across the hotel, they made their way over. The blonde was already halfway through the door, Sasuke trailing behind him, when the latter was stopped by a tight grip on his arm. The raven turned around to see Gaara tightly hold him in place, a less than pleased look on his face. Sasuke would've liked his face not to drain from all color, but most likely failed at the attempt. Naruto turned to look at the two men who'd stopped outside the store. The redhead gave him an answer before he even had the chance to ask.

"You go ahead. We'll be right behind ya", he said, the smallest smirk on his lips. It didn't fit the rest of his face.

Naruto didn't seem so confident about leaving them alone. And seeing that he was about to protest, Gaara cut him off.

"It's fine. We just got some…discussing to do", he assured, thinking his choice of word through.

Though Sasuke's tense shoulders told otherwise, he decided to give reassurance. He knew he couldn't avoid this, so it was better to just get it over with. He glanced at the blonde, forcing a crooked smile.

"Go. We ain't got all night. Get me some packaged cancer as well, eh?" he requested.

Naruto said nothing. He stayed to stare at the two men for a while longer, before reluctantly tearing his gaze away and entering the store. He didn't look back, which turned out to be a good decision.

Sasuke didn't succeed in even turning back around, before he found himself shoved violently against the wall behind him. He wasn't sure just when the redhead had had the time to lower the chest off his shoulder, pull out a knife and turn into a positively lethal being, but he sure as hell knew it couldn't be a good thing. Feeling a headache instantly creep up the back of his head for smashing it against the wall, he couldn't stop the hiss of pain from escaping. But the headache quickly turned out to be the least of his worries. There was a horrifyingly sharp knife pressed against his throat, and a raging redhead only an inch away from his face. Sasuke was quite sure he was only imagining it, but the man suddenly seemed two heads taller and wide as a barn door. He did his best not to mind the obvious imbalance of danger between them, and only waited for Gaara to speak. The wait wasn't long.

"I'm giving you ten seconds. Waste that time, and I'll cut your throat open", the redhead growled.

It'd been a while since Sasuke had last seen anything as inhumane as the man pinning him in place. He'd forgotten how overpowering the redhead's hostility could be. But though it made him slightly nervous, Sasuke wasn't particularly afraid of him. Mainly because he had an actual explanation to give. Also, he doubted the man would kill him. Naruto would cut the redhead to pieces, had he done that. Sasuke felt unintimidated enough to snort.

"If you think I can fit the last six months of hell into ten seconds, you are delusional", he stated, not hesitant.

The tone of his voice obviously did not please Gaara. And while he knew Naruto would rip his heart out with bare hands, he truly started doubting he'd be able to refrain from killing Sasuke. Whether he planned it or not, the hold he had around Sasuke's throat tightened. It instantly cut off the other's flow of air, making his breath wheeze. And as the hold only seemed to tighten, it quickly forced Sasuke to fight against him. It only made the pain worse, but helped enough for him to speak. Barely, but still.

"Just…shit. Just hear me the fuck out", he struggled to say, his voice strangled.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the other man. It took a while, which in Sasuke's mind felt like an eternity, but eventually the redhead loosened his grip on the other's throat. He did it not a second too early. The stale air in Sasuke's lungs felt like dust by the time he could finally breathe again. He took his time to cough the vain air out, cautious of the knife still hovering next to his neck. His hand defensively holding his now sore throat, he finally spoke.

"You don't get it", he said, ignoring the flash of anger in the other's eyes. "You don't get what you leaving did to him."

Gaara's shoulders tensed up, but he said nothing. He'd decided to give Sasuke a chance to explain, thus he wouldn't interrupt the man. But the duration of that decision depended entirely on what he had to say. Sasuke grunted.

"How did you even find out?" he asked, though he wasn't in the position to present questions.

The redhead replied nothing, only pressed the knife harder against his throat. Sasuke probably should've found it threatening, but got distracted by a sudden realization. He almost chuckled.

"Hn. You went to see that guy in Fuchu, didn't you?" he muttered knowingly.

Gaara's jaw clenched as his patience was rapidly running out. Sasuke must've seen that, as he gave up on waiting for an answer. Instead he sighed, shoulders falling in a defeated manner. Honestly speaking, he didn't feel like telling him. He already knew the man wouldn't feel any better hearing it. But he was aware that there was no way around it either. So after a short while of hesitation, he spoke.

"I never wanted it to turn out this way. I never wanted him to start doin' it for money", he muttered, somewhat avoiding the redhead's gaze.

Before Sasuke could continue, Gaara cut him off with a mocking laughter. The chuckle was quickly gone, replaced by a sincerely hostile tone.

"Don't fuck with me. I know you told him to take those jobs. And you know I left him in your hands. I never said that aloud, because I didn't have to. You fuckin' knew", he growled, the knife instinctively pressing against the other's throat again.

Sasuke brought his face as far away from the redhead as possible, but couldn't help the angered grunt from escaping.

"Don't you fuckin' dare blame it all on me. You're the one who left", he hissed poisonously.

In case he'd attempted to make the redhead further raged and dangerous, he certainly succeeded. Gaara's eyes flashed with the pure will to rip the other one apart, but he tried his best not to.

"You know why I left. I left to die instead of him. Not for you to tell him to go get himself killed", he said, the volume of his voice rising.

Though Sasuke probably should've been more worried about the knife pressed against his throat, he only became angry himself. He didn't appreciate the unfair accusations, or the way Gaara made it seem he didn't care about the blonde. It made him angry because the man was well aware there was nothing he wouldn't have done for him. And to show that he truly did not care for the redhead's accusing tone, he shoved the man away from him. Sasuke gave him no chance to even blink, before he let his equally as raged voice speak.

"Fuck you. _Fuck_ you. It's damn easy for you to say. You weren't there to see him fall the fuck apart, struggle to put the pieces back together, just to break all over again. You don't know what it was like to watch him fight the easy choice of just giving up", he said, not shy to raise his voice.

Gaara almost flinched. Mainly because of surprise. The unexpected rage in Sasuke's voice took him aback enough not to interrupt the man. And instead of forcing the other one against the wall, he found himself being shoved again. Not to create distance, but to show simple, primitive resentment.

"He tried so hard. He did his job, he took care of his usual life and forced himself to see other people. He did all that, only to come home at the end of the day, crawl into the darkest corner of the house and drink himself to sleep", Sasuke told, some level of guilt creeping into his voice.

Gaara's tense shoulders had at some point dropped, and the tension of his jaw had turned into disbelief on his face. But before he could say anything, Sasuke made it clear he wasn't done yet.

"I tried everything. I gave my fucking everything to make it easier for him. I tried creating distractions, I tried to make him forget. But all he cared about was you. All he cared about was keeping the promise he'd given to you", Sasuke muttered.

The anger in his voice had reduced into just a lingering undertone, while some sort of desperation took over. Even the usually stoic look of his face was weighed down by guilt and frustration.

"That's why the only thing that kept him going was killing yakuzas. I thought it was sick and twisted, but it was literally the only thing he was interested in anymore. It became an obsession."

The look on Sasuke's face turned somewhat sickened and disturbed. A strained and tired chuckle fell from his lips.

"Did you know he takes their tags?" he said, shaking his head. "150 there are now. I count them after every job he takes. He doesn't know I do that."

Sasuke paused for a while, lowering his gaze to the ground. He felt the redhead's stare, but didn't find it particularly oppressive anymore. The man's angry eyes had dulled into empty sadness.

"When he started getting job offers, I told him to take them. That was the only way to get him out of the house anymore. He spent all his time inside, talking to that damn dog and slowly drinking himself to death. After that three week streak of not once seeing him sober, killing for money stopped sounding so bad", Sasuke said, a vague bitterness to his voice. That bitterness was directed towards himself.

Gaara said nothing. He had no idea what to say. Though he would've liked to think of Sasuke as the bigger failure, it was easier said than done. He hadn't realized how bad it'd been. How bad he leaving had affected Naruto. And as he started to imagine the blonde drowning his anxiety in alcohol, just to get out of bed in the morning, Gaara could honestly say that for the first time in his entire life, he felt like an absolute failure.

He should've been there. He should've been there for him.

The possible outcome of what might've happened had he been gone for any longer passed his mind, but he was quick to force it away. Just the thought of it made him feel physically sick. Gaara shut his eyes in frustration, a sigh escaping his lips. The desperate kind. Sasuke lifted his gaze back up to see him. He sort of wished he could've said something comforting, but in all honesty, there was no such aspect to this. Positivity had to be forced, if intending on finding some.

"I know I did the right thing", Sasuke muttered. "After taking those jobs, he no longer woke up screaming in the middle of the night as often."

The rest of tension on Gaara's shoulder's fell in defeat. He'd run out of ways to blame the other man. Forcing it wouldn't have helped. He met the other's gaze and stopped to watch him, only to get watched back. A sense of melancholy fell upon them, indicating the discussion had run its course. Gaara put his knife away. He had no use for it anymore.

Naruto wandered between the narrow aisles of the small store, not looking for anything in particular. He was trying to distract himself from whatever it was going on outside. No matter how much time went by, no matter the place or occasion, he would never feel comfortable leaving those two by themselves. But he tried his best to have a little faith in them. In the last naïve corner of his mind, there was a potential chance they knew how to behave. That fraction of gullibility was the only thing stopping him from storming back outside to check on them.

Naruto sighed. He'd stopped to stand before the liquor shelf. He must've stood there for five minutes by then, just staring at the rows of bottled poison, feeling tempted to give in and buy the whole shelf empty. The thought of that created a messy lump of anxiety in his throat. He tried swallowing it away, but couldn't.

Naruto's attitude towards alcohol had changed quite a bit in the past six months. He'd realized that the stability of the relationship he had with intoxication was surprisingly fragile. Not long after parting ways with Gaara, he'd come to find that the intoxication easily became overpowering. Or perhaps more accurately, the need of it did.

He hadn't stopped drinking altogether. He wasn't one to think of absolution as a solution. But he had stopped drinking at home, he'd stopped drinking alone and had in fact banned alcohol from his house. He only drank in the company of others, and only in environments where he had to pay himself sore to get even tipsy. He only drank to have fun. Drowning his sorrows in alcohol was no longer an option. It only made things worse. Sasuke never failed to remind him of that.

But though he'd made that decision as soon as he'd found the distraction of killing bad men, every once in a while it was difficult to stick to that promise. He hated to admit it, but occasionally he missed the sensation of forgetting everything that was bad and all that hurt. Even if it were for just a while. Even if it made him regret it in the morning, even if it slowly was killing him.

The blonde shut his eyes and sighed. He silently reminded himself that he had no real need to drown his sorrows into anything at all, and even less now that he'd gotten the redhead back. Finding vague confidence in his own reassuring, he opened his eyes again, only to find a familiar figure standing next to him. Slightly startled, Naruto turned to look at the redhead who'd appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The blonde would've pointed out the rudeness of scaring him in such a way, hadn't it been for the other's stare.

There was an odd look in Gaara's eyes, cutting off all his attempts of speaking.

The man watched him with a mixed look of disapproval and guilt. And after a while of staring, those green eyes turned to glance at the shelf of bottled self-loathing. Naruto instantly knew Sasuke had told him. Told him everything. And though he would've liked to feel insulted and angry about it, he mainly just felt ashamed. His gaze fell to the floor, jaw clenching in an attempt not to show his embarrassment. He sort of feared the redhead would yell at him, be rude about it, perhaps even condescending, but that never happened. He said nothing about it. Instead he took a gentle hold of the blonde's arm and after one more glance at the shelf beside them, started pulling him away from it.

"C'mon. There ain't anything here we need", he said. Not harshly, not judgmentally. Just as a matter of fact. And Naruto agreed.

They made their way to the other side of the small space, towards the counter, so Naruto could take care of what he'd gone there for in the first place. On his way there, he passed the exit of the store and glanced through the glass door. He turned to face the redhead who'd stopped in front of a magazine rack.

"Where's Sasuke?" Naruto asked. The redhead seemed to have taken an interest in the magazines, but did reply.

"Went ahead to get rooms", he answered simply, not tearing his gaze away from the wall of journalism.

Naruto accepted that as a sufficient enough reply, and moved on to reach the counter. He found a young woman stand behind it, a tired expression painting her features. She didn't seem too happy about working at such a late hour, but put on a smile upon seeing the blonde approach. It seemed slightly forced.

"Hey", she chirped, regardless of the obvious sleep-deprivation.

She was a pretty girl, but that had to be the most severe case of dark circles around the eyes Naruto had ever seen. Apart from Gaara, of course. Nobody beat the darkness on his face. But this girl sure as hell didn't pull the look off as good as the redhead. Nothing hauntingly charming about her.

"Hey. Two packs of red…somethin'. Doesn't matter", the blonde muttered. The girl gave him a smile, before turning around to go through the brands of cigarettes.

Naruto glanced behind him. Apparently Gaara was still distracted by the wonders of inked paper, to the extent of having picked one out to read. Though Naruto questioned the man's sudden interest in current events, he shrugged it off and turned back around, leaving him to stare at the paper. The girl behind the counter had placed the requested packs of cigarettes on the counter, and watched him with a smile on her face. Naruto was starting to find her smile slightly strange. No sane person smiled that much. Not at this hour.

"Anything else, handsome?" she then asked.

And that's when Naruto realized the reason behind her smile. She was flirting. The blonde must've been off the market for far too long, if he couldn't recognize something as primitive as flirting. And though he found it somewhat flattering, though she was pretty, he didn't feel particularly interested in her efforts of mating. Even if the absolutely too low cut top of hers was slightly distracting. And the possibly medically boosted contents of it spilling out. He did his best not to stray from eye contact.

"Maybe. We gotta wait for him to make up his mind about the news", he muttered, pointing in Gaara's direction.

The girl smiled, tilting her head slightly. Naruto had thought her breasts couldn't have fallen any further out without being completely exposed, but apparently he'd been wrong. The woman leaned slightly forward, purposely pushing out her well blessed attributes in a provocative manner. Naruto instantly felt awkward even looking at her. He wasn't sure if the girl was actually of legal age yet.

"Long night ahead?" she asked, smiling alluringly.

Naruto forced his gaze to her eyelevel. It wasn't that he was particularly interested in her bust, it was just really hard not to watch them nearly fall out. Should he perhaps alert her about it? Though she must've been very much aware of it happening. To not be a complete creep, the blonde cleared his throat and forced to keep eye contact.

"You could say that", he muttered. The girl's smile instantly widened.

"You know, my shift ends in an hour. Any plans, blondie?" she asked, not hiding the obvious meaning behind her words.

Naruto wasn't sure what to say. This girl had to be a decade younger than him. Not only that, but he had no interest in her whatsoever. He had no intentions of taking her with him, but also didn't want to act rudely. He wasn't sure how to turn down her enthusiastic approach.

"I, uhm…yeah, kinda", he ended up blurting, like a complete moron. The girl seemed to notice his hesitation and nervousness.

"You seem kinda nervous. Are you married or something? Cause I don't mind", she stated with a smirk.

It was obvious she was used to hitting on her clients. And undoubtedly, it was mostly successful. But Naruto had troubles understanding that this young lady, barely of age, was most likely picking up men like they were trash on the sidewalk. When he'd been eighteen, he'd barely gotten to second base. But then again, he'd also been a total moron. That wasn't really what women looked for in a man.

"I…no. I'm not", was all he could say.

He hated to admit it, but his gaze had fallen back down, below her face. She seemed to be quite content with it. All it stirred in Naruto were some sort of fatherly feelings. Why didn't it bother her that her rack was basically hanging out in the open?

"Well, why don't you come with me, then? I'll make you a happy man. For the night, at least", the girl purred, leaning even closer.

To be honest, she was way too close in Naruto's opinion. She obviously had no sense of personal space, or the ability to detect discomfort. Naruto had no idea how to turn her down without being rude. He was prepared to just be blunt, but was cut off when he felt a strong arm wrap around his waist. The blonde didn't have to look to know Gaara was pressed against his back. He could then feel the man's lips against his neck.

"Didn't mean to make you wait, angelface", the redhead's low voice spoke next to his ear, yet loudly enough for the young woman to hear. It made the blonde shiver like a dying animal. Which was slightly embarrassing.

The lady lifted her gaze to see Gaara. The smile on her face fell like somebody had slapped her. Her forward leaning posture quickly slumped down, as her face turned deep red. She tore her gaze away in obvious embarrassment. She remained flushed, but forced herself to act even remotely professional.

The redhead threw the newspaper he'd grabbed onto the counter. He could see the woman's gaze go back to the blonde. It made him instantly narrow his eyes at her in a defensive manner. Ridiculously so. His intimidating glare was enough to make her look the other way, and actually do her job. While Naruto watched the girl awkwardly scan items, he could feel Gaara press himself harder against his back. The breath hitting the nape of his neck sent shivers down his spine, but he did his best to ignore it in order to avoid any embarrassing situations.

"You think I can't feel you shiver?" the redhead's low voice whispered.

Naruto might've blushed deep red. Why, he wasn't sure. He wasn't the kind to get easily flushed, but for some reason, he felt his face heat up like a radiator at midwinter. He refused to answer the question, which earned him a deep chuckle. He had only one thing to say to that.

"Shut up." Another chuckle followed. He ignored it.

The cashier was done scanning the items. She had turned to look at Naruto with an awkward look on her face, quickly glancing at the redhead smirking like the most obnoxious bastard ever seen. In order to avoid any further tense silence, the woman quickly counted the total, declared the final sum and took the money Gaara had placed on the counter. She was about to give the change, when the redhead's voice stopped her.

"Keep it. I got somethin' way better than money", he said, the smirk audible in his voice.

Naruto's manliness suffered a huge dent, but he felt himself melt like thin ice. The cashier turned green with jealousy. She should've, really. For a coldblooded monster, the redhead knew strangely well how to sweep one off their feet. The girl took the money as requested, the strangest look on her face. It was as if she couldn't decide which was more unfair; that the blonde had interests other than her, or that the subject of his interest seemed to be a walking rip-off of a fairytale dialogue.

Naruto would've liked to point out that this particular prince charming wasn't as much charming as he was terrifying, but left it unsaid. Instead of saying anything at all, he watched the woman force a semi-polite smile onto her half-embarrassed, half-resentful mess of a face.

"Thank you. Have a good night", her dry voice wished.

Gaara chuckled against the blonde's neck. Naruto had to bite the inside of his cheek not to make a weird noise.

"Yeah. So I intended", the redhead assured, not sparing the sneer, or implication in his voice.

Hadn't the woman felt so ridiculously defeated under Gaara's piercing glare, she might've given him a displeased look. But apparently obtaining some sense of survival, she left it undone. Naruto had to physically drag Gaara out of the store, before the man gave up on drilling holes into that poor girl's head with his deadly stare. Once finally outside, the blonde had to chuckle.

"You are so not subtle", he said, shaking his head. Gaara grunted and placed his arm around the other's shoulders.

"That cow should've kept those plastic udders on her side of the counter", he muttered, unsealing one of the unopened cigarette packs.

Naruto chuckled. "That's a little overkill, I'd say."

Gaara smirked, but said nothing. Instead he took a cigarette, placed it between his lips and lit up. Slowly letting out a trail of smoke from between his lips, he glanced at the blonde.

"I saved your life ya know. You weren't far from suffocating under that wall of silicon", the redhead gave as an explanation. Naruto couldn't help but to laugh.

"Really? I must've completely misjudged your motives", he chuckled. Gaara nodded.

"Absolutely", he assured with a straight face. Naruto snorted. The redhead sure had an impressive poker face.

Shaking his head at the one leaning against him, Naruto sighed. "Let's go. I need to give Sasuke his fix of cancer."

The hotel was only a road-crossing away. Sasuke had left them keys to paid rooms with the receptionist, as well as a note with his room number written on it. Naruto took it that the raven obviously assumed he'd drag his ass all the way there to give him his pack of cigarettes. Though it took some offensive mumbling under his breath, he figured he might as well do that. It was better than listening him bitch about it in the morning.

Making their way to the elevator, Gaara and Naruto stopped to wait with an older couple for it to arrive. The blonde could feel the stare Gaara had directed at him, but ignored it. He was well aware of the question the redhead wanted to ask. But to Naruto's relief, he didn't voice it. Having that particular discussion in the vicinity of elder strangers wasn't something he wanted to experience.

The elevator arrived, the doors sliding open. The blonde politely let the elders get in first, before he and Gaara followed. Naruto picked out the floors they were headed to, also inquiring about the older couple's destination. Learning that they were on their way to the top floor, he pushed the button for them as well.

The doors slid shut. Naruto went to lean against the back wall of the elevator, next to Gaara. The couple standing in the corner across was as silent as they were. The blonde hated silence like that. The kind of awkward, uncomfortable quietness that seemed to go on forever. And knowing that Sasuke's room was on the 20th floor, he did his best to just stare down at his own shoes, avoiding all possible contact with the people he didn't know. He sort of hated the fact that Gaara didn't seem to mind the awkward silence at all. The man's social incapability enviably did not include awkwardness. Which made him just that much stranger.

Gaara glanced at the monitor above the doors. He tilted his head in a curious manner. They'd passed the tenth floor. He'd get off on the 17th. His gaze turned to glance at Naruto, whose eyes drilled holes into the floor. There wasn't much of a hesitation in his mind between taking that glance, and suddenly moving to roughly press the blonde against the wall. Nor was there much of a chance for questions, before he'd smashed his lips against the other's.

Though there was a split second of shock that took over Naruto, it was quickly forgotten with the help of a tongue prying its way into his mouth. In less than another split of a second, he forgot all about their whereabouts, the couple next to them, and apparently the list of acts that were appropriate in public. The two pairs of absolutely mortified eyes that watched them perform the dirtiest kiss in all of history went completely unnoticed.

For the next seven floors, there wasn't much of a world existing beyond the two of them. Hence the absolutely inappropriate groan the blonde let escape when he felt a hand slide into the front pocket of his jeans, passing something vaguely awkward by merely an inch. The hand was quickly gone. And it somewhat disappointed him.

The elevator came to a stop. Gaara broke away, the most obnoxious smirk on his lips. Naruto was busy panting his lungs out, but had enough awareness to realize that the redhead was holding up a keycard. More accurately, the key to unlock the blonde's hotel room.

"If you want it, come get it", Gaara dared, stealing another short moment against the other's lips.

The breathless blonde barely had the time to even understand what'd happened, before the redhead was already gone, the doors sliding back shut. Before closing all the way, Naruto had no trouble catching the defiant smirk plastered on the redhead's face. And hadn't his legs had trouble keeping him upright, his lungs trouble understanding what airflow meant and something absolutely mortifying developing below his waistline, he probably would've shot an insult through the doors.

The elevator took off again, leaving Naruto in the most embarrassingly uncomfortable situation he could ever remember being in. His gaze slowly turned to see the elder couple still in his company. He met two sets of baffled, long stares. No words extravagant enough existed to describe the level of embarrassment Naruto felt while panting out air from between his abused lips. He considered saying something, but concluded that he'd only make a bigger fool out of himself. So he kept quiet and turned to look the other way again.

Though he was mortified, a smirk eventually found its way to his lips. And after that followed a low chuckle, paired with the shake of his head. Gaara might've left him there to suffer in shame on the behalf of both of them, but there was no denying that it possibly was worth it. God knows he'd never been hit on that persuasively. That smooth son of a bitch.

The elevator came to a halt again. The doors slid open, the small monitor declaring that they were in fact on the 20th floor. Naruto didn't bother even glancing at the old couple, simply walked out into the hallway and went on to find Sasuke's room. But thanks to the late hour, the hallway was dead quiet. Thus the short discussion that followed behind the closed elevator doors was clearly audible even to the blonde.

"Why don't we do that anymore?" the old woman muttered, a hint of jealousy detectable. A grunting male voice followed.

"We're married. We're ancient, and married."

* * *

**That's some first class smoothness I'd say. **

**From smoothness to smut; apparently people would like some of that. But honestly speaking, I ain't sure if I'm gonna write any particularly detailed dirtiness. Simply cause FFnet doesn't approve of it. And I don't feel like giving them a reason to delete this story. But imma try to come up with a solution for that.**

**In case you beautiful beings have the will and time for it, do review. Never fails to make my day. Peace out till next week. *serenading my love to you***


	39. The Faulty Equation of You and Me

**I'm so fuckin' late, I know. Sorry. Consider forgiving me. *slides a slightly suspicious twenty your way***

* * *

The view wasn't too bad. The panorama window gave a nice look over the city of Suna, the lights shining even as high as this. Hadn't the watcher been of such an indifferent nature, the sight might've been described as breathtaking.

Gaara stood in front of the extravagantly large window of his room, watching the city below. Knowing he could see everything, but nobody could see him was somewhat pleasing. Had he been on a job, it would've been a perfect spot to take aim from. But he wasn't, so he simply settled on watching the life flowing by two hundred feet below.

The smoke of his cigarette lingered around him, slightly dimming his sight. After one more drag, he put it out. It didn't taste good. He'd smoked too many.

The redhead could dimly see his own reflection in the glass before him. The image wasn't perfect, but he could easily make out his own features. His pale skin, sharp jawline and dark eyes. Even the long, deep scar going down the left side of his face was disturbingly visible. Gaara grunted at the sight. He wasn't a big fan of the scar. What a way to ruin a face.

The wound itself had been ugly as hell. And the reason for it hadn't even been anything worth mentioning. A yakuza had gotten lucky. Been fast enough to swing his knife before Gaara had had the chance to move. It'd cut open the entire left side of his face, down to the bone. Needless to say, it'd been excruciatingly painful. It'd taken weeks to heal. But on the brighter side, he still had his eye and perfect vision left.

Gaara lifted his hand to press it against his chest. Even through his shirt, he could feel the imperfection in his chest. The cut that'd sliced open his face, had come down low enough to cut his chest as well. It was coverable with clothing, but looked gruesome without it. He'd gotten his entire chest tattooed a few months after, but it hadn't fully covered the scar after all. And the one on his face…well, there wasn't much he could do about that.

The redhead stared at his reflection for a while longer. He then took off his shirt. He could now see the scar on his chest as well. It made him frown.

It wasn't actually the look of it that bothered him. He was filled with scars anyway. It was more about the meaning of it. The reason for it. The scars on his face and chest, those were there because of Naruto. He didn't blame him for having them. He blamed himself for ever getting them. And that was his issue exactly. He'd gotten wounded while doing his best to protect the blonde. The wounds had healed and the pain was long gone, but the feeling of failure was ever present. In his mind, he'd failed.

It didn't bare much logic, he knew that. Naruto was fine, and the redhead had done an impressive job reducing the number of hitmen after them. In reality, he had no reason to feel like a failure. But regardless of that, he did. He'd made a mistake, he'd slipped. And he now had eternal marks on his body reminding him of those slipups. It made him angry. He should've done better. He could've been better.

Maybe he could've. That's what he'd spent most of his time thinking when away. It didn't matter how many he'd killed, how many he'd sent back home dead, he always felt he could've done better. He could've killed more, protected him better. No matter how well he did, he always felt he'd fallen short of the ideal outcome. He didn't quite understand it. He'd never felt himself to be inadequate before. It was a strangely depressing way to feel.

Though it was difficult, Gaara tried his best to understand that none of it really mattered anymore. He'd found his way back home now. He'd miraculously found the blonde in a place where he'd doubted anything good could cross paths with him. But faith had proven him wrong for a change. It was a nice change. A welcomed one. Having gotten the blonde back meant his feeling of failure had lost its purpose. Now he only had to make himself believe that.

Gaara remained somewhat overwhelmed by having truly found the blonde. He'd been so sure they'd never see again. Not in this life. And though he'd now watched him for several hours, touched him multiple times, he still found it hard to believe the man was real. A tiny, nagging fear of him actually just having gone insane still tried to pry its way through. His generally pessimistic nature simply refused to give in that easily. The probability of having run into him by pure chance was too slim to convince Gaara entirely.

Were coincidences like that even statistically possible? He had his doubts.

A small part of him might've actually hoped it was all just his imagination. That Naruto wasn't really there, and he'd simply gone crazy. Just a teeny-tiny fraction. It wasn't because he didn't want him to be real. He did. There was nothing he wanted more than that. But in case he'd end up concluding that the blonde in fact was real, and none of this was just a trip down the deranged lane of his mind, it'd present a problem. The kind of problem he wasn't sure he wanted to face.

The problem could be summarized in the form of a question. And that was the question of what the two of them were. The two of them together. Were they anything? Were they nothing? If so, would that bother him? Bother either of them? And above everything else, in case they actually were something, what the fuck would that be?

Gaara was very much confused by it all. He'd never been in a situation before, which would've forced him to even think about such things. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know the answer to those questions. Chances were he still wouldn't understand it. He doubted he ever would. His mind wasn't designed to form human connection in the first place. How he'd ever ended up with one, he had no way of explaining. He had a feeling that going against his isolating nature wasn't a wise move. He might've unexpectedly been capable of forming some sort of human relation, but maintaining it, understanding it and especially not fucking it up were something he'd fail at. He'd never be able to perform the other half of an entirety such as an relationship. That his mind could not do.

The definition of psychopathy was very vague. And Gaara's training militant to an extreme extent. Medical mistakes were humane.

Gaara wasn't really looking for any particular word that would've defined what the two of them were, if anything at all. He only wanted to know if he'd spend the rest of his life wanting him, needing him, longing for him, only to never find any meaning in it. That was one of his two fears. For it to not mean anything. His other fear was about it meaning something, but him never understanding what. Most likely one or the other would end up being reality. And he didn't really want to be there to find out which.

Gaara grunted. He glanced at the pack of cigarettes on the table next to him. Though they seemed to taste like shit today, he felt like having another one. Thus he reached out to take one, but didn't get very far. A knock on the door cut him off. He abandoned his intentions of smoking, and turned to look at the door of his room. He wasn't sure why he found it necessary, but ended up putting his shirt back on, before moving to answer the knock.

He cracked open the door to find a familiar blonde stand outside it. He said nothing, neither did Gaara. There were exactly two possible reasons as to why Naruto would've come there. Either he'd ask to be let inside, or ask to get his key back. The redhead wasn't sure which one was more likely. A moment of silent watching went by, before the blonde finally let an almost unnoticeable smirk lift the corner of his lips.

"Let me in, will ya?"

Gaara let his gaze linger on the other one for a short while longer, before opening the door wider and letting the blonde step in. He then shut the door and turned to face the one now standing near the window. Naruto's back was turned, his gaze watching through the glass. Gaara settled on watching his turned figure, letting himself fall backwards to lean against the closed door. It took its while, but eventually the blonde turned to face him. Another silent moment went by, before anything was spoken.

"Hey", Naruto eventually said, a small smirk on his lips.

The redhead returned the crooked smile. "Hey."

More silence. Not the uncomfortable kind. The calm kind.

"How are ya doin'?" the blonde continued after a while.

Gaara almost chuckled. Just almost. The other's question sounded a little odd and unnecessary, but then again not. It was a justified question. Much could happen in six months. Much had happened.

"I'm fine. You?" the redhead settled as a reply.

Naruto took a moment to find the right answer. He tilted his head in a thoughtful manner, ending up smiling. "I'm…better."

The atmosphere between them felt a little strange. Not necessarily in a bad way. It was just very different. Now that they were all alone, secured by walls and a locked door, they felt just slightly awkward and uncertain. Calm, but uncertain. A considerable amount of time had gone by. Much had changed, much was unknown of the other. It wasn't as simple to feel entirely at ease as they would've liked. The countless amounts of unanswered questions made it all just that much more difficult.

Upon realizing he'd been silently staring at the redhead for nearly an entire minute, Naruto cleared his throat in a tense manner, shifting just a little too uncomfortably for it to be casual. In order to create a distraction of some sorts, he took himself a cigarette, placed it between his lips and lit up. Blowing out a thin trail of smoke, he turned just enough to glance out the window again.

"So, how was Russia?" he asked, as casually as he could. He wasn't facing Gaara, so the half-amused, half-disappointed look on his face went unnoticed.

"It was…different. Big", he settled as a simple answer. The blonde chuckled, before turning his way again.

"Where'd ya go? Moscow?" he asked. The redhead shook his head, smirking.

"Moscow's seven time zones away", he told.

Naruto huffed. He'd always been lousy with geography. Which Gaara found mildly amusing.

"I went to Vladivostok. They have good sea routes to Japan", the redhead then clarified.

All Naruto could do was nod. He had no damn clue where Vladivostok was. It sounded Russian, alright.

"Hn. I've never been to Russia", the blonde muttered, while taking another drag of toxic smoke.

Gaara wasn't sure if the other one was just talking to himself, but it didn't really matter. He gave Naruto a lopsided smile.

"I'll take you there someday", the redhead promised. The blonde met his gaze, before returning the lazy smile.

"Yeah?" he asked. Gaara nodded. "Yeah."

Naruto's crooked smile faded away. He put out his cigarette, then paused for a second, before sighing. He took slow steps towards the other man, stopping to stand in front of him. His hand came to straighten the other's shirt helm for no apparent reason. Must've been just a subconscious manner.

"What if we do that? What if we just leave the country and run away?" he then asked, fingers fumbling the redhead's black shirt.

Gaara said nothing at first. He needed a while of silence before disappointing the blonde. "It won't work. You know that."

Naruto stopped tugging the other's shirt, but didn't let go. His eyes darkened just slightly, a grunt escaping his lips.

"Yeah. I know", he admitted. The disappointment in his voice made Gaara's chest tighten uncomfortably.

Heavy silence fell. This time it was somewhat tense and uncomfortable. The redhead didn't want it to go on for too long, so he came up with a question to ask.

"How was your six months?" he pried.

He wasn't sure why even asked. He already knew it'd been months full of shit. He was slightly worried the blonde would get depressed over his question, but saw no signs of it. The man seemed to take it surprisingly well. Naruto shrugged before answering.

"It was…eventful", he told. He figured it was a good choice of words. Summed it up quite well. Gaara tilted his head in a vaguely curious manner.

"Yeah? What's new?" he asked, as if clueless. Naruto glanced at him askance. His look told that he knew the other's question held no real benefit.

"Everything", he said simply. "But you already know that, don't you?"

Gaara refused to react to the blonde's slightly judgmental tone of voice. He didn't feel he had anything to feel guilty for.

"Hn. Yeah", he eventually admitted.

There was no need for him to hide it. Naruto had obviously figured out that he already knew about it. About all of it. About his self-destructive way of dealing with anxiety, about how much he'd missed Gaara, and even about his new choice of career. He was a smart guy after all.

"You went to see Sai, huh?" the blonde muttered, his gaze falling back down.

Gaara considered lying, but concluded it to be useless. "Yeah."

Naruto said nothing. The redhead wasn't sure if he felt insulted, or simply didn't care. Either way, Gaara didn't want him to dwell in any form of anxiety.

"Anything good happened?" he decided to ask, just to lighten the heavy mood a little. It seemed to work. At least Naruto chuckled.

"I got divorced", he revealed, obviously finding it a good thing.

The small smirk on Gaara's lips fell. The strangest wave of absolute bliss washed over him, nearly knocking the wind out of his lungs. Had he said he didn't nearly sink to his knees only to thank the devil, he would've been lying. But though he had difficulties concealing his need to thank some divine being, he did his best to keep his poker face.

"You did?" he asked, his voice unusually high. As if it'd gotten stuck in his throat.

He was well aware of how ridiculous he'd sounded, but couldn't have cared less. It did make Naruto chuckle in amusement.

"Yeah. I did", he assured.

An odd feeling overcame the redhead. It was a mix of relief and contentment, but also a flash of fear. He came to realize there was a less relieving side to this as well. If Naruto had divorced his wife, that meant he was now free for anybody to claim. To try and claim, anyway. Just because he no longer was married, did not mean the blonde was any more his than he'd been before. Not only that, but Gaara wasn't sure if he even wanted the man to be all his. He wasn't sure what that would've meant. He wasn't sure that would ever work. Also, there was no saying the blonde would want that either. It all suddenly felt so complicated. Even more so than before.

Gaara wasn't sure how to feel. Or more accurately, he wasn't sure what he was feeling. For he knew he never wanted to let the blonde go. That was a solid fact. But what would happen if Naruto found someone else to marry? What if he began another relationship? Gaara would never be the one to do that with him. He wasn't capable of such. He would never be able to give him what he wanted and needed. He'd never be enough in that sense.

Would he be able to live with Naruto one day remarrying? And would that leave him in the same position he'd been in when going behind the man's ex-wife's back? Shoved aside and told to keep away. Is that how it'd turn out to be again?

Naruto must've seen the odd look in the redhead's eyes, as he reached out to touch his face. Gaara would've liked to avoid his gaze, but forced himself to meet it. It seemed that he wasn't as skilled hiding his thoughts as he would've liked to be. The blonde's lips came to gently press themselves against his. Just for a second.

"Don't do this now. Please don't do this now. We don't have to think about it tonight", he then said, giving the redhead a pleading look.

Gaara said nothing. He eventually lost the fight against himself, and ended up avoiding the blonde's gaze. Naruto let his shoulder's slowly fall in a slightly desperate manner. He tried saying something, but had nothing to say. His eyes persistently tried to find connection with the other's, only for his attempts to be in vain. It made him frustrated. He ended up closing the small distance between them, demandingly pressing his lips against the redhead's. The reaction was nearly nonexistent.

He refused to give up. He kissed the other's unresponsive lips again. And again. His hands found their way on the man's waist, taking a rough hold of him. His breath escaped him in frustrated, hasty exhales, telling the redhead that he really, really needed him to respond. Though Naruto was almost certain the man never would, he refused to stop. That turned out to be the right decision.

Whether Gaara planned it or not, he eventually stopped resisting it. He cautiously kissed him back. His hands slowly made their way to hold him. And soon enough, the cautiousness was gone. His hands moved to take off the other's jacket, the shirt coming off even without asking. Though they broke apart only for a split second, it was enough for his gaze to catch the tag around the blonde's neck. It must've been there the entire time, only he hadn't taken notice of it. Gaara didn't bother pulling away to speak.

"You still wear it", he muttered against the other's lips, hand sliding over the iron tag. The blonde's hands came to remove the redhead's shirt.

"It's all I had left of you. I'm taking it to the grave with me", Naruto said, throwing away the black piece of clothing.

They stopped to watch each other for just a moment. Both of them breathing heavily, both of their eyes traveling along the other's tall figure. Naruto easily noticed the deep scar that went down the redhead's chest, as continuation to the one on his face. He also noticed the ink now covering the man's entire chest, side and neck, only his stomach bare anymore. Whether the blonde intended it or not, his lips parted in appreciation of what he saw. He wondered if the man had in fact become even more pleasing to the eye, or if he'd simply forgotten how ridiculously well nature had blessed him.

"Why are you not on and in me already?" he muttered, eyes glued to what was standing before him.

Whatever little hesitation Gaara might've still felt, disappeared in that exact second. He took a step closer, placed a hand on the back of the blonde's neck and pulled him closer, until there was no gap between them anymore. And he kissed him. First a little slower and gentler, then deeper, then harder. He did that, until he got the low groan of need he'd hoped to receive.

"You fuckin' sure now?" Gaara's low voice asked.

Naruto could feel his own body shiver in the most pleasant way as a response to the demanding tone of voice. The blonde took a hard grip of the other's hair.

"Ask me again, and I'll kick your head to shit."

Gaara had no reason to doubt the certainty of that promise. Nor did he have any will to ask for reassurance. His patience on the matter had understandably worn quite thin.

Naruto found himself being roughly pushed towards the bed, until the back of his legs hit the edge of it. Gaara felt no hesitation to shove the other one hard, making him fall on the soft surface. A hand was quick to come up and pull him down equally as violently. Every last trace of the doubt they'd once felt was gone. There to replace it were teeth biting down on soft skin, a fist grabbing red hair and nails digging into a pale, tattooed back. Perhaps a few hasty breaths and sounds slipping unintentionally. And a horribly desperate need for more room inside awfully tight jeans.

The redhead wasn't asked much, as he got shoved off the blonde, forced on his back and found his hands pinned hard against the bed. He didn't mind. Not at all. He did not mind being trapped down, not the blonde sitting on him, not even the deliberate shifting of hips the other one seemed to enthusiastically do to make him groan against smirking lips. He only minded the nearly painful state of his now primary brain, restrained by clothing way too tight. Making jeans that tight should've been against the law.

Thankfully the blonde seemed to be on an understanding mood, as he soon helped out by unbuckling the redhead's belt, easing his physical misery. The man might've thanked him, hadn't he been busy groaning for the feel of lips and a tongue, yet fortunately no teeth. The lack of self-control he possessed was in fact ridiculous. He wasn't patient enough to wait more than a mere minute to pull the blonde up and push him against the wall, his front pressing against the headboard. Gaara was quick to open the blonde's belt and rid him of clothing he found unnecessary, just enough for it to not bother him.

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, after wearing their patience as thin as humanly possible, they probably could've put a little more thought and sentimentality in that moment. But had either one said they gave a flying fuck about any sort of sensuality right then, they would've been liars. Not much beyond unintelligent, primitive need was happening between or within them. Intelligence in general quite efficiently stopped existing altogether.

"You ain't sleeping tonight, blondie", Gaara assured, his voice low enough to be a growl. The statement received a chuckle.

"If you're good enough, nobody's sleepin' tonight."

He was. Way more than good enough. It was doubtful the ones behind their walls dared to even dream of sleep. But not much compassion was given to those sleepless strangers by them. It was difficult to care about such irrelevant factors when the real world suddenly seemed nonexistent.

Naruto found himself asking why he'd ever bothered to fight this in the first place. It did hurt more than he'd expected. But he also minded it less than one would think. And the pain wasn't never-ending. It only lasted until he realized there was in fact something inside him he hadn't been aware even existed. Something that was more than enough to overcome the pain, to make him groan for reasons other than agony and something that made Gaara smirk against his back, knowing he'd found what he'd hoped.

It was strange in the most pleasurable way. For someone who'd only ever been that close with women, it was surprising to realize how different it was with another man. It was odd not to be exclusively the dominant one. It felt so bizarre to be held down by someone stronger, yet not end up feeling threatened. Not to mention how not being in control made it truly difficult to have any say in the level of loudness. That was perhaps one of the most vulnerable, yet liberating feelings the blonde could remember having experienced. It was as if he had permission to be submissive. And though he'd never admit it, he fucking loved it.

Whether it was intentional or not, the perfectly stoic and indifferent redhead surprisingly enough let all his icy barriers come crashing down. The man didn't seem to feel any need to hold back anything really. He sure as hell wasn't shy to voice the occasional thought that could be put into actual words. Though he spoke in a way that would've put an overpaid prostitute to shame, the blonde had no reason to complain. Coming from Gaara, it was surprisingly flattering to hear that fucking him felt better than murdering people. Even being called the worst sin since the holocaust could be taken as a compliment when it was followed by a needy growl and a moan.

Equally as surprising was the extent of pleasure the redhead seemed to find in getting violently submitted. Naruto had been well aware of the man being somewhat masochistic, but dear lord did the guy like being somebody's bitch. Not that he minded it. At least he could safely say it wouldn't get boring any time soon. And to Gaara's luck, the blonde had no problem choking or biting him when asked. Second time around, asking wasn't necessary anymore.

Naruto fell asleep at dawn, held by arms that enjoyed anything from being tied up, to keeping him safe, if it only made him happy. Even if he'd tried, he couldn't have asked for more.

For the few minutes it took for Naruto to fall asleep, he felt this vague understanding of that night having been something more than just the end to hellish waiting. Much more than just sex. For him anyway. To him, it'd been everything, yet nothing he'd expected. It'd been something he'd never even imagined it to be, for he'd never realized it could be like it. With anyone. He could only describe it as having gone light-years beyond just physicality. Which again presented a potential problem. But before he could realize that, he'd fallen asleep. His mind hadn't been there to understand it at the time, or even after it. It was only when he woke up that he even came to think about it. And once he did, the nature of that problem ended up being something he hadn't been prepared for.

_Naruto stands in front of a fire again. He watches it dance for him. And he enjoys it, just like before. This time, the heat doesn't sting him like usually. It stays pleasantly warm. The pained screams of death and suffering reach his ears as music even more beautiful than before. _

_He closes his eyes. He inhales the air around him. He listens to the screams. He smiles._

_But not because of the fire. Not because of the smell of death. Not because of the screams._

_He smiles, because it is there with him. The figure. It's there with him. It stands next to him, and holds his hand. It still has no face, it still feels cold to the touch. But it is there. It is holding onto him, not letting go. They listen to the screams together. They watch the fire together. They are together. And that is what makes him smile._

_Naruto turns his gaze to see the figure. It is nothing but a black, faceless mass next to him. It is so close, yet he still cannot make out a face. Yet it still has no voice, no name. But it has a feel. There is a feel to it. A feel that makes him shiver. He shivers so violently, his entire body shakes. But it doesn't feel bad. He isn't cold. He isn't anxious. He isn't afraid. _

_He is safe._

_Naruto tears his gaze away from the figure. He turns back towards the fire. The heat has started to fade away. The lights have started to dim. The colors are turning grey. And the screams, they are dying out. He knows the fire is burning out. It will be gone soon. _

_He lets go of the figure. The fire is disappearing, and so will the figure. That's how it always goes. This time, he is ready for it. He is ready for the coldness. For the loneliness. For the pain. Knowing it is coming, he waits. He closes his eyes and waits._

_The heat soon disappears altogether. The screams are no more. The smell of death turns into pureness. It makes him sick, but he refuses to let it take over him. The fire is gone now. The death is gone now. He is alone now._

_But then something touches him._

_He opens his eyes again. The fire truly is gone. The death truly is gone. Nothing is left but darkness and ice. But still, he feels someone touch him._

_He turns to see his side. He can't see the figure anymore. But he can feel it touch him. _

_Is it just too dark for him to see it anymore?_

_The touch doesn't leave. The figure is still there. The fire is gone, but the figure remains. He is afraid to reach out and feel the darkness beside him. But eventually, he does. And he can feel them. He can feel the figure. It still stands next to him, it still holds on to him. He smiles. He has to._

_The fire left him. The death left him. The colors left him. Everything left him, but the figure. But that is enough._

_He isn't alone anymore._

Naruto's eyes fluttered open. Slowly, calmly. They did not shoot wide open, they weren't filled with panic. They were at ease, as was the rest of him. He felt fine. He felt good.

He knew he'd dreamed again. He'd seen the same dream he always did. It'd been a while since the last time, but there was that certain feel to it that made him sure it'd been the same. Only this time, he did not feel anxiety, he wasn't struggling to breathe under immense panic. He wasn't trembling, his body attempting to fall into pieces. He was just fine.

Naruto opened his eyes wider to see properly. What met him was nothing but a dull ceiling, the morning sun casting its rays over the white plaster. He knew he wasn't alone. He could feel a hand gently pressed against his chest. A small smile lifted the corner of his lips, as he turned his gaze to the left. The sight meeting him gave him a warm, tingling feeling in his abdomen. His slight fear of waking up all alone disappeared in that instant. He was still there. Gaara was still there.

"Mornin', little demon", the man muttered, half of his speech fading into the pillow beneath his head.

Naruto's smile grew wider just a little. The fingers brushing down his chest, trailing the lines of his tattoos made him shiver slightly. In a good way.

"Mornin'. How long have you been there, staring at me?" he asked with a chuckle.

The slight drowsiness was yet to leave his voice. Gaara found his sleep dulled voice to be one of the most pleasant sounds he'd ever heard.

"Three hours", he admitted.

His confession made the blonde laugh. Considering that he hadn't slept much longer than that, it was worthy of a little amusement. The redhead inched a little closer to him, burying his face in blonde hair. Naruto had yet to stop chuckling.

"Shut up. You know I like doin' it", Gaara muttered. The blonde ended his chuckling with a light sigh.

"You're a freak", he stated, pulling the other one closer.

He might've given the man an insult, but got rewarded with a kiss. He hadn't known insulting him could be that gratifying. The redhead smirked against his lips.

"You're into freaks", the man pointed out. Naruto snorted. "Nah. Just you."

Gaara said nothing, only hummed in a pleased manner. As the redhead seemed to immerse himself in the wonders of gently biting his neck, Naruto let himself stop to stare at the ceiling again. He quickly found himself sinking deep into his thoughts, only distantly aware of the man entertaining himself. He didn't mind it. It felt nice.

He found himself thinking about the night before. About the way time had seemed to just disappear, how reality itself had seemed to fade away. Somewhere along the night, he remembered himself having found a state of mind he'd never known existed. A very focused, very illogical and very emotionally driven state of mind. The kind that consumed one as a whole, not leaving loopholes.

And it was the memory of that feeling that quickly awoke terror inside him.

Something unexpected had happened somewhere along the previous night. Not only had the blonde realized that what he'd so far interpreted as good sex, was in fact lousy. He sure as hell had never before called out to God at the end of it. Though it dented his ego just a little, he had to admit to having done just that. Several times. Loudly. After months of desperate wanting, his expectations hadn't been exactly low. But to find that his expectations might just as well have been a hell of a lot higher, it'd left him somewhat dumbfounded. In a good way. In a way he hoped to be left like countless times more.

But though the physical bliss of it had been one of the most positive surprises he'd ever experienced, it wasn't actually that what'd taken him aback the most. It was more about what'd gone on inside his head. About the chemicals in his brains that activated anomalies generally named as emotions. Chemical anomaly felt like a much better way of naming it at the moment, as he had no idea how to handle them. He'd felt things he never had before. He'd felt something that'd left him fully satisfied, but also at the same time, absolutely petrified. And now he was scared out of his mind.

Naruto glanced at Gaara from the corner of his eye. The man didn't notice, nor was he supposed to. The blonde felt the need to suffer a panic attack. He did his best not to, but it was a fight. Though he did an impressive job not showing it, he'd never been so scared in his entire life. And the reason to that was the vague conclusion he'd made of what it was he was feeling.

He was falling for him. He was falling for Gaara. Hard as hell and in a way he'd never thought to be possible. In a way that was only supposed to exist in tacky movies.

Naruto closed his eyes, taking a subtle deep breath. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to accept it. He hoped the feeling would go away and end up being nothing but a passing mental disturbance. He couldn't let it be anything more than that. Not because he found anything wrong with it per se. But because not in a million years would his feelings be returned. Gaara couldn't do that. Gaara could not love.

The blonde shut his eyes tighter. He focused on the deranged patterns moving in the darkness under his lids, until he no longer felt tormented by his thoughts. He pushed the oppressive mindset away, forced himself to forget all about it, before opening his eyes again. The sun shining through the window hit his vision sharply, but he didn't mind. The thought was gone. He was fine again.

Naruto didn't have to look to know Gaara was staring at him. He didn't want to give the man a chance to ask any questions he wouldn't be able to answer. In order to not give his disturbing thoughts any room to return, he decided to voice the first thing on his mind.

"You are the best fuck of my entire life."

His blunt statement seemed to be enough for Gaara to forget about asking questions. The man stopped to stare at the side of Naruto's turned head for a while, as if wondering what to say.

"I'm pretty impressed with myself right now", he eventually replied.

The blonde smiled a weak smirk. It wasn't present for long. Silence fell. Naruto continued staring at the ceiling, while Gaara continued staring at him. The man didn't seem to mind the lack of eye contact. At least he said nothing of it. When Naruto eventually spoke again, he kept his gaze glued upwards.

"Disappointed?" he asked simply.

The redhead frowned. It took him a while to assimilate the question. But he caught on eventually.

"What? By you?" he asked, slight disbelief in his voice. Naruto nodded, still refusing to face him.

Gaara was silent far too long. The blonde felt like cringing. In his mind, getting silence as an answer was not good. But then the man burst out laughing. Naruto was forced to face him. He had to see what could possibly have been amusing enough to deserve such a wholehearted laughter. He had never heard such a sound escape the redhead, and found it half-terrifying, half-insulting. And it went on way longer than could be interpreted as normal.

"You bein' serious?" the man eventually managed to ask.

The absolutely unimpressed look on Naruto's face told that he was in fact being completely serious. And did not appreciate the laughing in his face thing going on. Gaara was smart enough to take the hint and forced his amusement away. The smirk he couldn't fight. Or the snort.

"I ain't gonna answer that. That's just fuckin' stupid", he declared, obviously not thinking it through.

While in Gaara's mind the idea of him ever being disappointed in the blonde was too outrageous to even be considered, in Naruto's world the man should've gotten punched for not answering the question properly. And he made that point clear with a cold glare, and an insult to accompany it.

"You absolute dickhead", he stated.

Gaara grunted, but mainly found the other's reaction amusing. That turned out to be a mistake. Not particularly impressed with the redhead, Naruto rolled his eyes and moved to sit up. He reached to the floor to pick up his jeans. The redhead sighed and rushed to seat himself behind the blonde, wrapping his arms around him. To say that he received the cold shoulder was an understatement. He tried his best to gain attention by nuzzling against the other's neck.

"Don't sulk, angelface", he muttered, tightening his hold around the other one. Naruto couldn't bother beyond general disregard of his affection.

"Whatever. We got shit to do", he grunted, attempting to reach for his jeans again. His hand got pulled back by the redhead. He turned his head enough to give the man a glare.

"What the fuck are ya trying to pull off?" he snarled, evidently irritated. Gaara ignored his tone.

"I finally got you into my bed. You think I'm lettin' you go?" he muttered, his lips pressing against the other's back. Naruto decided to ignore the shiver it sent down his spine.

"Being a douchebag won't make me stay", he pointed out, once again trying to get a hold of his jeans. Gaara shot his attempts down again.

The man refused to let him go. Instead he further tightened his hold and pressed his lips against the blonde's neck. Naruto would've smacked him away, hadn't he found it just a little too pleasurable.

"You being angry at me is kind of a turn on, ya know", the redhead muttered, gently biting the soft skin. The blonde tried not to care that it felt irritatingly good.

"Hn. Fuckin' masochist", he grunted. Gaara chuckled against his neck.

"For you, yeah", he said, aware of having said it before.

Feeling that the blonde refused to relax his tense shoulders, Gaara loosened the grip around him. But that didn't mean he'd let the man leave. He might've been an asshole by nature, but he still wouldn't let him go thinking he wasn't enough.

"You're the best I've ever had. In every fuckin' way. Get it?" he said, his voice lowering to a near growl.

Naruto's tense shoulders finally fell, but he still refused to return any of the affection given. Even the lips pressing against the back of his neck wasn't enough to change that. But he might've closed his eyes upon feeling the lips slowly move down to his shoulder.

"You make go insane by doing nothin' at all", the redhead muttered.

Naruto fought not to let his fall backwards against the other's shoulder, but failed. The lips found their way back to his neck.

"You are the only heaven I'll ever see, feel or touch", Gaara continued.

The blonde tried not to let out a shaky breath. He failed. The hands on his sides moved lower.

"You are the only hell I'll ever enjoy being inside of."

Naruto could feel the redhead smirk against his neck. He could also feel the hand on him make sure he wasn't getting up without an extremely uncomfortable situation. He tried not to grip the hand doing that to him, to guide it. He failed. Gaara let out a low chuckle.

"You are my sin, you are my salvation."

The blonde hated to admit it, but he was efficiently forgetting about being pissed off. Pretty words became much more than that when spoken with sincerity. And he sort of hated the redhead for being that persuasive. Just a little.

"You know what that makes you?" the man then asked.

All he got in return was a low groan. It could be that the blonde didn't even need the answer to that. But Gaara gave him one anyway.

"That makes you my religion."

It wasn't much more than a whisper, but sent another tingling of shivers down Naruto's back. It wasn't often somebody compared him to divinity. Whether he deserved it or not didn't really matter to him. He allowed himself to feel worthy of it. Just because he could. Naruto turned his head enough to see the redhead. He didn't turn down the cold lips that came to taste his warm ones. Why bother, when he didn't really want to.

"Never fuckin' leave me again", he spoke against the other's mouth. Though it might've come out more as a moan than actual speech.

Gaara broke away, just enough to look him in the eyes. He felt it was necessary when giving a promise.

"I'll never leave you again", he swore, a hand holding the side of the other's face.

The hold around Naruto tightened. The absolutely unnecessary gap between them disappeared once more. What the serenity of their affection quickly turned into, quite clearly told of the eventual outcome. Which neither one would've complained about. But then there was a knock on the door. Naruto didn't have to open his eyes to know that Gaara's intent to kill had shot up in the split of a second. The growl escaping him was enough of an indicator.

"Should we get it?" the blonde asked. The other's answer was quick and simple. "No."

Naruto would've gladly accepted that decision, hadn't it been for the second, more demanding knock, and a familiar voice with that distinctive tone of general annoyance.

"Open the door, sicko. I know you're in there", Sasuke's irritated tone demanded from behind the door.

Naruto pushed the redhead away with a sigh. Gaara was positive this would be the day he'd murder Sasuke. He already knew his chances of getting the blonde to forget about the annoyance banging on their door were nonexistent. With a frustrated groan, he admitted defeat and let go of the other one. Naruto got up, while Gaara let himself lazily slump down to lie. He came to find that the blonde had succeeded in pulling on his underwear in that split of a second. The redhead glanced at him, only to receive a demanding gaze.

"Go open the door", Naruto said. Gaara raised a brow.

"Me? You're the one with clothes on", he pointed out. It only earned him a roll of eyes.

"I'm also the one with the obvious boner. Besides, it's your damn door", Naruto argued, while pulling on his jeans.

A third knock followed. Gaara let out a growl of pure frustration, but crawled his way out of the bed. Not having the slightest motivation to put on clothing, he settled on wrapping a sheet around him, before marching his way to the door. But on his way there, he stopped to grab the blonde's hand, and asked for no opinions, as he bluntly placed it against his crotch. He gave the other one a meaningful glare, in order to make his point clear.

"I ain't doin' any better on that field, as you can feel", he grunted, before letting the other's hand go.

Naruto had to smirk. Gaara made his way to the door, sighed and opened it. An annoyed Sasuke stood in the hallway. The redhead returned his vexed glare with an equally as irritated one. But that eye contact quickly disappeared, as Sasuke's gaze found something more interesting than his face. The man's gaze traveled considerably lower. And then stayed there.

"I take it I woke ya up", he muttered, not shy to show his appreciation of the sight. Gaara decided to ignore it.

"What do you want?" he asked, somewhat expecting eye contact. None came.

"Is Naruto here? He ain't in his room", Sasuke muttered, still continuing his bold staring.

How could he not? The redhead might've been an absolute dick, but obviously that particular feature applied to his physique as well. In a very well blessed manner. Sasuke was only a man. There was only so much one could ask of him.

"Yeah. He's here", Gaara then told. Sasuke's brain taking a brief vacation, there wasn't much he had to say to that.

"Hn."

He then welcomed himself inside the other's room, still staring as he walked past the man. The redhead rolled his eyes, but said nothing. He just closed the door, before turning back around, only to find that Sasuke hadn't moved an inch.

Gaara raised a brow. "Wanna see the rest?"

Sasuke tilted his head. "Nah, I'm good."

The redhead snorted. He didn't particularly mind the man's stare, mainly found it amusing. With another roll of his eyes, he turned around and walked away, escorted by a burning stare. Naruto, now fully dressed, walked past him and approached the raven still staring after the pale man. Upon reaching his friend, the blonde sort of expected a form of acknowledgment. Receiving none, he followed the other's gaze. Apparently Sasuke suddenly had a thing for redheads. Which might've pissed Naruto off just a little.

"Yo. Close your mouth. You'll choke on flies", he grunted. Sasuke finally seemed to realize the blonde's existence, but barely glanced at him.

"Shut up. I found eyecandy", he muttered.

The smirk on his lips indicated he was mainly doing it just to annoy Naruto. Who again was so close to slapping Sasuke. So close.

"You're sort of failing at hating him right now", he pointed out. Sasuke chuckled, finally turning to face him.

"I'm just a man. I have needs. And a really, really dry spell going on", he justified his actions. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Why are you here?" he asked. The raven raised a brow.

"To find you. Why are _you_ here?" he asked in return. The blonde shrugged.

"Came by last night. Too lazy to go back", he said from the top of his head. Sasuke raised a brow.

"Too lazy to go three floors down? With an elevator?" he questioned.

The way he said it did kind of make it seem ridiculous. But that didn't stop Naruto from sticking to his story. "Yeah."

Sasuke gave him a slightly odd look. But he was used enough to the blonde's strange train of thought, thus not even trying to understand.

"Whatever. As long as you ain't in my bed, I won't complain", he said, shrugging it off. Naruto smirked.

"Hey. I ain't that bad of a thing to find in bed in the morning", he assured, acting insulted.

Sasuke raised a brow. "Your confidence disturbs me."

The blonde chuckled and decided to spare his friend from further traumas. He turned around and walked over to the bed to sit on the edge. He then took himself a cigarette, lit up and inhaled a breath of smoke. Sasuke came to join him, sat down as well and bummed a smoke. The blonde almost wanted to warn that he couldn't guarantee the man wasn't sitting on something he might not necessarily have found pleasing. He left it unsaid.

Sasuke lit up his cigarette, enjoying the feel of thick smoke filling his lungs. It felt more pleasant than it sounded. Letting the smoke then slip out from between his lips, he glanced at his blonde friend. Naruto didn't notice his gaze, but Sasuke did notice the marks on his neck. It made him smirk.

"So, who'd you bang all night?" he asked as bluntly as humanly possible. Naruto nearly choked on the smoke flowing down his windpipe.

"Excuse me?" he managed to ask between coughs, his voice wheezing. Sasuke raised a brow. He hadn't realized the blonde to be such a prude.

"Your neck is bright blue. Usually that means getting' some", he clarified.

Naruto stopped to stare at him. He brought up a hand to touch his neck. Upon feeling the touch sting, he had to get up and walk over to the large mirror in the corner of the room. His eyes widened in shock. Literally half of his neck was covered in blue tooth marks. It was like he'd had sex with a sixteen year old. Which was disturbing on more than just one level.

"What the…that motherf-", he began, but decided not to finish the sentence, as he heard the bathroom door open.

Gaara stepped into the room, fully clothed this time. He closed the door behind him and glanced at the blonde, only to receive a deathly glare. The redhead raised a brow.

"What?" he grunted.

He wasn't sure why he deserved to be abused with such a murdering stare. The blonde sort of looked like he was about to start yelling. It was intimidating to some extent.

"Nothin'. Just admiring my bright blue neck", Naruto said. Hadn't it been for the gritted teeth, his annoyance wouldn't have come through at all.

Gaara smirked. He had to. "Oh. Look at that."

Sasuke was quite certain he sensed some slight tension in the room. But instead of pointing it out, he chuckled.

"Blondie got laid", he said in a deliberately irritating singsong tone. Naruto shot him a glare. Gaara snorted.

"The best fuck of his entire life", he chuckled, only to receive a glare as well. The redhead shrugged. "You said it."

The temptation of teasing Naruto was too grave. Gaara couldn't help himself. Neither could Sasuke.

"Ha. Who's the lucky lady? Didn't find her under a red light, did ya?" he sneered.

The blonde narrowed his eyes at the two men. He could not comprehend with whatever it was that always drove those two to act like pricks. Just for the sake of pissing him off. Glancing at the ridiculously obnoxious looking redhead, he decided to show that what goes around, comes around.

"Hn. Your pack of smokes last night came with a side of cute cashier for me. Biggest rack I've ever seen", he told Sasuke, smirking the dirtiest smile he could muster.

Gaara's obnoxiousness was shortly lived. But that had been the intention. Sasuke never noticed the look of murder on his face, as he was busy rolling his eyes.

"That is so disgustingly…straight. Only straight guys brag like that", the raven muttered, shaking his head.

Never before had Gaara felt so tempted to correct someone.

"What can I say? Best lay of my life", the blonde said, grinning like a moron.

The redhead wasn't so sure if he should think of that as a compliment anymore. Sasuke snorted.

"Loud?" he had to ask. Naruto glanced at Gaara and smirked. "Like a Tijuana prostitute."

If only glares could kill.

"You disturb me. So, what's the plan for today?" Sasuke asked, dropping the subject of last night. To Gaara's grave relief.

"We'll check out that address we got once it gets dark. Hopefully it ain't a dead end", Naruto told. The redhead managed to nod in agreement, despite his vaguely pissed off state.

"And before that?" Sasuke questioned, pulling himself off the bed.

The blonde shrugged. "Do what ya want. No plans."

"Hn. I think I'll hit the gym. I feel fat today", Sasuke muttered, finding his way to the door. Naruto followed behind him, chuckling.

"Don't worry, love. You're as pretty as ever", he assured. The other man smirked. "Of course I am. Absolute perfection."

Naruto snorted. "Sure, stud. Drag your perfection outta here."

Sasuke chuckled, bumping his fist against the blonde's. "Later."

"Peace out."

Naruto shut the door once the other one had left. He then stopped to stare at the closed entrance. He dragged out turning around, as he was aware of the glaring redhead behind him. He turned to face him eventually. And though the man might've been annoyed by the blonde's deliberate teasing, he knew right away that wasn't what truly bothered him. Naruto was hesitant to ask about it. But in the end, he didn't have to. Gaara's question made it all quite clear.

"Why don't you want him to know?"

Naruto said nothing. Instead he watched the redhead in silence, wondering how he should reply. There was no easy way to do that.

"It's complicated", he eventually settled as an answer.

The instant flash of mild anger in Gaara's eyes indicated he wasn't pleased with the reply. He pushed himself away from the wall he'd leaned against, and stepped closer to the blonde, stopping in front of him. The redhead came across slightly too edgy in Naruto's opinion. The clenching jaw only proved that point to be true.

"I think I deserve a better explanation than that", Gaara commented, narrowing his eyes at the other one.

The man's demanding tone somewhat irritated the blonde. But even more than that, he was annoyed that it had to be complicated. For it truly was. There was no single reason why he didn't want Sasuke to know. Preferring it kept hidden was due to the mess of defects between them, between him and Gaara. The faultiness of what they were.

One major reason was that Naruto simply saw no point in telling about something that potentially meant nothing. He obviously wished it wouldn't have been that way, but it wasn't a matter of opinion. He wasn't entirely sure what it was he felt for the redhead, and scared of what it might be. And even more terrified he was because it didn't matter what he felt. It all efficiently lost its meaning, as no positive response would ever happen. In his opinion, that was reason enough not to tell anybody about something that would eventually fall apart anyway.

But there was another, much simpler reason as to why he had no desire to tell Sasuke. Or anyone at that. Naruto was very simply afraid that Gaara would leave again. He'd said he wouldn't, he'd promised he wouldn't, but his promises had slightly increased in value. Especially that particular one.

Naruto sighed. It was obvious that the redhead wouldn't give up on demanding for a proper answer. And in all honesty, he did deserve a better one. Though the blonde knew the man wouldn't agree with him, he decided to be honest. To an extent, anyway.

"I don't want him to know, cause I don't trust you won't leave again", he finally said.

The annoyance on Gaara's face fell, replaced by confusion. Naruto lowered his gaze to the floor.

"If nobody finds out what I've got, I'll be the only who knows what I've lost once it's gone."

The redhead was completely silent. He watched Naruto stare at the grey carpet beneath them, not able to understand why he would've said that. It made him feel somewhat hurt. But mainly shitty. Because it meant that the man didn't trust him. He reached out to touch him, only to get rejected. He didn't push it. He kept his hands to himself.

"Don't say that. Don't fuckin' say that. I won't leave you", he said, after a while of silence. Naruto grunted, finally lifting his gaze.

"You can say that all you want. That won't change the fact that you left once already. You could do it again", he stated.

Gaara shut his eyes, trying his best not to feel frustrated. In his mind, this discussion was pointless. But since Naruto didn't seem to agree, he did his best to understand.

"You know why I left", the redhead reminded. The blonde was quick to reply.

"And you know what that did to me."

A somewhat heavy silence fell. Gaara had no way of defending himself further and knew it. Not that he really had the need to, either. Naruto started growing anxious. The small fidgeting traits of his hands were an indicator. As was the heavy sigh. The redhead had no idea what to say. The blonde seemed quite determined not to trust him. He doubted anything would've convinced him otherwise. And it left him feeling a little lost.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, not knowing what else to do. Naruto shrugged.

"Nothing really. It doesn't matter what you say. I can't trust you. Either you live with it, or you don't. Your choice", he said.

Gaara felt a slight stab in his chest. Hearing the other one voice his lack of trust felt surprisingly uncomfortable. Painful even. But that still didn't compare to the anger he felt for the blonde thinking he'd really leave. For him to not only be afraid of it, but in fact nearly positive. It made him angry, but from the options given, only one was acceptable to Gaara. Whether Naruto liked it or not, he got pulled against the other's chest, arms wrapping around him, holding him still.

"I'll live with it. I'll live with anything, as long as you don't push me away anymore."

It took a while of still silence, but eventually Naruto returned the hold Gaara persistently tightened around him. He pressed his face against the pale man's neck, fist gripping the back of his shirt. He'd forgotten how easy it was to feel safe in the redhead's arms. But it was equally as easy to fear losing that safety.

"I know why you left", Naruto suddenly said. "I'm not blaming you for it."

Gaara frowned. "But?"

The blonde held the redhead tighter.

"But I ain't doing it again. I ain't fighting alone anymore. We're in this shit together, and I need you to be there. Be here. With me."

Gaara pulled him closer, but grunted roughly.

"I just want to keep you safe. I want you to be okay."

The blonde in his arms chuckled. Not an amused, not a happy chuckle. A very strained, very sad one. The redhead pulled away enough to see him. The smile on the other's face might've been the saddest of smiles he'd ever seen.

"I don't care about that. I don't care if I'm okay", Naruto said, shaking his head.

Gaara would've wanted to disagree, but saw that there was something more the other one wanted to say. Only it wasn't what he expected.

"Stop saving me from afar. I wanna die with you."

The redhead's lips parted in the lack of a reply to give. A hand came to touch the side of his face.

"I need you to be here. I don't wanna die alone", Naruto said.

It wasn't much more than a whisper, yet sounded so heavy. There followed this moment where Gaara had to truly think through his reply. He wasn't all sure what the other one was trying to say. Naruto's words were nearing too close the concept of giving up in his opinion. It made the redhead tense.

"You ain't dying yet, blondie", he said.

Though he attempted to sound demanding, it might've come out more nervous than confident. His unusual tone of voice made the blonde smile.

"No. Not yet. But when I do, you need to be there", Naruto muttered, his smile growing less sad, and more pleading.

For a long while, Gaara said nothing. Only stared at him, slightly taken aback. But though he hadn't expected such a wish from him so out of the blue, he had no need to even think about it. He pulled the man closer again, buried his face in blonde hair and held him tightly. His reply might've been simple, but still a sincere promise.

"Okay."

It was a couple hours later, and Gaara sat on the bed alone. The sound of running water flooded through the bathroom door, indicating the shower was still running. He'd sat there for a while now, feeling somewhat lost and empty, just staring at ceiling. There was no particular reason for it. Somehow the discussion he'd had with the blonde earlier on had simply left him feeling drained. Kind of confused. Maybe a little scared. He wasn't sure.

Gaara sighed. He'd sat still doing nothing long enough. Using the time Naruto spent in the shower to his own benefit, the redhead grabbed the paper he'd bought the night before. He had bought it for a reason. Something interesting had caught his attention. A name and a face, to be exact.

On the first page of the paper, there was a familiar, obnoxious bastard printed in black and white. Hyuuga Neji.

Gaara had been surprised to learn the man was still alive. He had expected the guy to have been buried six feet under heavy soil, personally shoveled by yakuza. By all logic, he should have. The mob wasn't one to keep alive people who'd failed in the job assigned to them. Which again lead Gaara to believe that Hyuuga must've somehow proven himself worthwhile anew.

The article itself gave a vague idea of why the guy was still alive. According to the paper, the man had won another big case. And by the looks of it, he'd represented yakuza again. Only this time, he had switched to defense instead of prosecution. Accusations of human trafficking. That's what they'd fought against in court. Apparently Hyuuga had gotten yakuza freed from all charges. That must've increased his value in the mafia's eyes. But it still didn't explain why he'd been given another chance in the first place. There had to be a reason for it. What it was, Gaara couldn't say.

"What are you reading?"

The redhead lifted his gaze up from the paper, finding Naruto in the bathroom doorway, drying his wet hair. Gaara couldn't help but appreciate his shirtless state with a blunt stare. He noticed that the wound on his chest looked slightly better already. That was good.

"Come here", he told the other one.

The blonde did as told and made his way over. He slumped down to sit beside the redhead, trying to get a peak of the paper in the man's hand. Gaara chuckled and turned the paper around, hiding Hyuuga's face. Naruto grunted displeased. He received a crooked smirk.

"Gimme something I like, and I'll tell ya", Gaara bargained.

The blonde narrowed his eyes at the man, but couldn't help the smirk. He decided to fulfill the demand by kissing him in a manner that wasn't the least bit shy. It left the redhead somewhat dumbfounded and silent. Eventually the man shrugged.

"Yeah, that'll do", he approved, making Naruto chuckle. Gaara turned the paper for the blonde to see. The other one took a glance at it, instantly frowning.

"Why is that dickhead still alive?" he asked. Gaara grunted.

"Dunno. That's why I got this. Didn't tell much though. But he's still working for them", he told. Naruto fell silent for a while, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Ya think he has somethin' on them? There has to be a reason, right?" he wondered. The redhead nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I just have no clue what", he admitted.

Naruto didn't have much to say to that. He stopped to stare at the picture of Hyuuga, frowning deeper. The longer he stared, the tenser his shoulders became. He truly did not like that egoistic creature in the least. The obnoxiousness of that man was more than the blonde's nerves could handle. He hated how full of himself the guy had always been. He'd efficiently denigrated Naruto's opinion on people too well-off for their own good.

"Hn. You said you'd get rid of him, y'know", he said, letting his head fall against the other's shoulder. Gaara glanced at him. He chuckled and pressed his face against the blonde's damp hair.

"I know. And I will. I'll do whatever you ask me to", he promised.

Naruto smirked. "Anything, huh?"

Gaara raised a brow at the overly pleased tone. He had a feeling his promise would get exploited in the future. But he didn't really mind. He stole a short moment against the other's lips.

"Anything", he assured. He received a pleased hum.

The redhead's gaze soon traveled past the blonde, to the jacket he'd left to lie on the floor. It made him think of something moderately relevant.

"Gimme my jacket, will ya?" he requested.

Naruto groaned, but did as told. Too lazy to leave the bed, he reached to the floor to grab the jacket and then threw it to the redhead, who immediately went to search the pockets. He took out the thin stack of pictures his brother had given them. Turning one of them around, he studied the address written on the back, trying to figure out its exact location.

Naruto would've perhaps been interested in it as well, hadn't there been something that'd caught his eye. Something had fallen out of the jacket's pocket. In the middle of the bed, there was a metallic shine, in the form of a familiar piece of jewelry. The blonde's lips parted slightly upon realizing it was the locket Temari had once given him. He had forgotten all about it.

"I have no idea where this is. We gotta find out", Gaara muttered, referring to the address he was looking at.

Naruto said nothing. Realizing he wasn't getting much of a reply, the redhead turned to see him. The blonde's gaze was occupied by something entirely else than him. Following the other's stare, he became aware of the silver locket lying on the mattress. He watched Naruto cautiously reach out and pick it up. After a while of watching it lay there in the palm of his hand, he turned to face Gaara. The blonde said nothing, but looked slightly nervous.

The redhead glanced at the locket, before tearing his gaze away. They sat in heavy silence for an entire minute. Naruto watched Gaara, Gaara stared blankly ahead. Eventually the paler one grunted. He reached out to take the locket away from the blonde. Not harshly. Just picked it up, and placed it into his own hand instead. He stopped to look at it for a short, silent while, before frowning slightly. He opened it. Naruto tried to look for an expression or any reaction at all, but found nothing. He wished he could've said it'd been a surprise.

"You were right. She was beautiful. But I don't look a thing like her", Gaara eventually gruffed, still eyeing the pictures inside the locket.

Naruto said nothing. There wasn't much he could've said. So the silence continued.

"They're like twins", the redhead muttered after a while.

The man was most likely talking mainly to himself, so the blonde didn't bother commenting. But he forced himself to be brave enough to ask a question.

"Do you hate me for it?"

He got no answer right away. Which made him feel edgy. But the reply came eventually.

"No." A short pause followed. "I tried, but couldn't."

The locket closed with a soft click. Gaara put it away, back into the pocket of his jacket, before slumping down against the bed's headboard. Neither one said anything. Naruto hesitated, but eventually moved to sit in front of the redhead. Though the man seemed to try avoiding his gaze, he faced him eventually. The blonde couldn't muster a particularly confident voice.

"Should I've kept it a secret?" he asked, somewhat unsure. Gaara lowered his gaze.

"Maybe."

It was an honest answer. Naruto could hear that. The redhead was silent for a long while after that. The blonde didn't dare to speak either. So they sat in silence, until Gaara broke it with a question the other one hadn't anticipated.

"Would you go see her with me? She's buried here."

Naruto's face fell in surprise. But he was quick to ignore the slight shock. He rushed to nod.

"Yeah."

Gaara glanced at him, but said nothing. The blonde wasn't sure what the blank look in his eyes meant. He cautiously leaned a little closer to the redhead, to brush his lips against the other's. Just to see how he'd respond. Naruto didn't get much of a response at all. So he backed away. He wouldn't push it.

The graveyard was colossal. Much bigger than what Naruto had expected. It extended further than the eye could see. The number of tombstones exceeded his ability to count. He had never been in the middle of death on such a large scale. But regardless of that, it was a beautiful place. Serene, peaceful. Well maintained. Everything one could ask of their final rest.

They walked through the deserted, quiet land side by side, not daring to break the calm silence. Not that they would've had much to say. Thousands of headstones covered in a thin layer of winter frost gleamed under the pale sun. Naruto took in the beautiful scenery, letting Gaara lead him further into the cemetery. They must've walked a quarter mile, before finally stopping at a humble grave. The blonde dropped his gaze down to see the stone in the ground. It was humble, but tasteful. The kind one would happily let represent them in the world they'd left behind. Naruto had never met the woman resting in the soil beneath him, but got the feeling it probably suited her well.

The blonde turned to glance at Gaara. The man stood there beside him, completely silent, gaze dropped down to the ground. There was no particular expression on his face, leaving Naruto clueless of what he was thinking. Their walk there had been silent, which he hadn't minded. But he was startling to hope the redhead would finally say something. Tell what he was thinking and feeling. It wasn't really any of the blonde's business, but he wanted to know. Simply because he cared.

"I haven't been here in a long time", Gaara finally spoke. Naruto let a subtle breath of relief slip from between his lips.

"I know", he then admitted.

The redhead glanced at him from the corner of his eye. It was no secret why the blonde could say that with sincerity. And though he wasn't sure if he really even cared, Gaara decided to ask anyway.

"How was she?"

Naruto didn't have to wonder about the context of his question. He knew the man spoke of Temari. He had to take a moment to ponder whether or not to be brutally honest. He knew Gaara well enough to know sugarcoating anything would be a waste of time and interpreted as an insult. So he went with the truth.

"She was…detached. From you. From all of you", he told. Gaara said nothing, but didn't seem surprised.

"She declined to speak with me at first", Naruto muttered, gazing at the grave beneath him. The redhead grunted.

"Can't blame her", he said simply.

He seemed in no way affected by the subject at hand. But then again, Naruto hadn't expected him to be.

"I'd almost left, when she changed her mind. Said she'd talk, but just so I'd take her hell away with me", the blonde spoke.

Gaara said nothing. He didn't really even seem that interested. Naruto wasn't sure if that was just the man's general indifference showing, or if he truly didn't care.

"She cried. For you", Naruto told. Even that had no impact on the redhead. His reply was but a grunt.

"She always did."

Naruto wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel bad for someone. He wasn't very good at it anymore. So he didn't. He inched closer to the redhead, aware he might get shoved away. But the man didn't seem to mind.

They stayed silent for a long while after that, both gazing at the ground. Naruto thought of the woman whose mother lay beneath them. Gaara wasn't really thinking about anything that might've fit the occasion. He didn't bother even trying. He had no real affiliation with the people who supposedly were his family. He felt no attachment to them. Not even the woman buried in the ground he stood on. Not even though she'd given him life.

He could remember once stopping to think about it. About what it meant, the so called gift of life. He'd wondered about it for a short while, but in the end, hadn't found much meaning in it. He'd concluded it didn't really mean anything grand. He didn't feel it had to, either. It was just…life. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing worth mentioning.

"I tried to miss her once. It didn't work", Gaara suddenly said, startling Naruto awake from his thoughts.

He turned to see the redhead. The man's voice held no emotion, neither did his face. But it didn't disturb the blonde. He hadn't expected any in the first place. Gaara tilted his head in a thoughtful manner.

"I sometimes wonder if she would've loved me. Like a mother loves her child", he then said unexpectedly.

Naruto's eyes softened in a sad way. But he was quick to wipe the look off his face. He didn't want the redhead to think he felt pity for him. Because he didn't. He never did.

"I wonder what that would've been like. To be loved", Gaara muttered, still staring down at the stone.

The blonde found the other's speech fascinating. The man wasn't as much talking to Naruto as he was only making observations. His tone of voice had this curious undertone, as if he'd been only an objective outsider, studying something he could not understand. In a way, he was. Gaara had this general objectiveness to him, due to lacking the majority of emotional capability.

"Would I have been able to love her?" the redhead thought aloud.

Naruto did not know the answer to his question, so he said nothing. The man frowned.

"Probably not. I can't love", he then said, answering his own question.

It was a grim reminder to Naruto of the dark side of Gaara's general objectivity. It made his chest clench uncomfortably, but he ignored the feeling.

"Your father died a while ago", he told.

Normally some level of courtesy should've been applied when telling such, but Naruto felt like it wasn't needed now. And he was correct.

"Hn. Took him long enough", the redhead grunted, not a hint of distress in his voice. Annoyance, if anything.

Silence fell once again. The sound of light wind wailing around them was the only distinctive noise around. The blonde liked the sound of it, but became distracted as Gaara eventually asked a question Naruto didn't necessarily want to answer.

"How did you find my sister?"

Naruto almost cringed. He'd known this discussion would be inevitable, but hadn't really prepared himself for it. Maybe that was a good thing. That way there was no room for him to make excuses and come up with white lies. He would have to be honest. Perhaps that was for the best.

"I asked for all information there could be found of you and your family", he admitted, forcing himself to face the redhead.

The man's face was absolutely indifferent. Naruto wasn't sure what it meant, and was afraid to ask. Not really reacting at all, Gaara simply stared at him for a while. He eventually turned his gaze away. And still said nothing. The blonde almost let the man get away with not speaking. It would've been easier. But he couldn't.

"Aren't you gonna say anything?" he asked, somewhat cautiously. Gaara was silent, before shrugging.

"Ain't much I can say. You fucked me over. That's that", he said, not much of a tone in his voice at all.

Naruto wasn't sure if he was referring to the information he'd gathered behind his back, or the visit he'd made to the man's sister, but either way, the statement would've been true. Which made the blonde feel guilty for a just a second. But it was quickly gone. There was no point in feeling guilty. Gaara wouldn't care.

"I know you don't give a shit, but I'm sorry", Naruto said after a while.

His apology was honest. He didn't have to feel guilty to feel sorry. It was simply the appropriate thing to do. Gaara turned to look at him. He watched him for a moment, before taking him by the arm and pulling him against his chest. Face buried in blonde hair, the man closed his eyes and grunted.

"I don't. Feeling sorry is useless. It won't change anything", he said, but not harshly. Naruto couldn't deny he was right.

"I know. I just feel like I owe it to you", he muttered, leaning against the other one. Gaara opened his eyes and presented his disagreement in the form of another grunt.

"You don't owe me shit. Get it?" he growled, demanding a positive answer. The blonde had no problem giving him one.

"Got it."

They stayed like that for a while. Gaara eventually let the blonde go and turned back towards the grave. He crouched down before it. His hand reached out to touch the frozen stone, turning his fingertips numb. The frost melted under his touch, leaving a print of his hand. He drew his hand away, reaching behind his back instead. He pulled out his gun. Naruto frowned at it, but said nothing. He watched the redhead use the helm of his shirt to wipe the weapon thoroughly clean, before placing it down before the stone, no longer touching it with his bare hand. Then he spoke. Not to the one alive, but to the one beneath the ground.

"I'll leave you this. It's all I have to give. But I guess you already knew that."

Naruto glanced at the redhead. He then bowed his head, closed his eyes and let himself listen to the man speak to his mother.

"I won't come here anymore. But I know you come to see me sometimes. I can feel it when you're there."

There was no emotion in his voice. It was as dull and empty as always.

"Don't do that. I'm a bad man to be around."

The blonde opened his eyes. He laid his hand on the redhead's shoulder. The man placed his own on top of it. His skin was cold, but the touch felt warm nonetheless.

"I ain't alone anymore. So you don't have to come around any longer. Just…just sleep."

The slightest, most unnoticeable smile lifted the corner of his lips. Only for a moment. Naruto noticed it. He doubted it meant anything. The smile didn't extend to his eyes. But it didn't necessarily have to. It being just the appropriate thing to do was enough of meaning.

That was all Gaara had to say. Tearing his gaze away from the grave, he stood up again. He turned to look at the blonde, who watched him in silence, as if waiting. The redhead gave him a crooked smile. The kind he always did. The sight of it instantly melted away any heaviness from Naruto's heart. Gaara reached to lay his arm around the blonde's shoulders, pulling him close. It earned him a pleased hum. Then they left. Neither one looked back.

The gun was removed from the grave the same day. No fingerprints were ever found on it.

* * *

**I'm sooo late, ain't I. Sorry, loves.**

**I've had sort of a writer's block recently. I do have unposted chapters already written, but I've been making some changes and shit, and ended up not knowing what the fuck to write. But I'm figuring it out. **

**I gotta say that you people certainly have a craving for smut, don't ya? I'm pretty sure the last chapter didn't get a single review that didn't aggressively encourage me to give you hardcore dirtiness. I feel ya, guys. I feel ya. It's just that I've once had a story deleted in the past, under another pen name, so I gotta be real smooth about it. But since ya'll demanding it, I'll give ya some. I couldn't fit any particularly detailed shit in this chapter, cause I've had it done for a while already. I actually tried altering it, but failed a million times to make it work, which is actually why I'm so damn late posting this. **

**But no fear, good people. I shall give you what you need. Just wait for it. *kisses n clingy hugs***


	40. One Hell of a Homicide

**Time for another chapter. A little late again, for a nice change. But extra long, if that's any help.**

**I'm actually gonna shout out a disclaimer for this one, just in case. If you are perhaps a bit on the sensitive side, and not such a big fan of brutally detailed scenes of violence, you might wanna consider skipping over a small section of this chapter. Also, I sort of question how you can possibly enjoy this violence filled fic in the first place. But that ain't none of my business. Whatever floats your boat, love.**

**The rest of you, join my club of the weird and twisted, and read the whole shabang.**

**p.s. My cat is being a dickhead and won't stop shoving its ass in my face, so you can blame him for any typos. I sure as hell will.**

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It was dark and cold as hell. None of the three men sitting in the rental car felt like exiting it. The heating system was like a slice of heaven compared to the outside air. But as they reached their destination, a rusty and dirty industrial area, they were forced to get out. All they could do was hope they hadn't come all the way for nothing. The extent of comfort that gave wasn't much to celebrate for.

"Jesus fucking Christ, it's so damn cold", Naruto hissed through gritted teeth, as he exited the car. Sasuke chuckled.

"You need to buy a jacket that has a functioning zipper, moron. That might help", he pointed out. The blonde flipped him off.

"Oi. Zippers have something against me. They all plot against me. I am positive", he grunted, absolutely certain about it.

Gaara had turned off the engine of the car and stepped out as well. He chuckled at the blonde's statement.

"Buy a jacket with buttons. Should solve your problem, eh?" he said, smirking.

Naruto had to stop and think about it. A look of realization crossed his eyes. He hadn't actually considered it before. He lived on a completely unique level of idiocy. A level where buttons did not exist.

"Hn. I knew that", he muttered, slamming the car door shut. Sasuke was quick to shush him.

"Twat. Stop being so damn loud. Ya want them to know we're here?" he hissed. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"We don't even know if there's anybody here. Besides, makes it easier if they come to us", he said, obviously not thinking it through. Sasuke just sighed.

"And what if there's twenty of them and just the three of us? What then, moron?" he asked, pointing out the flaw in his plan. Naruto decided to ignore him.

Instead he opened up the trunk of the car and took out the rifle he'd taken quite the liking to. He also picked up a revolver, tossing it over to Gaara. The man caught it midair. Sasuke was handed a pistol as well. Making sure he'd stuffed a knife down his boot, Naruto closed the trunk and turned towards the other two.

"Right. Let's go", he stated.

Receiving two nods of agreement, the blonde started making his way away from the car the, the two others following him. Since the area seemed in fact larger than life, all of them had to be aware of different directions. Naruto kept his eyes in front of him, Sasuke checked their right side and Gaara took care of both the back and left. Which was easier said than done. It was pitch dark already. Apart from a few poorly lit industrial lights, there wasn't much to go by. Needless to say, it wasn't the ideal situation.

To be honest, in case there was somebody there, they already knew the area had been infiltrated. There might've been nobody stopping them from entering the area, but there sure as hell would be someone to stop them from leaving. And though they couldn't see a single living soul inside the iron fences, all three had a feeling of an outsider presence. It made them tense and alert. And eventually, pissed off.

"Fuck. We're gonna get lost in here. This place is huge and we have no idea where to go", Naruto muttered, keeping his voice down. Sasuke grunted.

"Well, any ideas, Sherlock?" he hissed, getting as frustrated as the other one.

Gaara felt like sighing. He was well aware of the inevitable bitching that'd soon follow, if he didn't do something to avoid it. Knowing he was the only one of them who actually had the patience to do this, the redhead decided he'd have to use that for overall benefit.

"Listen up, morons", he grunted, getting their attention. They stopped walking, but kept on checking every angle just in case.

"Since you two are just gonna whine, I'm leaving you here. I'm gonna go look for somethin' living, and then come back. Understood?" he asked.

Naruto would've been quick to protest. Gaara knew that. He rushed to cut the blonde off, before he even had the chance to start.

"Understood?" he asked again, more sternly.

Naruto closed his open mouth, but let out a frustrated growl. Though he wasn't happy about it, he knew Gaara had the best chances of finding anything in here. And among the three of them, he was the only one who actually might find the way back.

"Good. Move an inch, and I'll strangle both of you. I ain't gonna look for you in this maze. Get it?" he grunted. It wasn't as much of a question as it was a demand. He received two reluctant nods of defeat.

Content enough, the redhead walked right past them and left them there. The man quickly disappeared into the darkness. Naruto was left to watch him go, only later realizing how dangerous it truly was to wander off all alone. The thought made him instantly anxious. But he forced the feeling away. He couldn't lose his concentration.

"If he takes longer than ten minutes, I'll freeze to death", Sasuke muttered, slightly shivering from the cold.

Naruto didn't say anything right away. He just kept on looking in the direction Gaara had disappeared to. He felt his own body shivering as well. It was freezing cold.

"If he doesn't get back in ten minutes, I'm going after him. That'd be too long. He's faster than that", Naruto stated, tearing his gaze away from the darkness.

Sasuke glanced at him. He had a somewhat curious look on his face. The man had to wrap his arms around himself, in order not to freeze to the core. The efficiency of it was questionable. After a while, he decided to distract himself from winter air by asking a question.

"Are you happy now?" he asked, his voice slightly broken because of the shivering.

Naruto turned to face him. His breath fogged as he exhaled. He tried, but couldn't stop the shivering from worsening. He knew what Sasuke meant. He was talking about Gaara. About him being there again.

"Yeah", he answered truthfully. Sasuke nodded, trying to keep his fingers from freezing by blowing warm air on them.

"Good", the man said simply.

It was easier to speak with short sentences. Less focus away from keeping warm. They truly were experiencing the coldest winter in ages. And today was the coldest of days so far. Talk about timing.

"I'm sorry. Just so you know, I still am sorry", Sasuke suddenly said.

Naruto turned towards him. He did realize what the man was talking about. But he didn't really see any reason for him to feel sorry anymore. The man's mistake had been more or less wiped out of Naruto's knowledge. He no longer cared about it. Not really.

"I know. But don't be. He's back now", Naruto muttered, the cold now severely affecting his ability to stand still.

Sasuke was about to say something, when the blonde suddenly raised a hand, signing him to keep quiet. The raven frowned. Naruto looked like he'd noticed something. Sasuke would've asked about it, but figured he'd be told anyway.

The blonde stopped to stand still. He glanced around a few times, though it had nothing to do with what he'd picked up in the air. He'd noticed a smell. A very familiar smell. A kind of sweet, yet violently disgusting reek.

"Do you smell that?" he eventually asked the other one.

Sasuke glanced at him, but then took a moment to learn the answer to that. He didn't notice anything at first, but after a while, he did smell something. Something disgusting. A somewhat sweet, metallic smell, but still absolutely disgusting. It was like…

"…corpses", he then said.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah. And not just one."

The two of them glanced at each other, knowing what they'd be forced to do. They had to find out where the smell was coming from. Gaara had ordered them not to move, but they had no choice. That being a fact, the blonde tried to locate the direction of the smell. Considering it was literally freezing outside, the origin of the smell had to be inside a heated place. Dead bodies wouldn't excrete any odor in a subzero environment. One of the hundreds of industrial halls around them had to be what they were looking for.

After a while of thinking, Naruto concluded the smell came from the east, as the wind brought the smell with it. Signing Sasuke to follow him, he started walking towards that said compass point. Their movements were slow and cautious, especially now that there was only the two of them. It was harder to keep every direction possible in check without Gaara. But they managed. They kept on walking, until the smell got stronger. Only when they realized it was fading again, they concluded they'd already passed the place.

They turned around and walked back to the direction they'd come from, until the smell became strong again. The odor stopped them to stand before a huge industrial hall. It had no windows. There was no light flooding through the cracks of the door, either. Most likely it was completely deserted. At least that's what they hoped, as they went to open the miraculously unlocked, heavy doors together.

Just cracking the doors open was enough for them to know they'd found the right location. The smell that hit them right across the face, was inexplicable. Sasuke didn't get the door properly open, as he was forced to throw up in the process. Even Naruto had troubles keeping the contents of his stomach down. He could only imagine what the smell was doing to Sasuke, who hadn't been one to hang around decomposing corpses. At least it took several minutes for him to entirely empty his stomach. When he finally was able to stand up straight again, he was forced to cover his face with his hand. It didn't kill the smell completely, but at least he could keep himself from vomiting any more.

Naruto glanced at his friend, silently asking if the man was okay. He got a nod in response. Content enough, the blonde glanced inside the hall. He couldn't see shit. The place was pitch dark. Still fighting not to throw up, Naruto reached to the pocket of his jeans and took out his phone. He turned on the device's flash light and brought it up to shine it inside the hall. It didn't light up much, but enough.

If the smell had been bad, then the sight was horrifying. Naruto wasn't one to get nauseous over things of this kind, but even he could no longer keep his lunch down. He tried to swallow it down, but threw up into his mouth anyway. Nobody could blame him.

On both the sides of the hall, there were massive iron containers lined up one after another. Starting from the doors, going down all the way to the other side of the huge hall. And every single one of these containers was filled with nothing else but dead human bodies. Hundreds of them. Intact and dismembered ones. Rotten and less rotten ones.

So yes, Naruto did end up vomiting. Even after all the people he'd killed, after all the bodies he'd disposed of, this was simply too much. This was a thousand dead bodies, stacked up in containers, simply left to rot. How could he possibly not throw up?

Even though neither one really wanted to, they knew they'd have to go inside. Taking in a deep breath through his mouth, Naruto stepped inside the hall. He lifted up the collar of his shirt to cover his face with it. It wasn't just the smell that was disgusting. It was also the fact that this amount of dead bodies had to be contaminated and infested with diseases. He didn't feel like catching anything. Not that only a thin fabric in front of his face actually helped shit. But it gave a nice placebo effect of being some use.

Naruto slowly made his way further inside, while Sasuke stayed in the doorway to guard the surroundings. The blonde had reached almost halfway down the empty space between the containers, when he finally forced himself to approach one of them. He wasn't sure what kind of information he could possibly obtain by looking properly inside one, but he knew he had to. So he stepped closer, shone the light inside the container and studied the content. What he found, was somewhat of a shock.

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto decided to check the next container as well. He found what he'd expected. To be entirely sure, he checked a few more. It proved his assumptions correct.

He'd just gotten done checking the containers, and was about to turn around and leave, when he heard a loud bang. He jolted around, his eyes meeting Sasuke's. He quickly realized something was wrong. The man had apparently hit his fist against the iron doors in order to get his attention. Since he hadn't simply spoken up, there had to be someone unwanted around. To prove the blonde right, Sasuke lifted up two fingers, before pointing both left and right. Naruto immediately understood what he was signing.

Two guys, coming in from both sides.

Naruto clenched his jaw. This wasn't good. Especially since Gaara wasn't there. But they couldn't just stand there like a pair of idiots either. The blonde quickly started to go through their options. Judging by the way Sasuke had stepped inside the building and hid himself behind the doorway, the men approaching hadn't seen him. They also hadn't seen Naruto, since he was deep inside the dark hall. But they knew somebody was there. The bang must've reached them. Also, the open doors were kind of a clue as well.

Naruto quickly glanced around. He couldn't see much, but his eyes had started to get used to the lack of light. He could almost positively say that there were no lights installed inside that hall. That meant the two guys closing in wouldn't get any more light than what they had. They'd also be blinded for a while, before their eyes could adjust. That was an advantage for him and Sasuke.

But there was another problem. They couldn't go straight away to using firearm. Not unless they wanted a pack of those guys after them. Naruto knew Sasuke was smart enough to know that as well. He didn't have to worry about the raven messing anything up. But even if they didn't use guns, it didn't mean none would get pointed at them. The only way they would be able to pull this off, was by simply staying invisible until they had the chance to kill them with one blow.

Naruto rushed to hide behind one of the containers. The smell was twice as horrible behind it, but he had to suck it up. Trying his best not to step into any nasty bodily fluids the containers overflowed with, he kept as quiet and still as possible. He took one last glance at the doorway. To his relief, Sasuke had found a better place to hide than the doorway's shadow. Content with that, the blonde hid himself again and then just waited.

He could hear the footsteps close in, from both sides. The sounds echoed between the hall's iron walls. The steps were slow and cautious. That meant they'd noticed the abnormality of the doors being open. But Naruto doubted they'd seen them.

The steps came closer and closer, until meeting each other at the doorway, and then stopped. Naruto held his breath. He had to. Breathing would've made him gag at the smell, and gagging would've alerted the men now stepping inside the hall. The blonde could see two shadows grow longer on the floor. They were stepping closer. Naruto had the undeniable urge to take a breath. The lack of air was starting to get ridiculously disturbing. But he did his best to not give in to it. He just hoped the two men would reach his spot already. That way he'd get the chance to finally breathe and then stab them lifeless.

But the men stopped again. Several feet away from him. Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration. This was not going the way he'd hoped. The two men stopped to stand there, and stayed put. They started talking quietly. Too quiet for Naruto to make out actual words. The need for him to breathe became overpowering. Hoping the men were distracted enough with their conversation, the blonde released the breath he'd held in and inhaled a new one. Unfortunately, he'd already forgotten how foul the smell around him truly was. He made a disgusted, gagging sound, not being able to stop it.

The quiet conversation came to a stop. It became dead silent. They'd heard him. He knew that. He could hear the sound of guns being loaded. Naruto clenched his jaw, knowing this wasn't going to end well. He still had the advantage of the men not being aware of his exact position. But that wasn't much of a reason for celebration.

The men started moving again. Judging by their shadows, they were moving faster and had their guns raised. They soon reached the spot Naruto was hiding at. He waited just long enough for them to walk past, before giving up on trying to keep still and silent. There was no point, since he was going to leave his hiding anyway.

With a rush, Naruto rose up and lunged forward. He had no plan whatsoever. He just went with his instincts. Which might work, or go to shit. With a swift movement, he succeeded in grabbing one of the men from behind. He put his arm around their neck, held them in place and as quickly as possible, took out his knife. In less than a second, the man had a slit throat, blood flowing down his front and only seconds to live.

Knowing he'd gotten one down, the blonde was prepared to attack the other one. But to his misfortune, the other man had been much quicker than expected. He'd already recovered from the shock, raised his gun and aimed it at the blonde. Naruto froze. There wasn't much else he could do. He had a rifle in his hand, but it would've taken too long to aim it at the man. He would get shot halfway through that short process.

The man placed his finger on the trigger, obviously ready to pull. Naruto's eyes instantly caught the ring on the man's finger. Even in the darkness, he recognized it as an Akatsuki ring. The blonde's faith in himself dropped like a stone. If this guy truly was part of Akatsuki's head, he was done for. He'd more or less accepted that this was where he would die, cold as hell and shot full of holes, when a voice spoke behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Naruto's tense shoulders relaxed just slightly. He didn't have turn around to know Sasuke stood behind him. And since the Akatsuki did seem to at least hesitate, the raven most likely had a gun aimed at him. But Naruto knew this wasn't going to end here. The Akatsuki knew that if they fired a gun, a bunch more of hitmen would come flooding in. So even if they killed him, they would have to fight off a load more. Which they most likely would miserably fail at.

That's why the man figured Sasuke wouldn't shoot him. Not unless he was forced to. But he also couldn't show intentions of shooting the blonde, as he couldn't be positive the raven wouldn't just go for it. This was a total dead end. For all of them.

They all simply stood there, completely still and silent. It went on for a full ten seconds, before something unexpected made all of them flinch. The sound of another set of footsteps suddenly reached their ears. The look on the Akatsuki's face indicated it wasn't anyone he was expecting. That meant there was only one person it could be.

The footsteps were fast and rushed. Slightly panicked even. And in the matter of seconds, they came to a halt. A new shadow formed onto the grey floor, as the one rushing to reach the hall had stopped in the doorway. Though Naruto's back was turned, he already knew it was Gaara. The flinch of their opponent gave it away. And apparently, wasn't happy about the unexpected visitor. Realizing he was alone against three men, the man must've understood he didn't have many options left. After a while of heated thinking, he grunted in frustration. The blonde instantly knew what would happen. The man was going to take his chances.

The gun went off. Naruto never got the chance to even flinch.

Inexplicable pain shot through the blonde's arm. He couldn't stop the growl of pain escaping his lips. The distinctive feeling of hot metal sinking into his flesh left no doubt he'd been badly hit. Naruto instinctively grabbed his arm, only making the pain worse. The bullet had torn through something crucial. It must've. Otherwise immediate shock would've followed, dulling the pain. It hurt more than words could tell, but he had to add more pressure. Even in pain that excruciating, he knew he had no choice.

It was miraculous only his arm got hit. The Akatsuki must've been under pressure grave enough for his concentration to have slipped. That was more or less the only bright side of the situation. The gun was still aimed at Naruto. He was well aware that if he did not move, he'd get shot again. And it wasn't likely he'd get lucky again. Rushing to move before the man had a chance to shoot again, the blonde ran away from the gun's current aim. He barely made it. The gun went off, the bullet missing him. Missing everybody. Nobody got hit.

Gaara stood frozen in the doorway. His dark eyes watched Naruto drag himself into hiding, holding his wounded arm. Even in the dark, he didn't miss the pain painted across the blonde's face. The sight of his obvious agony and the blood gushing out like water from a tap made the redhead feel something that could only be describe as the purest, most sincere form of rage. He could feel it take over him in the split of a second, in a way it never had before. It wiped his mind blank of all sensibility, as well as the will to even try and fight it.

He discovered a new level of madness. All sense of rationality was lost in the blink of an eye. His body moved on its own, his consciousness no longer there to make decisions. Nothing he did was planned, nor did it have to be. Everything that followed ended up proving that his generally high-functioning brain worked even better when in complete shutdown. It was doubtful the Akatsuki was able to even register it happening, before Gaara had raised his gun, taken aim and fired it. The bullet hit its target with absolute precision.

The fired bullet tore right through the hand holding the gun that'd shot the blonde. The Akatsuki's grip naturally gave out, the gun falling to the floor. Sasuke, who'd momentarily been paralyzed with surprise, quickly regained his composure. He rushed to kick the gun away from the now disarmed man, the weapon sliding away from his reach. The gun a safe distance away, Sasuke stepped closer to the man holding his wounded hand, raising his own gun to aim it at him. He wouldn't have hesitated to pull the trigger, had he ever made it that far.

His intentions were cut short as an aggressively violent redhead shoved him out of the way with more force than he felt was necessary. His immediate reaction was to call him out on it. But a simple glance of the man was enough for him to realize that saying anything at all would've been like catching thin air with a net. Useless. He could see the rage in his eyes. He could see that the redhead's mind was nowhere even close to sensibility. And never before had Sasuke encountered an aura that dark and vengeful, overpowering absolutely everything around it. It made him flinch. Momentarily, it scared him.

He knew he had to step aside. Knowing that going near him would've been suicidal, he had to leave him be. Instead of being in the way, Sasuke backed away from the redhead, instantly moving his concentration on Naruto instead. The blonde was crouched down behind a corpse-filled container, holding his wounded arm in obvious pain. Sasuke rushed to make his way over, falling on his knees beside the other one. He couldn't bother minding the floor coated in rotten bodily fluids, staining his clothes.

Even though the stench still made him gag, he distracted himself from it with the sight of Naruto's horrendous wound. Even in the dark, he easily noticed the massive amount of blood still pouring out. The bullet must've hit a major vein. Sasuke's eyes reflected minor horror upon realizing the bleeding could potentially be fatal. Not wasting time, he rushed to take off his jacket. Ignoring the freezing cold, he ripped his shirt in half and pulled it off, planning to use it to bind the blonde's arm above the wound. He glanced at Naruto. His look got returned, the knowledge of what was coming dimming the blue eyes just slightly.

"On three. Don't bite your tongue, blondie", Sasuke muttered.

Naruto closed his eyes tightly shut, but nodded. The raven did as promised. He counted to three, let the blonde take one last, deep breath, before pulling the cloth as roughly around his arm as possible. A low, stifled cry escaped the blonde's throat, but Sasuke had to ignore it. He tied the ends of the ripped shirt as tightly as he could, hoping it'd be enough to stop the bleeding. He helped Naruto raise his arm up above his head. The hiss of pain that followed indicated it was in no way an enjoyable movement, but it wasn't really a matter of comfort. It was a matter of keeping him conscious.

Sasuke felt somewhat helpless knowing there was only so much he could do. He made conversation of irrelevance with Naruto, trying to distract him from the pain. It seemed to work to an extent. After a quick evaluation, Sasuke concluded the blood loss wouldn't be fatal, but it might force the blonde into shock. Doing his best to help him avoid that, Sasuke kept on talking to him and kept the bleeding arm raised, while adding more pressure to the wound. Apart from that, he could only wait. Wait, and watch the redhead go absolutely mental.

Gaara approached the now unarmed man in slow, heavy steps. The rage in him was evident even to the one trying to back away from him. The look in his eyes had gone far beyond borderline insanity, the lack of rationality mixing with some form of sick excitement. The Akatsuki was well aware of who he was. And it intimidated him now that he had no way of defending himself. He knew he was going to die. But it wasn't that what made his breath hitch in vague fright. It was knowing he'd experience something much more painful and terrifying than death, before getting brutally killed.

The redhead stopped only a step away from the man desperate to find a way of escape. Gaara said nothing, gave himself no chance to even think. He couldn't think. He could only do what his hate told him to do. He lifted up his gun, and with force powered by pure rage, he hit the man across his face with the blunt end of the weapon. The cracking sound of bone fracturing almost made him smile.

The man growled in pain and brought his arms up to shield his face. It didn't do much good. Gaara easily forced his arms down, only to hit him again. On the same side, twice as hard. He did it over and over again, until he received a pained groan loud enough to please him. The man's already fractured cheekbone quickly became nothing but a crumble of bones. The entire left side of his face simply caved in. There was no bone to keep it whole anymore. And though the man tried to fight back, his will to survive was no match to the redhead's will to inflict suffering. All he could do was back away, only to have Gaara follow him.

And eventually, the wall cut his way off. There was nowhere to run anymore.

The man's back hit the wall, his eyes widening in vague horror. Realizing there was nowhere to go, he could only wait for the next act of violence. For a good five seconds, the redhead did nothing. Simply stood there, not moving a muscle. It was as if he was waiting for his rage to reach a point of no return. Those seconds felt like hours for the man trying to calculate if there was any way for him to defeat the redhead with nothing but his bare hands. The thought was ridiculous, of course. And Gaara only proved that to be true by clenching his hand into a fist and then smashing it into the man's chest, hard enough to easily break his ribs.

The growl that escaped him didn't sound human. His rib cage shattered to pieces, a lung possibly punctured by cracked bones, the man slid down the wall to the floor. He no longer got up. Gaara crouched down in front of him. The look in his eyes clearly told something painful would follow. The redhead grabbed the man's hand by the wrist. The guy fought to get himself free, but in vain. Gaara was stronger. He slammed the hand against the wall, pressed his gun against the man's palm, and fired. A gaping hole appeared in the center of the guy's hand, a scream of pain escaping his lips, as Gaara proceeded to sink the hot barrel of the revolver into the wound.

The obvious agony it inflicted upon the man was something the redhead truly enjoyed watching, but he eventually let go. He let go, and stood up again. He wanted to give the man a chance to build up hope of escaping, just so he could take it away from him. As if lacking them altogether, the guy's brain functioned exactly the way Gaara hoped. Despite the agony of a crushed rib cage, useless hand and smashed face, the man attempted to crawl away. And Gaara let him. For a few feet of that desperate attempt, he did nothing to stop him. He watched the pitiful creature fight the pain and drag himself across the floor. Only when he finally tried to get on his feet, did the redhead shatter the remains of his hope.

Gaara raised his gun again, this time aiming at the man's left leg, and pulled the trigger. The man's body jolted violently upon feeling burning hot metal sink into the back of his leg. The struggle to not yell out in pain amused the redhead. Though the guy failed to get up, he still was desperately crawling further away. He was still trying to escape. Gaara watched his pathetic movements, until he no longer could fight the sick grin that came to bare his teeth. He started following the man with slow, heavy steps. He knew the man could hear him approach, as his desperation to get away rapidly grew. Like a fish on dry land, he dragged himself forward, yet unable to outrun the sound of the redhead's footsteps. And eventually, they reached him.

The footsteps didn't stop. Instead they walked beside the man's crawling body, as if mocking. Gaara was well aware of what his hauntingly calm steps must've done to the guy's mind. The further he let the man crawl, the more terrified he seemed to grow. Gaara could smell the fear on him. He'd almost forgotten what it was like. It'd been a while since he'd last done this for the thrill of it, rather than money. And as he watched that waste of oxygen slither across the floor, he questioned why he'd ever let money outshine his true will to do it.

A sob escaped the badly wounded man. It wasn't a sob of pain, it was a sob of pure, honest fear. It made Gaara chuckle. He decided he'd gotten bored of watching the man degrade himself by crawling in dirt and blood. The redhead kicked him. Not particularly hard, even. But the shattered ribs would've made the softest of touches feel like getting struck with a baseball bat. The cry of pain the man couldn't stop from getting out. Yet he still refused to stop crawling. The redhead didn't like it. He kicked the man again. Harder.

Another pained yell followed, and all movements came to a stop. But only for a while. After a whimper and a brief moment of building up mostly useless strength, the man ignored the excruciating pain and continued his pitiful attempts of getting away. Gaara started to get frustrated. With a kick much more powerful than the previous two, his iron-tipped boot made impact with the man's head. One could only imagine what the cracking sound it inflicted must've sounded like inside the kicked head.

It must've hurt unimaginably. By all logic, the pain should've been paralyzing. But the guy was persistent. Despite the horrendous pain, despite the deliberate torture, he carried on dragging himself forward. The redhead might've been impressed, hadn't his primary need been to see the man give up on all hope.

He kicked him again. Over and over again. The man's head jolted to the side every time, the side of his face gradually tearing open worse and worse. It was only after the bleeding had become uncontrollable, the cries of pain turning into a mix of crying and laughter, when the man finally gave up on crawling. Blood smearing his vision, he could no longer see where he was going. He could no longer hold his head up. He simply gave up. Stopped moving, turned to lie on his back, and began chuckling in between something resembling wailing. The man must've truly given up on trying, as he used the last of his remaining strength to make sure Gaara would shred him to pieces.

"I hope he bleeds out. I hope your blonde bitch bleeds the fuck out", the man hissed, following it with the sickest laughter one could imagine.

In a way, those words turned out to be the half-dead man's luck. They became a fast way out for him. Not painless, but fast. Gaara's mind exceeded the will to make him suffer, and instead reached a place where his hate made the decisions. And his hate decided that this man had to be stripped of life, instantly. All it took was the teeny tiny snap of his mind losing the last of sense, the sound only audible to the redhead.

Gaara dropped on his knees, his fist colliding with the man's face before he even reached the floor. He hit him harder than he'd ever hit anything before, over and over again. The sick sounds of his own knuckles getting damaged never even reached his awareness. Though it tore his knuckles open, his bleeding fist continued turning the man's face into a mess of blood and bruised flesh, not stopping even after the man's body no longer responded to the pain. It took only seconds for the violent hits to cause massive internal bleeding inside man's head. It eventually lead him to release his last, hoarse breath, life leaving his body along with the pained exhale. To Gaara, that meant nothing.

Though the man was already dead, it didn't stop him from smashing the guy's head against the concrete floor, until the back of his head had been crushed flat. Only the sight of the man's exposed brain was enough for Gaara to regain a grasp of reality. But a grasp on reality didn't mean he had the will to let the corpse be. In his mind, the body had to be found in the most degrading state possible. Though the man's face was unrecognizable, he felt like it wasn't enough. The man still looked too whole, too human.

The redhead reached for his knife. His free hand moved to pull up the guy's shirt, exposing his bruised chest and stomach. Gaara didn't hesitate to sink the knife in the dead man's stomach, right below his rib cage. He then dragged the blade down the abdomen, slitting him open. The sight of guts pushing out stirred no repulsion in the redhead. Instead he moved on to make sure that everything belonging inside the man, would end up scattered across the floor. Intestines, blood, pieces of fractured bone. Everything. The entire system.

Everything that did not fall out on its own, Gaara ripped out with his bare hands. Everything he could detach, he did. Until the man was literally empty. Only when he had nothing more to cut out of him, did Gaara finally feel his rage find a less prominent state. He stopped to stare at the brutally degraded body, feeling some sense of accomplishment. He hadn't killed with such passionate hate possibly ever. Only the incident that'd ended up putting him in prison came close. But not a single cell in him would ever feel mercy for someone who'd hurt the only one he cared about. If he hadn't made the conscious decision before, he now swore he'd kill anyone who'd attempt to harm the blonde. Not a single soul would survive even considering it. Not as long as he was there to rip them apart.

The redhead watched the mauled body with loathing in his eyes. Though his anger had slowly started to calm, he still felt it roar somewhere deep inside him. But he succeeded in ignoring it enough to manage a somewhat rational process of thought. He took a single deep breath to calm down, before taking the corpse's limp left hand into his own. He glanced at the ring placed on the thumb. For the briefest moment, Gaara's eyes flashed with surprise upon reliving a memory of the past. The ring his gaze studied, was purple. The jewelry itself held no real meaning to him. But its previous owner did, though only vaguely anymore.

It was the same ring Sasori had once carried. It was the ring that'd collided with Gaara's jaw countless times, as punishment for the equal amount of mistakes he'd made as a beginner distant years ago. The ring once carried by a hand that'd treated his wounds. A piece of history Gaara himself had rid his mentor of upon the man's death, in order to let him rest without the weight of it. Gaara hadn't expected to ever see it again.

The redhead didn't let it baffle him for long. He took a moment to ponder whether or not to leave it behind. In the end, he decided it was time to make sure the piece of jewelry wouldn't find another carrier. Making up his mind, he tried to slide it off the already stiffening finger. It was stuck. He failed to get it off. He solved the problem by detaching the finger. With forceful usage of his knife, followed by the sickening sound of bone and flesh breaking apart, the finger came off, as did the ring. Content enough, Gaara put the bloodied ring into his pocket, dropping the detached finger inside the emptied, cooling corpse.

He nearly let the body finally be, when the potential usage of the dead guy's hitman tag crossed his mind. Not caring to leave it behind, Gaara ripped the thing off around the corpse's neck, just in case. Stained in clotting blood and mushed flesh, the chained tag became freed for him to put it into his pocket. And to play it safe, he also took the other dead man's tag. Feeling he'd been thorough enough, Gaara laid one last look on the body savagely degraded by him, and left it behind.

Sasuke stared at the sight before him. He fought to keep his expressions neutral, but simply couldn't. He had never seen anything as brutally violent and sick. He had watched Gaara torture a man who could not defend himself. He had watched him kick a man's face into shit, hit him lifeless, and force the dead contents of his head across the floor. The redhead had disemboweled a human being with his bare hands. And now he was kneeling there beside the torn open corpse, absolutely drenched in clotting blood. Sasuke felt sick. He felt the need to vomit, but fought not to.

He wished he hadn't seen it happen. He could've looked away, but found himself incapable of doing that. It'd been like watching a train wreck. Horrendous, yet impossible to turn away from. Yet he wished he'd just turned the other way. Sasuke had always been well aware the redhead was dangerous. He'd known the man could be lethal and unpredictable. But what he'd just witnessed far exceeded anything he'd ever imagined. He could not understand how anybody could do such twisted things, and actually enjoy it.

Sasuke was forced to wonder just how grave of a hazard the man was. Was he supposed to feel this cautious?

As Gaara finally left the mauled body behind and started making his way towards the ones waiting for him, Sasuke couldn't help but to feel defensive. The closer the redhead got, the stronger he felt the need to grab the blonde and run away. By all logic, the man was no threat to them. Sasuke knew that. Yet his vague terror was justifiable. After seeing the redhead rip a man apart with his bare hands, the raven felt his anxiety to be rational. But he couldn't let it overcome him. He forced himself to stay put, even when Gaara reached them.

The redhead could see the way Sasuke looked at him. He wasn't sure how to react to it, so he didn't. He ignored the man altogether, and went straight to the blonde. Naruto pulled himself onto his feet, holding his wounded arm. Ignoring the blood on his hands, Gaara rushed to take a hold of him, pulling the man against his chest. The blonde fell against him, not bothering to mind the blood staining him. Though his legs worked just fine, the pain and loss of blood made him feel lightheaded. Gaara did his best to keep the other one standing.

"Tell me you're okay. Say you're okay", the redhead demanded right away. Naruto nodded. "I'm okay."

Gaara pulled him closer. The hold he had on the blonde neared choking.

"I told you not to wander off. I fuckin' told you", he muttered, burying his face in blonde hair.

He didn't sound angry as much as he did worried. Sasuke found it disturbing. It didn't fit the man's bloodstained appearance. But he said nothing of it. Naruto smiled weakly.

"I know. Sorry", he said, receiving nothing but an even tighter hold in return.

The blonde glanced down at his arm. The bleeding wasn't as bad anymore. It'd nearly clotted enough to stop altogether. But the pain was still there. And only worsening. Even his generally high tolerance of pain wasn't enough to keep him from expressing it. Gaara saw the look on his face. He instinctively reached to run his fingers through blonde hair.

"We gotta go. It won't take long for the rest of 'em to come", he said, brushing his fingers against the other's face. It left a smear of blood on his cheek. Sasuke turned his nose up at it, but didn't comment.

"He's right. Can you walk okay?" he asked the blonde instead. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Let's get the fuck out. I need to sit down before I pass out", he grunted, gritting his teeth in pain.

With no time to waste, they started making their way out of the hall and through the dark alleys of the industrial area. Choosing the most poorly lit paths in the hopes of avoiding those after them, they eventually made it to the other side of the area. Though they could hear human voices and footsteps, and see glimpses of searchlights, they reached the car without running into anyone. But by the time they made it there, Naruto wasn't far from passing out. Aware of the several reasons to act quickly, Gaara grabbed the car keys from his pocket. He tossed them over to Sasuke.

"Drive", he gave the simple demand, while opening the backdoor of the vehicle.

Sasuke nodded, seating himself behind the wheel. Naruto struggled his way to the backseat, and let out a relieved groan when finally being able to sit down. The car engine was already running, when Gaara seated himself next to the blonde. The redhead let him fall against his chest, wrapped his arms around the other's bloodied figure and stayed to hold him. Not bothering to buckle up, Sasuke hit the gas, the car taking off wheels screeching. Though the sound might've alerted the ones searching for them, he had no time to worry about it. He needed to get them far away as fast as possible. Not giving the slightest shit about speed limits, he drove away, leaving the industrial area behind.

It took about fifteen minutes for them to near the city again. Sasuke had speeded straight through red lights, refused to stop at crossroads and even cut through the lane meeting theirs, but so far hadn't crashed or attracted cops. He hoped to not run out of luck before making it to the hotel, thus further ignoring the general rules of traffic behavior. The late hour made it just a little easier.

Gaara had refused to let go of the blonde, keeping him close and awake. By all logic, there was no real danger of death, but in his opinion, Naruto seemed far too sleepy. It made him restless.

"Don't fall asleep. Promise me", the redhead spoke, his voice calm, yet demanding. The blonde's eyes fluttered shut, but he nodded.

"I won't. I promise", he muttered, his dull voice failing at being assuring. Gaara grunted. He brushed his hand against the other's face.

"Don't close your eyes. I can't let you close your eyes", he told, oddly gently. Naruto smirked weakly.

"I'm fine. I won't fall asleep", he assured, keeping his eyes shut.

Gaara clenched his jaw. He could feel a stare on him. He lifted his gaze up, finding a pair of jet black eyes looking at him through the rear-view mirror. He returned the look. The gaze soon turned away, as did his. Turning back towards the blonde, he saw that Naruto's lips had parted as if he'd fallen asleep after all. The redhead frowned. He glanced back at the rear-view mirror, finding no eyes watching him.

That was enough for him to ignore Sasuke's presence altogether, and press his lips against the blonde's. He refused to break away before he got a response. It came eventually. Naruto opened his eyes, only to meet a gaze too demanding to be ignored.

"Don't close your eyes", the redhead said again. The blonde looked at him for a while, before giving a tired smile.

"Okay", he promised. Gaara returned the smile with a slightly more crooked one.

"You'll be fine. I'll take care of you", he told, his voice not much more than a whisper. Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah?" he asked. The redhead let his smirk slowly fade away. He buried his face in blonde hair.

"Yeah", he assured. "Till the day I die."

Naruto said nothing. He didn't have to. His healthy hand reached to take a hold of the pale one's. That was enough of an answer.

After half an hour of senseless speeding through the city, Sasuke finally pulled the car over. He miraculously found a free parking space in front of the hotel, and thanked the heavens for not having run out of luck. Naruto had succeeded in staying awake, and had even ridden himself of sleepiness by concentrating on the pain. It'd kept him awake, but had efficiently made him frustrated and desperate to get bullet gouged out.

As soon as the car came to a halt, Sasuke and Gaara rushed out of the vehicle like there was no tomorrow. The raven hurried to open the backdoor for Naruto, only for him to kick the door nearly loose. The pained expression indicated the arm wasn't doing much better. The blonde wasn't one to complain out loud. The other two knew that. That's why the look on his face was enough of an indicator as to how close he was to rather having the entire arm ripped off.

It was somewhat of a stretch to make it all the way to the hotel's 17th floor without getting asked about being soaked in blood. But they managed. Gaara helped the blonde up, while Sasuke stayed behind to get his hands on a first aid kit. It was once again one of those times when the privilege of going to a hospital would've been welcome. Perhaps a full-body bulletproof suit was something to consider creating. Entire armies of people with shady jobs would've paraded for that.

Sasuke was surprisingly quick to return with a first aid kit. Just as the redhead had gotten Naruto seated down, the raven rammed his way through the door, not bothering to knock much. The blonde found his actions wildly exaggerated, which he made the mistake of pointing out.

"I ain't dying. No need to go crazy", he muttered, yet following it with a hiss of pain. Sasuke was quick to disagree.

"You shut up. You let us worry ourselves shitless, and shut up", he grunted, crouching down next to the couch the blonde sat on.

Fearing he might get slapped, Naruto decided not to push it. Instead of being bothersome, he moved on to ridding himself of his jacket. Sasuke helped him take it off, trying, yet failing to make it painless. Naruto found forcing his arm into any angle at all absolutely excruciating. But even worse than the jacket, attempting to take off his shirt turned out to be an impossibility. Sasuke didn't dare to even try. Gaara, who'd been searching through the contents of the first aid kit, came to shove the raven aside and took his place beside the blonde. Not much asking for permission, he simply ripped the other's shirt apart. Naruto sighed.

"Dude, I'm gonna run out of shirts. I can't even count how many you've ripped off me", he muttered, but let the redhead strip the remains of his shirt off him. Gaara grunted.

"You complain, yet it always turns you on", he muttered under his breath.

Sasuke might've not heard it, but Naruto did. And though he was in pain, it didn't stop him from giving the man a glare. It only made the redhead chuckle. The blonde looked extremely unimpressed.

"I have a bullet in my arm. How 'bout you save being a dick for later?" he grunted. Gaara smirked.

"Hn. My apologies, your highness", he replied. The sarcasm downright overflowed. Naruto's grinding of teeth made an impressive sound.

Sasuke gave the other two a strange look, but decided not to even ask. He doubted he wanted to know. He also doubted the annoyed blonde realized Gaara was pissing him off deliberately. He was trying to distract Naruto from the pain. And the strange kindness of the act made Sasuke smile. Very subtly, but it did. Seeing the side that the blonde brought out in Gaara was like watching a miracle happen. The monster disappeared, replaced by something that seemed to live only for Naruto. It was a strange, yet fascinating thing to see.

The redhead continued receiving and returning half-hearted offenses and insults, quite impressively keeping the blonde distracted while he studied the wound in his arm. He tried to figure out where the bullet had lodged itself, but only upon carefully lifting the other's arm up, did he realize something unexpected. There was a sense of disbelief in his voice when informing Naruto of it.

"It's not there", he stated. The blonde frowned.

"What's not there?" he questioned. Gaara turned to look at him, looking somewhat confused himself.

"The bullet's not in there. It went through."

Naruto stared at him blankly. "What do you mean it went through?"

The redhead raised a brow. "I mean it went through, came out the other side."

The blonde glanced at his arm held up by Gaara. He was right. There was a hole on both sides. It'd gone through.

"What the fuck? How can it hurt this much, if there's no bullet inside?" Naruto questioned, not understanding.

There was still pain shooting down his arm, as if following a nerve. It shouldn't have been that painful, if there was nothing there to add pressure on one. The blonde watched Gaara with a look demanding for an explanation. And as much as the redhead hated it, he might've had one. He was hesitant to voice it, but knew he'd have to.

"It's…it might've torn a major nerve to shit. For good", he eventually told, lowering the blonde's arm back down.

Naruto flinched. He noticed the way Gaara almost seemed to avoid making eye contact. That was a pretty solid sign of the forecast not being particularly bright.

"For good? What the _fuck _does that mean?" the blonde asked, raising his voice.

He hadn't planned on getting angry, but automatically replaced his awakening fear with it. And as Gaara seemed reluctant to give an answer, his anxiety only grew stronger. The redhead shut his eyes to avoid seeing the other's face turn pale with some level of terror.

"It might be okay. It might be just fi-", Gaara muttered, only to get cut off by a shove. It barely budged him, but made the meaning well clear.

"_No_. Don't you fuckin' do that. What the fuck does 'for good' mean?" Naruto asked again, even less calm, even more desperate.

The question itself sounded ridiculous, as the answer was obvious. But it wasn't as much about getting an obvious answer, as it was about hearing him say it. Which was exactly what Gaara did not want to do. And forcing himself to say it made him angry.

"It means it might never fucking work again. That you'll never lift anything heavier than your own dick. That we might as well rip the damn thing off. That's what it fuckin' means", he growled, lacking the filter between his brain and tongue for a nice change.

He of course instantly regretted it. His choice of words and tone of voice could've been picked out a million times better. He'd certainly made his point clear. Naruto said nothing. Which worried Gaara to an extent. The blonde's response being nothing but absolute silence and a gaze turned the other way wordlessly declared the redhead to be the biggest asshole the world had ever seen. Gaara didn't bother to even try and deny that. He found himself thinking how this was one of the great examples falling under the category of majestically fucking up the only thing that mattered. Sasuke was quick to prove that to be true.

"That was so fuckin' unnecessary", he stated spitefully. Gaara knew him to be right, so he fought not to kick him in the face.

The redhead tried to get Naruto to look his way, failing. He reached to touch the blonde's face, only to get his hand slapped away.

"Just fuckin' fix it", Naruto grunted. Gaara drew his hand back.

"I can't fix it", he said, though he knew that wasn't the other one had meant. "But I can clean it."

The blonde gritted his teeth. "Then fucking do that."

And he did. Naruto let the redhead take care of the wound, while he himself dropped his gaze to the floor. Gaara touching and moving his arm was painful, but his mind wasn't there to acknowledge it. He didn't as much as flinch anymore. He was too terrified of the possibility of losing an arm. The thought of potentially being left with only one functioning made him scared. Not because he wouldn't be able to live normal life with only that, but because he might not survive to live normal life without it. He was supposed to be fighting for his life. He was supposed to be killing trained hitmen. He needed his hands for that. Both of them.

Naruto glanced at Gaara. He wasn't really angry at him for being an insensitive asshole. He was well used to that by now. He wasn't angry at him at all. He was angry at the world. Angry at it for being unfair and so unbelievably infuriating. Nothing ever worked as it should've, things never went as planned. It was as if the universe enjoyed pissing on every parade possible. Nothing just ever fucking worked. And if his arm now ended up being one of those things, he'd be forced to depend on Gaara all over again. He didn't want that. He didn't want to depend on him, or anybody at that.

He wanted the man to be there not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Naruto didn't want to be an inevitable must. He wanted to be an honest desire.

Sasuke watched Gaara treat the blonde's wound. The longer he watched, the softer the look in his eyes became. He found the sight fascinating. Though the redhead was an absolute dick, the way he changed around Naruto was astonishing. The man's general nature of being an asshole stayed the same, but the look in his eyes became something that almost didn't fit his cold features. The blonde had somehow created a crack in the redhead's seemingly perfect shell of evil. Or perhaps it could better be described as a loophole. Something that wasn't supposed to exist, yet amazingly did. As if it almost was a flaw, not a perk.

The man Sasuke saw treat the wounded blonde was not the same he'd watched tear a human being apart. This one had a touch gentle and cautious. Not violent and vengeful. This one treated the blonde like fragile glass, careful not to hurt him. This one cared for the one under his touch. And though it was that same care that'd driven the man to maul a person unrecognizable, the two extremities almost seemed to divide him into two different beings. Sasuke felt somewhat disturbed by the huge gap between those two personalities.

Sasuke had always known Gaara treated the blonde different from everybody else, but only now did he really stop to watch it happen. And it was strange to see how the monster suddenly seemed so humane. Only Naruto could make him seem human. He was the only one the redhead seemed to care about. Anybody else was nothing but an obstacle, a nuisance and barely worthy of disposing. But Naruto…him the man treated like an angel. Like a gift given by God. Perhaps that's how the redhead saw him. Sasuke couldn't possibly know.

But he did know that what the two of them had was something most people never got to have. It was like friendship, only…more. At times, it was almost as if they were only one person. Even though they were nothing alike. Sasuke had no way of explaining it. But he knew it was there. He could see it just fine. At times it made him feel replaced, even forgotten, but he'd learned not to mind it. He knew he couldn't compete with the redhead.

It was funny, really. The man he'd thought had nothing to give Naruto, ended up giving far more than he ever could. Depressingly ironic. But true, nonetheless.

The wound eventually got cleaned and patched up. But even an hour after it being treated, Naruto remained nearly catatonic. He'd withdrawn himself into some place far away from reality, shutting himself from the other two. Sasuke and Gaara had voluntarily left him be, knowing the blonde needed his time to drown in despair. It was mandatory. He needed to freely get severely depressed over it, before he could concentrate on finding the bright side of life again. So far, he hadn't gotten very far.

Gaara and Sasuke had patiently let the blonde go through his required sulking. While Naruto had lied in bed still as a statue, completely silent, the other two had sat on the couch placed on the opposite side of the room, equally as quiet. They could've forced a conversation, but that just didn't feel natural to them. Instead they'd enjoyed the quietness, smoking unhealthy amounts of cigarettes and simply stared at the blank walls. It was only after that hour of absolute silence, when Sasuke finally felt the need to speak. He did it quietly enough for Naruto not to hear.

"Ya really think it's fucked up for good?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. Gaara shrugged.

"Dunno. Hope not. Hitmen need two workin' hands", he muttered as a reply.

Sasuke said nothing, but nodded. He hadn't really expected much more as an answer. They fell back into silence for a while. It went on long enough for Gaara to have time to think back at the words he'd ended up blurting to the blonde. The thought of it made him shut his eyes and grunt.

"I fucked up, didn't I?" he questioned, though it was more of a factual statement than anything else. Sasuke glanced at him, the corner of his lips lifting into a smirk.

"Kinda", he admitted. "But that's part of friendship. Fucking shit up."

Sasuke saw from the corner of his eye, as the redhead turned to look at him somewhat surprised. He didn't bother returning the gaze.

"You are allowed to make mistakes, y'know. Being perfect ain't what'll make it last", he told.

The redhead was silent for a long time. He seemed to sink into some slightly confused state of thought, as if contemplating if that could be true. Sasuke cut his contemplations short with a grunt.

"I've made a lot of mistakes. Big mistakes. It's a miracle he hasn't kicked me out of his life", he muttered.

Gaara turned his way, but said nothing. He had a feeling he might want to listen to what the other one had to say. Sasuke knew the blonde better than anyone, after all.

"I was a selfish and stupid kid. I left him to go do shit I could've left undone", the raven told, sounding somewhat bitter.

Gaara figured the bitterness was directed mostly at himself. But the sour tone stepped aside to let a chuckle in.

"That's the only mistake you won't be forgiven for twice. Leaving him. I know cause he told me that when I came back. He kicked my ass and said he'd only forgive me once", Sasuke said, thinking back at it.

He'd never forget it. After two whole years away, he'd suddenly shown up at the bar back home. Naruto's instant reaction had been a violent breakdown. Sasuke still had a scar in the back of his head for getting hit with a flying shot glass, thrown by a screaming blonde. Out of the fifteen he threw, only one hit. But it'd been enough to make the point clear. That and the fistfight that'd followed.

It'd been fairly unilateral. Naruto had given Sasuke the beating of his lifetime. But also granted him another chance at the end of it. And pulled out the shards of glass from his scalp. It'd been that exact moment, the blonde ripping glass out of his head, when Sasuke had made the decision to never place his selfish desires before Naruto again. He hadn't, and took pride in keeping that promise. It'd become a question of honor to him. At times he even took it a bit too far, but in his mind it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Is that why you're here?" Gaara asked, somewhat curious. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah. I owe it to him. I want to be here, but I also owe it to him", he told.

The redhead frowned. He had a hard time agreeing with the other's logic. Gaara had never felt like it was possible to owe someone for mistakes they made. What was the point of crawling humbly, when it wouldn't change what'd already been done? Sasuke seemed to notice his disagreeing look. It made the man shake his head.

"I know what you're thinkin'. And you're wrong. You can owe people for mistakes you've made", he said. Gaara didn't look particularly impressed. Sasuke smirked.

"It ain't the honest mistakes that leave you in debt. Honest mistakes are fine. They happen. You don't owe anybody for being human", he told.

Gaara didn't really understand. He frowned in confusion. Sasuke found his oblivion of how human relationships functioned somewhat amusing and almost child-like. But instead of pointing it out, he figured he'd might as well try and explain. The redhead might even learn from it.

"It's the deliberate, conscious mistakes that leave you in debt. It's when you know what the right thing to do is, but choose otherwise just to benefit yourself. Those are the ones you'll owe for. For the rest of your life", Sasuke explained.

The redhead looked so very confused. It almost made Sasuke chuckle. It was as if the man's generally intellect mind simply had no program for processing the humane side of life.

"That makes no fuckin' sense. That'd put me in debt to pretty much all of mankind", he said, not understanding even a fraction of it. Sasuke could no longer stifle the amused snort.

"You're thinkin' too big. We'd all owe to the entire world, if it worked like that", he said, only making it further complicated for Gaara.

"I ain't talkin' about mistreating people you don't give a shit about. Sure, it'd probably be fuckin' idealistic to never be a dick towards anybody. But that ain't gonna happen. That's why owing for your mistakes is totally optional."

The redhead stared at him blankly for a very long time. He could see how the man's brain was slowly giving up on thinking altogether. The gritting of teeth wasn't a very good sign either.

"I'm this close to lobotomizing you", Gaara stated, demonstrating the lack of patience with a tiny gap between his fingers. Sasuke chuckled.

"I'll make this simpler", he assured. "Owing for your mistakes is optional in the sense that the debt is called off, if you don't want forgiveness. You wouldn't mind a stranger hating you for being selfish, would ya?"

Gaara frowned. "No."

"Exactly. That's why you don't owe all humanity for being a dick. You only owe those whose forgiveness you want", Sasuke clarified.

The redhead's confused expression started to lift. It seemed he understood now, to an extent anyway.

"So if I hurt blondie on purpose, I owe him for the rest of my life?" Gaara asked. Sasuke tilted his head.

"Unless you're fine with losing him", he stated.

The redhead's eyes flashed with sudden fear. It was gone as quickly as it came, but Sasuke noticed it nonetheless. It made him feel somewhat pleased. In his book, the look was a good sign.

"I don't wanna lose him", Gaara said. The raven smirked. "Then never put your vanity above him."

Silence fell. Not the bad kind, the calm kind. The redhead didn't feel confused anymore. He found the other's logic to be surprisingly functional after all, now that it'd been phrased into understandable words. Gaara stopped to wonder if he'd treated the blonde according to that logic so far. He felt like he had. He hadn't acted on the other's expense, nor had he shadowed the blonde with his own selfish desires. He didn't really seem to have any. All he did anymore, was for him. It felt strange to realize the extent of his unexpected selflessness. The thought made him chuckle.

"How the fuck did I end up here?" he muttered out loud.

Sasuke glanced at him. It was probable the man was simply talking to himself, but since he was there to hear it, he figured he might as well participate in his monologue.

"Does it matter?" he asked. Gaara shrugged.

"Not really. It's just…strange", he grunted.

Sasuke couldn't deny that. The relationship the redhead had with Naruto truly was one of the most unlikely things he could remember having seen develop. But perhaps the unlikeliness of it was what would end up making it strong enough to last.

"I was supposed to kill him, y'know. I was going to kill him", Gaara suddenly said.

Sasuke turned to look at him. He wasn't sure what to say. The man's words didn't really surprise him, but did make him feel slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps because of what he'd witnessed earlier on. For just a second, he imagined that monster before him again. He was quick to shove the thought back to where it came from. It wasn't a healthy image to imagine.

"Why didn't you?" Sasuke found himself asking. The redhead frowned.

"I ain't sure", he admitted.

The raven could only nod. It felt strange to discuss this. But then again, not much failed to be strange anymore.

"But I remember the moment I decided not to", Gaara then told, a small smirk on his lips. Sasuke tilted his head curiously and waited for continuation.

"I hated him the second I saw him, y'know. I've never hated anything as much as I hated him. Even when he wasn't there, he was all I could think about. About how much I hated him", the redhead chuckled.

Sasuke wasn't sure how to interpret the chuckle. Gaara snorted.

"I was actually happy when they threw me into solitary. That was the only place where I could go crazy without getting tasered. That's how much rage he brought out in me", he muttered, shaking his head.

The raven almost felt like pointing out how incredibly stupid that sounded, but figured the man must've been aware of it already.

"When I was released on bail, he'd just quit as my lawyer. Actually, he'd smashed my head into the side of a van, told me to go fuck myself and get a new lawyer while I'm at it", Gaara told. Sasuke raised a brow.

"That's…excessive", he commented. The redhead grunted.

"Sure as hell pissed me off. When I got out, I walked straight from the prison gates to steal a car and a gun. And then I drove 500 fuckin' miles", he told, sounding disbelieving of his own actions.

There was a pause. Gaara frowned at himself, wondering how exactly he'd reasoned it'd been a good idea in the first place. Stealing a car right after being released from prison. And with no plan whatsoever. It seemed so ridiculous now. He cut off his wonderment to tell the rest of it.

"I looked up where he lived and drove to his house. Ten fucking hours, straight. Thinking 'bout nothing but shooting his head off", Gaara told.

Sasuke should've probably felt somewhat disturbed instead of amused, but couldn't help the chuckle. The man sure had been dedicated, he had to give him that much.

"I knocked on his door. His wife answered it. I instantly thought she was the most irritating thing I've ever seen, by the way", the redhead grunted bitterly. Sasuke snorted.

"I feel ya", he muttered, earning a chuckle.

"That bitch had no idea what I was intending to do to her husband", Gaara said.

He couldn't help but to follow that with the thought of her having no idea what he did end up doing to her husband, but left it unvoiced.

"I didn't have to say anything for her to go get him. I stayed there to wait. It didn't take long for him to appear in front of me", the redhead recalled.

A deep frown appeared to shadow Gaara's face. The memory of that moment stirred a truly odd feeling.

"I…froze. He did nothing, just stood there and stared. I could've killed him in the split of a second, but instead stood there like an idiot and forgot how to breathe", he continued, his mind now stuck in that past time and place.

He thought back at it for the first time, in fact. At the moment he'd seen him stand there, those damn beautiful blue eyes stopping to stare at him mildly horrified, but mostly angry. Gaara's mind had suffered an absolute shutdown. The second their gazes had met, everything simply stopped. He'd looked at him, and instantly had a thought he hadn't understood.

Killing something that beautiful would've been the only sin too heavy for him to carry.

That'd been his exact thought, yet it hadn't held much meaning back then. He hadn't understood it. It'd been the first time he'd consciously seen the blonde in that light, and it'd scared him. It'd been terrifying, yet it'd stopped him from killing him. It was those fuckin' eyes. They saw right through him. Always had.

"I saw him stand there completely defenseless, and I…did nothing. I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill him."

Sasuke watched the redhead stare blankly at the floor. The man's expression turned confused, as if he himself wasn't sure what'd happened. The raven found himself asking a question that seemed somewhat stupid.

"Why?"

Gaara frowned further. He took his time to answer.

"I don't know."

Neither knew what else to say, so they stayed silent. It was a confusing moment. Sasuke felt slightly confused, yet pleasantly surprised by the redhead's honesty. Gaara on the other hand was confused for being unable to understand what it truly was that'd stopped him from killing the blonde. Not that it really mattered. He was simply thankful something had. The thought of it having gone the other way made him shiver with something unpleasant. He felt a choking sensation forming in his throat. It made him shove that oppressing thought as far away as possible. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to imagine a life without Naruto.

"Do you think he changed you?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

Gaara turned to face him, stopping to think about it. He took a quick glance in the blonde's direction, before answering.

"No. He didn't", he replied, and paused before continuing. "But he changed everything around me."

Another pause followed. Sasuke noticed the smile forming on the redhead's lips.

"He gave me a whole new world."

Gaara's gaze had traveled back towards Naruto. Sasuke wasn't sure if the man had intended on letting him see the way he looked at the blonde, but he saw it nonetheless. And it wasn't something Sasuke had seen the man do ever before. Not in that manner, not that openly. He doubted the redhead was aware of doing it. It was too honest and far too meaningful to be displayed for others to see. It was a look of fondness, only much, much…deeper. Much more. And for just a second, a strange thought crossed Sasuke's mind. A truly odd one. But his mind was quick to find it absolutely ridiculous and preposterous, so he ushered it back to where it came from. Instead of wasting time on outrageous ideas, he lifted the corner of his lips into a crooked smile.

"I know you care about him. More than yourself", he said, almost startling the redhead.

Gaara seemed to realize he'd stopped to stare at the blonde, and was quick to turn the other way. He faced Sasuke and somewhat awkwardly returned the smirk.

"Hn. Yeah. It shouldn't be possible, but yeah", he muttered, frowning slightly. "He sure as hell makes me do weird shit."

Sasuke chuckled. "Like disemboweling already dead people for no apparent reason?"

The redhead snorted. "Yeah. Like that."

Sasuke stopped to stare at the other man. He had the undeniable itch to pick up a subject he probably shouldn't. He ended up hesitating for a while, but eventually couldn't help himself. He had to ask.

"The things you did to that guy. It was…brutal", he muttered, lowering his gaze to the floor.

It ended up not being a question, after all. But it didn't have to. Gaara knew what he was after. The redhead grunted. He took his time to reply, even considered not saying anything at all, but eventually decided to be honest.

"I've done worse, y'know", he stated, not lying.

Sasuke could've claimed he didn't believe that, but it would've been a lie. It was well probable the man had done things his imagination couldn't even come up with. And he had no particular want to even try and change that. Before he had the chance to go down that disturbing road, Gaara spoke again.

"It's just…seeing him get hurt. Makes me go fuckin' insane."

That Sasuke could relate with. To an extent anyway. The redhead chuckled.

"It's kinda ridiculous. He's fully capable of taking care of himself", he said.

The raven had to agree. It was true. Naruto didn't really need babysitting. He'd always been a survivor, in the words literal meaning. Even in the most improbable scenarios, he always managed to find a way out. Sometimes a winner, sometimes a runaway, but always a survivor. It was truly admirable. But even that didn't stop Gaara from looking out for him.

"But still, I can't help it. When he gets hurt, I lose it. I guess I take his pain personally. Which makes virtually no sense at all", the redhead said.

Sasuke said nothing. He took a moment to sink into his own mind for a short while. Flashes of the past suddenly came back to him. Memories of the life he and Naruto had lived together. Years of laughter, anger, pain and lifelong promises. Not all of it was good, most of it tragic, but none of it a waste. Sasuke smiled.

"Hn. We ain't that different. You and me", he stated. Gaara turned to look at him, but said nothing.

"I've never been one to waste my energy on other people. I find it…useless. You rarely get back what you give. So I usually just don't give a shit", Sasuke admitted.

The redhead silently agreed, but didn't interrupt the other one.

"But y'know…blondie's different. I don't know what the fuck it is, but it's impossible not to get attached to him. He's the only person I'm willing to sacrifice myself for. All of me. And I don't even know why", Sasuke grunted.

Gaara smirked. He agreed with the other one. They might've despised each other, but when it came to people, and especially Naruto, they weren't that different at all. Maybe being somewhat similar was what repelled them in each other. Not that the reason really mattered. They'd have to tolerate each other's existences until one of them died. All that gritting of teeth and stretching of patience, just for a blonde mess of irritation, whom one couldn't help but to adore like something divine. The guy was balanced perfection in the most annoying way possible. It was ridiculous.

"Do you think he even knows what he does to people?" Gaara muttered, staring into distance. Sasuke stared at the same emptiness ahead, shaking his head.

"Nope. If he did, he'd never shut up about it", he assured.

That was very much true.

"We can never tell him", the redhead declared. Sasuke nodded. "Never."

They performed a telepathically unanimous bumping of fists that did not even require looking at the other one. Which fit them just fine.

Some comfortable silence followed once more. Sasuke felt himself get tired. It'd been a long day. A strange day. A bloody day. He found it odd how the redhead never seemed to suffer from the obvious lack of sleep. He figured it was just one of those inhumane characteristics the guy mainly consisted of.

To keep himself from falling asleep and embarrassingly ending up leaning against the redhead, or something else equally as horrifying, Sasuke decided to speak of something he'd intended on asking for a while already.

"About the deal we made. I suppose it ain't taken care of yet?" he questioned.

Gaara woke up from his thoughts and turned to face the other one. He did very well remember the talk they'd had several months ago. He chuckled.

"If it was, you'd know. But the deal's still on. I'll handle it", he assured.

Sasuke nodded. He found the reply to be sufficient enough.

Gaara sighed. He put out his cigarette that'd burned mostly out by then, and pulled himself off the couch. He made his way to the bed and stopped to stand beside it. A quick glance was enough for him to know the blonde had fallen asleep. He laid there still somewhat bloody, patched up and without covers, his lips peacefully parted. The redhead couldn't help the crooked smile.

"He's asleep", he informed. Sasuke smirked. "Good."

He pulled himself off the couch as well, and stretched his aching back. He concluded that money obviously could not buy a couch that both looked good, and felt comfortable.

"I'm gonna go upstairs. I'm tired as hell", he said, a yawn escaping his lips.

The redhead only replied with a grunt. Sasuke made his way to the door and pulled it open. Before stepping out, he turned back towards Gaara.

"I'll come by in the morning. Today was a complete waste of time, so we gotta make a new plan", he said. The redhead nodded. Sasuke smirked.

"Try to have some clothes on, eh?" he sneered. Gaara returned the smirk. "I'll try."

Sasuke left. He closed the door behind him, leaving the redhead alone with Naruto. Glancing at the one asleep, Gaara found himself smiling again. It made him feel like an idiot, but couldn't help it. He found it hard to believe there'd really been a time when he'd wanted to kill him. Occasionally he still wanted, but only when the blonde acted like an absolute dunce. That couldn't really be considered the same.

Gaara had started to wonder if he would've ever been able to kill him. Even at the start. Probably not. He could not name what it was, but something stopped him from harming the other one. He could only describe it as a feeling that made no sense, yet felt more powerful than any other. Whatever it was, it had turned his life around in a very confusing way. It'd also shown him the one person he could not make suffer without feeling the pain himself.

Sure they'd often been violent with each other, but that wasn't the same. Their fistfights weren't meant to harm one another. They were a form of communication. Neither one was good with words, making physical acts much more efficient when it came to expressing themselves. That applied to both anger and affection. It worked, neither minded it.

Gaara grunted. He wasn't sure why he was even thinking about it. About past events. He'd always felt that contemplating the past was a waste of time. He preferred living in the present. It was simpler and much more useful. After all, only the present was a time one could use to make an impact on the future. Not that he'd thought much about the future either. He'd never really cared enough to bother. Not until then. He'd come to realize things had changed. He cared now.

The redhead seated himself down on the edge of the bed. He stopped to contemplate whether or not he could be bothered to take his bloody clothes off. He couldn't. So he simply laid himself down, next to the sleeping blonde. Gaara watched him sleep. He had no real reason to do it. Nothing particularly interesting happened. The blonde did absolutely nothing beyond breathing, yet he still found the sight to be the most captivating in all of universe.

Gaara inched closer to the blonde. Naruto lay on his back, but had his head turned to the side, so that he faced the redhead. His healthy hand was pressed against the mattress, next to his head. Gaara reached out to gently take it into his. He smirked. His own hands were always so cold. The blonde's never were. They were always warm. He liked it. He liked holding them. They warmed him beyond just his own ice cold hands.

He slowly lifted the other's hand enough to press his lips against it. The blonde didn't wake up, but his fingers came to weakly return the hold. The redhead moved closer to him. He pressed his lips against the other's. There was no response. He didn't mind. He hadn't expected one.

Naruto frowned in his sleep. He let out a soft sound, shifting his position. He did that a couple of times, before turning to his side, his face pressing against the redhead's chest. Careful not to hurt him, Gaara pulled him closer, holding him. He buried his face into blonde hair and smirked.

He truly never had been one to care about the past, or even the future. He still didn't care about the past. He liked the present. But he'd started to realize that maybe the future had its perks after all. Mostly because he finally had one. He had a future now. And best of all, it was sound asleep in his arms.

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**Such a disgustingly cute chapter. Also, kinda disturbing. Just the way I like it.**

**Hope ya enjoyed it. Do tell me. I'll try and be on time next week. See ya'll then, have a good one.**


	41. Drugstore Happiness

**Good people, prepare yourselves for some fluffy shit. I'm sure you will wonder if I was perhaps stoned out of my mind when writing this, and I'm almost ashamed to admit that no, I wasn't. Just me. Just me and a rare, passing moment of lovesickness.**

* * *

There weren't many things that could keep Gaara interested for very long. He could count them with the fingers of his right hand, not all of them even required. It might've sounded unnecessarily constricted, but he thought of it more as passionate focusing. To very extreme extents.

His job was one of them. That he would never get tired of doing. Though it was most unconventional, some may say deranged, he enjoyed shooting off heads and cutting open throats. It wasn't his idea of fun per se, but to him, it was interesting.

Another one was learning. Learning new things, obtaining new knowledge and expanding his intellect awareness. He never failed to desire further evolving of his mind. Everything from mathematics to the history of fucking egg boiling was interesting, as long as it benefitted his general intelligence. He wasn't one to care about philosophy or spiritual wisdom, as it rarely served any concrete purpose. Not to him, anyway. His life had no room for a pastime of essentially useless questioning that'd never be answered. But anything theoretical, anything actually useful kept him interested.

In addition to the joys of taking human lives and being a walking book of trivia, there was something he found even more fascinating. And that exact subject of interest lay right beside him, pressed against his chest. It had blue eyes, tan skin and a face so ridiculously perfect, it made one want to cry. Gaara didn't know how to cry, but had he, he surely would've. That walking definition of said perfection positively was the most fascinating thing he'd ever encountered. And quite possibly ever would at that.

Even if Gaara were to lose interest in everything else, the blonde he wouldn't. He knew that. He could spend hours simply watching the man sleep. He could run his fingers through blond hair and touch his face a million times, yet it never got old. Every time felt like the first. Every touch felt new and somehow electric. Every time Gaara closed his eyes to blink, upon opening them again it was like seeing the blonde for the very first time. It never failed to be just as captivating.

It sounded ridiculous. It _was_ ridiculous. Yet it was true. He had no idea why it was so. He couldn't explain why he found it so fascinating to watch another human being do virtually nothing. And at the moment, the blonde truly didn't do much. Just laid still and breathed. Yet it was like watching a fine piece of art. Like watching an angel sleep.

It was morning by then. Around 9 am. Naruto had been asleep for a good seven hours, but hadn't shown any signs of waking up. Gaara hadn't slept all night. He hadn't felt particularly tired, either. He didn't mind being awake all alone. Not really. But though he could spend hours watching the blonde sleep, he was sort of starting to hope the man would wake up. He considered nudging him awake, but concluded he'd most likely get kicked in the face for it. So that plan got dismissed.

Almost as soon as he'd finished that thought, Naruto let out a soft sound. He frowned in his sleep and inched closer to the redhead, then calming again. Gaara could've perhaps tried to wake him up, but instead settled on putting his arms around the other one, buried his face in blonde hair and closed his eyes. He was content holding him there, even if the man was out like a light. The redhead himself was starting to feel some vague level of tiredness. He might've even fallen asleep, hadn't the blonde then decided to spontaneously moan in his sleep. In a very…interesting manner.

Gaara's eyes opened. Why he'd acknowledged the sound in the first place, he wasn't sure. Maybe because the blonde usually was a silent sleeper. Or perhaps because the lips guilty for the distracting sound were in fact moving so close to his neck he could almost feel them, but then again not. And he almost dared to call that a shame. The redhead decided to go with the first option, just to avoid admitting his mind was outrageously sidetracking.

The blonde was silent. Gaara closed his eyes again, figuring he might as well try to sleep himself. They probably had another long day ahead, so a little rest couldn't hurt.

That plan backfired after about thirty seconds, when the blonde decided to repeat his previous demonstration of sounds violently ripped out of context. Just in a louder and lengthier manner, which again made Gaara question just how could anybody sound like a five buck prostitute while asleep. He wondered if Naruto was possibly waking up, but the slight squirming the man practiced against him indicated he was fast asleep and dreaming.

That went on for a while. Gaara had long forgotten all about sleeping. As one could imagine, there was nothing calming or tiring about a bare-chested angelface moaning barely an inch away from his ear. A minute of that, and the redhead found himself with a raging hard-on, rapidly growing shortage of self-control and actual embarrassment for getting turned on by someone who was in fact unconscious. He would've laughed at himself, hadn't it been much more frustrating than it was amusing. He couldn't remember ever having felt that guilty for being horny. It was ridiculous. The blonde wasn't even awake. And Gaara felt like a desperate sixteen year old teenage boy. What a time to be alive.

It stopped eventually. Whatever Naruto had been chased by in his dreams, he'd outrun and calmed again. But that didn't seem to matter to the wide awake lower part of the redhead that absolutely refused to understand how inappropriate this was. Gaara had run out of bed to back away on and there wasn't much he could do about the blonde pressing himself as close as humanly possible. The redhead found this highly uncomfortable. Not because Naruto was glued to him like an insect to flypaper, but because he was only one more moan away from literally ripping the other's clothes off.

Gaara glanced down at the sleeping blonde. His eyes softened at the peaceful look on Naruto's face. And his lower half responded enthusiastically to the lips just an inch away from his. He must've stared at them for an entire minute, not thinking about much else than all the dirty things they could've done to him. Gaara had quite efficiently reached a solid point of absolute frustration, mixed with pure self-loathing, when he realized the lips he'd been staring at were actually moving.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

For the first time in his life, Gaara fell out of a bed. It wasn't graceful in any way or form.

"You're awake", was the no-brainer he decided to go with, rushing to sit up.

Naruto lifted himself enough to glance over the edge of the bed. The redhead sat on the floor, looking like a deer caught in headlights. The blonde gave him a truly questioning look.

"Yeah. Woke up to a hard dick against my thigh", he told very openly.

Gaara said nothing. He sort of just stared, looking like an absolute dunce, wondering if this moment was perhaps the epitome of all that was unfair.

"Don't judge me. You moan like an overpaid porn star in your sleep", he muttered, refusing to take all the blame alone. Naruto raised a brow.

"I was dreaming about an alien invasion. Not that sexy, y'know", he pointed out. Gaara narrowed his eyes defensively.

"You grinding against me is. What kinda weird-ass aliens make you do that?" he grunted.

Naruto could've stifled the need to laugh at the redhead's sulking face, but simply did not want to. So he didn't.

"The kind that are gonna make me ask you back into bed", he said between snorts of laughter. It hurt to laugh, yet he had to.

Gaara wouldn't move. He had decided to glare at Naruto from the floor, and from the floor exclusively. His unusual immaturity earned him a raised brow and a smirk.

"If you're just gonna sit there, I'll assume you ain't interested in violating me", the blonde implied.

The redhead was embarrassingly quick to change his mind and crawl back into bed. He decided to ignore the chuckles it earned.

"Hn. Only you could be weird enough to get turned on by someone running away from aliens", Naruto said. Gaara grunted.

"How 'bout you just feel impressed with yourself and shut up", he muttered, yet failed to stifle the snort that followed. The blonde narrowed his eyes at the man and smirked.

"How 'bout you be less of a pervert", he said in return.

Gaara tried so hard not to let his poker face falter, obviously failing. But that didn't mean he'd lose the argument.

"That's all your fault. Be less fucking gorgeous and we won't have this problem again", he argued.

Naruto felt his manliness melt away with the rest of him. How could a coldblooded orphan maker be that ridiculously smooth? It was nearly infuriating. The blonde let out a sigh of defeat.

"You should save a little of that smooth vocabulary of yours to the rest of us", he muttered, lips brushing against the ones nearly pressed against his. Gaara smirked.

"That ain't gonna happen. Did you know your every smile makes my dead, black heart come back to life?"

The redhead was deliberately being the most annoyingly charming dickhead, and Naruto knew that. Yet he still found himself melting into some sticky goo of sugary syrup. It irked him.

"You are a dangerous man to take into bed, monster", he muttered, giving up on even trying to resist him.

Gaara chuckled, obviously very pleased with himself. He then took a break from pretending to know all about seducing, and instead reached to gently brush his hand against the blonde's wounded arm. Naruto flinched under his touch.

"Does it hurt?" the redhead asked. He received a nod.

"Yeah. I can't move it", the blonde muttered, sounding instantly depressed.

Gaara said nothing. He doubted there was anything he could've said to make it better. He didn't like seeing the other one in pain. It made him feel oddly guilty, even if it had nothing to do with him. But the guilt he felt for something he shouldn't even have been thinking about, was perfectly reasonable.

It sounded disturbing, but in a way Gaara almost hoped the blonde's arm wouldn't heal properly. Not because he wanted the man to suffer, but because it'd mean Naruto wouldn't be able to kill for money anymore. The redhead had considered asking him to stop now that he was back, but hadn't had the chance before the blonde got shot. Now that he may not be able to do it anyway, Gaara figured he might not have to have that conversation. He knew it was horrible to wish the other's arm to remain useless, but in his mind it was still better than the dangers of being a hitman. Just enough to win the guilt.

If he'd ever have to ask Naruto to give up on paid killing, it wouldn't go down well. He knew that. It would most likely involve a whole lot of screaming, even more throwing of sharp and heavy objects, and an outcome that wouldn't let Gaara feel at ease anyway. The blonde wouldn't agree. He'd never comply. That's why the redhead wished for such a terrible thing. But that wish of his would stay silent. Not in a million years would he have been stupid enough to say it aloud.

"What if it never works again? What the fuck am I gonna do then?" Naruto asked, shattering the brief silence they'd had.

Gaara wasn't sure what to say. His quietness instantly worsened the desperate look in the other's eyes. Refusing to let the blonde sink into any level of self-pitying, the redhead gave him a weak smile. He might've had a mind for wrongful wishes, but it did not mean he wasn't intending to make up for it.

"It doesn't matter. Even if it doesn't heal, it won't matter. I know it ain't gonna stop you", the redhead spoke, inching a little closer to the other one.

Naruto didn't look particularly convinced. Gaara reached to touch the side of his face. Blue eyes closed upon feeling the cold fingers brush against his skin.

"If it never heals, I'll be your arms", the redhead promised.

The blonde almost smiled. He opened his eyes again, meeting a pair of green ones. The redhead wasn't frowning, but looked serious.

"None of your flaws matter. I'll always be there to do what you can't", Gaara muttered. His fingers trailed the light scars on the blonde's face.

"If you go blind, I'll be your eyes. If you go deaf, I'll hear for you. If you lose your legs, I'll walk around the world for you."

The redhead moved his fingers along the other's scars over and over again. It kind of tickled. Naruto didn't mind it. It felt nice. But it stopped soon as Gaara drew his hand away, leaned closer, and pressed his lips against the other's. Very gently and only for a short while, before pulling back again, and stopping to stare at the blonde.

"I'll be anything you need. I'd do anything. I'd die for you."

Naruto felt his breath hitch. He said nothing, only stopped to watch the redhead. A strange feeling overcame him. It was as if the ground suddenly disappeared from beneath him, leaving him to fall down into something that had no bottom. It was terrifying, it made him scared, yet at the same time, it felt better than anything else. And it all felt just a little bit too familiar.

It was the feeling of him falling in love with Gaara.

The blonde physically flinched. Like he'd been shocked with static electricity. He almost let himself panic, but forcefully pushed the feeling away. As he did the feeling of falling for a man who could not love. Naruto refused to give into it. He couldn't slip. He couldn't let it happen. He wished the man would've known what his promises did to him. What his voice in general did to him. What everything about him did to him. And the things Gaara told him only made it that much worse.

Naruto wasn't stupid. He was aware that the things the man was saying sounded much like something one only told those they loved. But he knew better than that. The redhead couldn't love. Gaara cared for him sincerely, yet it wasn't the same. He would never love him. There was only so much he could give, and it wouldn't be enough if Naruto ended up falling in love with him. All else the blonde needed, Gaara might succeed in being, but never that. Never the epitome of romantic cliches one couldn't help but to want, and inevitably, needed.

Naruto frowned. He didn't want to think about it. It gave him an oddly painful feeling and was afraid it'd show. Not wanting to let the redhead think anything was wrong, he shoved all oppressive thoughts away, and asked the man a question.

"Are you afraid of dying?"

Gaara didn't really have to think about it.

"No." He paused for a moment, before continuing. "Are you?"

Naruto smiled. "No. Not anymore."

Gaara stopped to stare at the blonde. He did that for a long time. For as long as the blonde smiled, he stared. He always did. Naruto would smile, and he'd stop to stare for as long as the smile lived on his lips. It wasn't something he decided on doing. It sort of just happened. As did many other things. There were a lot of strange things happening inside him whenever the blonde smiled. Or laughed. Or when Gaara touched him, kissed him. He knew it was a feeling. But did not know which one. He'd never felt it before. Or anything even close to it.

He didn't dislike the feeling. It fascinated him. He was surprised that there could be a feeling of that kind. A feeling that wrapped itself around him tightly, yet didn't feel heavy. A feeling that seemed to fill him the way rain could flood the ground. It was a drowning feeling, but not suffocating. Gaara had no word for it. Not that he really needed one. He was content simply having it, for he liked it. It was a strange one, but still better than anything he'd ever felt before. And strangely addicting at that. It gave a rush. A high. Only this high was lasting.

"What are you staring at?" the blonde eventually asked chuckling.

Gaara said nothing. Instead he leaned forward, closed the gap between them and kissed the one still amused. The blonde's chuckling ended with a breathy sound of contentment.

"Could I interest you in some efficient pain relief?" the redhead muttered. Naruto hummed in a pleased manner.

"What kind?" he pried, using his healthy arm to pull the other one closer.

"The kind where I take you to cloud nine", Gaara said, smirking. The blonde gently bit the other's lower lip.

"Tempting. I'll have some of that."

That was about as far as they succeeded in getting, before a knock on the door efficiently killed any hopes of privacy. The identity of who had taken it up to interrupt them was a given. And though Gaara should've by then accepted that Sasuke would forever be his ultimate obstacle for having his way with the blonde, he still gritted his teeth in absolute annoyance. Not bothering to even say a word, he left the bed and marched to the door to face the lord of lousy timings.

He yanked the door open to find the raven stand behind it. The lack of interest on Gaara's face immediately became evident to the other one. Sasuke tilted his head.

"Hn. You look like shit today", he stated for no apparent reason, while once again welcoming himself inside.

Gaara stayed there to stare at the now empty hallway for a while, eye twitching with latent madness, and wondering if this was perhaps the universe punishing him for all the evil he'd done. Because it sure as hell was working. Though it was tempting, Gaara didn't slam the door shut, but instead closed it calmly, limiting his display of annoyance to more gritting of teeth.

Turning around, he came to find that Sasuke had waltzed right into bed and seated himself next to Naruto. Feeling like the remains of his rightfully claimed space had been invaded, Gaara found it difficult not to shove the man off the bed. He managed not to. Instead he sat himself on the foot of the bed, admitting defeat, yet imagining the glorious image of kicking Sasuke square in the face.

"How's the patient doin'?" Sasuke asked the blonde. Naruto grunted.

"Hurting", he muttered, somewhat grim. The other one frowned.

"Hn. Is it moving?" he questioned. Naruto shook his head, sighing tiredly.

"No. Can we just not talk about it?" he requested, obviously feeling anxious.

Sasuke glanced at him, easily spotting the frustration. "Okay."

The raven subtly turned to see Gaara, giving him a questioning look. Realizing the man was wondering how Naruto truly felt about the arm's condition, the redhead simply shrugged. He wasn't really sure himself. Sasuke was forced to accept that answer.

"So, what we gonna do now? Yesterday was a complete waste of time", the raven said, changing the subject altogether.

Naruto perked up a little. He wiped the scowl off his face and forced his lingering anxiety away, in order to have a proper discussion of the subject picked up.

"It wasn't. Not entirely", he stated.

The other two gave him a questioning look, looking somewhat disagreeing. Naruto struggled himself into a sitting position before clarifying the point behind his argument.

"I found something kinda interesting inside the warehouse yesterday", he claimed. Sasuke frowned.

"Like what? I sure as hell didn't see anything but dead people", he pointed out. Before the blonde had a chance to say anything, Gaara butted in.

"There were dead people?" he asked, sounding honestly oblivious.

Both Naruto and Sasuke turned to look at him in vague disbelief. They questioned if the man was being serious.

"You didn't notice the hundreds of rotting corpses? The smell alone was fuckin' impossible to ignore", Sasuke said, marveling how Gaara could've missed it.

The redhead simply shrugged. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"How do you even live life, dude? How are you a _hitman_?" he muttered, shaking his head. Gaara grunted.

"Perfectly fine. Was just kinda busy gutting that piece of shit that shot blondie", he said.

Sasuke couldn't really argue with that. So he didn't. Instead he let the other's selective attention span be, and turned back to the blonde.

"Whatever. You were sayin'?" he carried on. Naruto gathered his focus back together as well.

"Hn. Like I said, lots of dead people in huge dumpsters. I went through a few. Noticed that not a single one was male", he told. Sasuke frowned.

"Ya sure? There must've been a thousand of 'em. And it was dark as hell", he pointed out. The blonde shook his head.

"Nah, I'm sure. I went through at least five of 'em. Not a single dude in sight", he assured.

Sasuke grunted thoughtfully. Gaara frowned, perhaps a little confused.

"Who the hell gives a shit?" he asked, not finding the point in this. Naruto chuckled.

"We do. Hand me that, will ya?" he requested, pointing at the newspaper placed on the nightstand.

Gaara did as requested, mostly. He picked up the paper, but instead of handing it to the blonde, he forced his way between the two men leaning against the headboard, absolutely refusing to sit on the foot of the bed like a dog any longer. Sasuke was displeased by the way the redhead forcefully stuffed himself between them, but settled on simply rolling his eyes. Ignoring the raven's exaggerated mental agony, Gaara placed an arm around the blonde's shoulders and unfolded the paper for him to see. Even if Naruto had tried not to, he still would've smiled at the redhead's subtle chivalry. But instead of saying anything of it, he tapped on the article about Hyuuga for it to grab Sasuke's attention.

"Found this prick for a nice change. Apparently he ain't dead", Naruto said. The raven grunted.

"Hn. I figured they would've gotten rid of him", he said. The blonde nodded in the rhythm of a sigh.

"Yeah, me too. But no. Still alive and kickin'. Also, sort of useful", he then told. The other two failed to understand how. Naruto was kind enough to clarify.

"Remember what you said about this dickhead? That he won a human trafficking case in yakuza's favor", he reminded Gaara. The redhead simply nodded. Sasuke tilted his head curiously, but didn't interrupt.

"The bodies at the warehouse were all female, some just kids. I figured that they could be the girls yakuza's been trafficking. Hyuuga won the case, but we all know he lied through his teeth. There's no way the mob hasn't been sellin' girls. They must've gotten rid of 'em to win the case", Naruto explained.

Gaara's confused expression turned into some kind of agreement, indicating he didn't find it impossible. Sasuke took a moment to think, before shrugging.

"Could be. Akatsuki's leading hitmen were there. They wouldn't have stained their own hands for something unimportant. It could've been a cover-up", he considered thoughtfully. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Yakuza got sued for sellin' girls, so they got rid of the evidence and hired Hyuuga to get them off the hook. And Akatsuki was probably hired to do the actual killing and disposing", he theorized.

Sasuke had to agree it was a possibility, but remained slightly skeptical of the probability of it. Mainly because of the scale of the massacre.

"But would they really have killed a thousand girls just for a cover-up?" he had to question. Naruto snorted.

"Those girls were nothin' but merchandise to them. Not much of a loss in their book. Not compared to the possible jail-time", he reasoned.

Sasuke frowned. Though it was somewhat sad, the blonde was right. Human trafficking brutally stripped people of their dignity and worth, leaving them comparable to inanimate objects. Nothing but merchandise, faceless bodies and numbered products. As inhumane as that all sounded, it also meant that the mafia hardly would've thought twice about disposing of them. So sadly, Naruto's theory was most likely correct.

"Would they've done that?" Sasuke decided to ask Gaara. Out of the three of them, he should've known best. The man's reply was terrible news of mankind, but good news to them.

"Easily."

The redhead's statement didn't leave much room for doubt. And truly thinking about it, yakuza having faced human trafficking charges, all the while hiding a thousand dead girls was just too much of a coincidence to be one.

"Hn. So it potentially ain't bullshit. But how's it gonna help us?" Sasuke asked. Naruto smiled crookedly, indicating he actually might've had a good idea.

"You see, my morons, that the scale of this shit is in fact massive. And shit this massive takes a load of planning. That means that they being in this city ain't an accident. There has to be a reason for choosing Suna", he told.

Two confused gazes turned to look at him. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"I'm sayin' that we need to figure that reason out. Suna has no harbor or sea routes, which means that getting' all those girls here wasn't easy. Yet they still chose this city. There has to be a reason, and a good one. Learning that reason could get us one step closer to Akatsuki's leader", he explained.

Gaara and Sasuke seemed to understand the point at last. And it made sense, to be fair. It was doubtful yakuza had chosen Suna randomly. It wasn't the ideal place for the kind of disposing of evidence they'd practiced. Transporting a thousand abducted and bought girls there without getting caught was a risky challenge to take. There were several locations much more convenient they could've chosen. Yet they didn't. Which meant something specific had driven them to choose Suna. And the first thing that sprung to mind, was the industrial area. That thought lead Naruto to point out something he knew would make Gaara's blood turn into acid in his veins.

"We need to go see your brother again, monster", the blonde said. Gaara turned to look at him, eyes instantly turning murderous.

"Are you shitting me?" he growled, not the least bit pleased. Naruto sighed.

"No. I wanna ask him about the industrial area. He has to know more about it", he told, not that it was much use. Gaara looked no happier. And seemed determined to find a way around it.

"He would've told us", the redhead grunted. Naruto laughed out loud.

"Bullshit. You know as well as I do that men like him give nothin' for free. He wouldn't have told shit just cause he could. You know that", he pointed out.

Gaara tried hard to deny that, but actually couldn't. He knew the blonde was right, and ended up gritting his teeth in irritation for it. The sigh of defeat that followed was inevitable.

"Hn. Fuckin' fine. But I sure as hell ain't gonna work shit to get him talkin'. Either he talks, or I beat it out of him", he declared in absolute certainty. Naruto chuckled.

"Whatever floats your boat. I'll give you permission to go a little crazy", he permitted. Gaara narrowed his eyes, but topped it off with a crooked smile.

"I need your permission, huh? Makes me sound submissive as shit", he said. It wasn't really a complaint as much as it was just a little alluring. The blonde snorted.

"But you are. Totally under my whip", he assured.

Gaara gave him a supposedly insulted glare, yet ended up smirking. He would've had the perfect reply to give, but figured it might've not played out that well in the presence of Sasuke. So he went with the second best one.

"Hn. Ya know how to use it, so I ain't complaining."

A somewhat strange moment of silent obscenity followed between them, majestically excluding Sasuke out. The raven might've given them a funny look, but neither noticed. Thankfully the moment didn't last long enough to become too weird.

"When are we gonna go find that brother of yours then?" Sasuke asked, breaking the brief silence. Gaara got no chance to reply, as the blonde already had an answer to give.

"Not yet. I doubt we'll find him before dark. Also, I ain't moving an inch without pumping myself full of painkillers", he declared.

Since the other two felt no desire to carry the blonde one around, they were forced to comply. Not that they had the need to complain in the first place. They had no rush to go back to that part of the city. But the blonde's decision not to move also meant that Gaara had to be the one finding painkillers to ease princess Naruto's absolute agony. And as if dragging his ass out to town wasn't unpleasant enough, Sasuke forced the redhead to take him along. Experience had taught him that pain made Naruto cranky, and a cranky Naruto would throw things and whine endlessly about anything and everything. The image of that surprisingly enough convinced Gaara not to leave him behind. So they left together.

After an hour or so, they had found their way to the nearest drugstore. And after another painfully slow fifteen minutes, Gaara was still trying to convince the employee behind the counter to give him the strongest shit they could sell without a prescription. Getting the drug itself wasn't a problem, but getting the quantities needed apparently was. The redhead knew that the standard amount wouldn't help shit. Naruto was ridiculously resistant to all sorts of drugs. He'd learned that while watching the man down half a bottle of painkillers every time he had nothing but a minor hangover. So he had no other choice but to keep on fighting the idiotic woman selling it, while trying his best not to strangle her. It wasn't as easily done as it was said.

Sasuke spent a few minutes enjoying sadistic amusement for watching Gaara fight the lady behind the counter. He found the redhead's frustration entertaining, but was sort of impressed by his determination as well. It reminded Sasuke all over again just how much that monster had learned to care for the blonde. The world contained no one else he would've bothered to fight a cashier for. That was a solid fact.

But halfway through the ridiculous argument, Sasuke got bored and wandered off to distract himself with the wonders of drugstores. And by the time Gaara finally had convinced the woman to sell him the borderline illegal amount of drugs, the raven had hauled himself equally as ridiculous amounts of discount crap. Crap he didn't really need. And was in fact aware of that. But it didn't stop him from dropping all that unnecessity onto the counter, earning a disbelieving look from the man waiting for the cashier to return with the drugs.

"What the fuck, dude? Can't I leave you alone for five fuckin' minutes?" he asked, staring at the pile of shit that couldn't possibly be truly useful. Sasuke scowled.

"Shut up", he muttered, clearly denying he had picked out anything he didn't need.

Gaara was quick to prove him wrong by inspecting through the mountain of anything and everything that'd been on sale. He picked up an item that absolutely couldn't be anything Sasuke needed.

"Really? Tampons?"

The raven narrowed his eyes and huffed in a defensive manner. "Blondie gets nosebleeds."

The redhead gave him an unimpressed glance, throwing the thing back into the pile. He picked up a packet of nicotine patches instead.

"You gonna stop smoking?" he asked. Sasuke obviously avoided answering. "No."

Gaara rolled his eyes and stated the obvious. "You have a fuckin' problem."

The other one strongly disagreed. He snatched the packet of patches away from the redhead and put them back on top of his pile of absolute shit.

"It's on sale. I like sale. And I might need them", he argued. Gaara didn't look too convinced.

"You are a hoarder", he informed as matter of fact. Sasuke flipped him off.

"No. I'm economical", he told in turn. The redhead shook his head.

"You are fuckin' weird", he stated. The other one gave an equally as true response. "And you're a fuckin' lunatic."

Gaara couldn't argue with that. So he didn't. Not particularly interested in Sasuke and his obvious problem of hauling shit he didn't need, the redhead gave up on even trying understanding. Instead of arguing with the other man any further, he let himself lean against the counter, gaze hopefully searching for a glimpse of the employee, who in his opinion was taking far too long. Gaara wasn't a fan of wasting time on waiting. It made him frustrated and impatient. Often even angry. And as another few minutes went by, the cashier still nowhere to be seen, he started to feel the insuperable urge to bang his head against the counter.

He didn't. He was able to distract himself enough by gazing around the store and the people in there. There weren't that many of them. Only a few teenage girls drooling over excessively priced cosmetics, an old lady shrunken by age, wrinkly hands full of coupons, chasing the same sales as Sasuke, and a young couple walking down the aisle closest to him.

Gaara stopped to watch the couple. He found himself studying the way they behaved with each other. Though he truly wasn't an expert on the subject, even he could see that they were so sickly in love, it neared disgusting. They hung off each other's arms, looked at one another with stars in their eyes and giggled at the most irrelevant gestures. Gaara found it disturbing to an extent, but even then, he could not stop looking. He openly stared at them, confused, yet intrigued by their strange interactions.

He came to wonder what it felt like to act such a way. To boldly paw each other in public, not caring about other people. To kiss the other's lips, ignoring the stares it attracted. To be so obviously in love. To be in love in the first place.

The couple stopped walking. Gaara tilted his head curiously. The young lovers had stopped in front of a wide selection of toys. Though both of them clearly were well past their teenage years, the girl seemed fascinated by the assortment of stuffed animals. Her petite hands reached out to pick up a fairly small stuffed figure of a bear. The thing had plastic eyes far too big to fit its face and a disgustingly pink bow tie wrapped around its neck, but she seemed to fall in love with it in that split of a second. The girl held the toy against her chest, a disturbingly high-pitched squeal escaping her lips. The sound made Gaara scowl in annoyance.

But it wasn't really the girl's reaction that caught his interest. It was the young man with her. The look on his face turned into an ode to affection upon seeing his love interest's lips curl into a sweet smile. The man's gaze glued to his girl, the irritatingly pitched sound of her excitement failed to irritate him. If anything, it only made the guy further lovesick. Gaara couldn't really understand why.

They didn't stay there for long. The girl put the toy back into the shelf, gave it one last glance, and then carried on walking on her lover's side. Gaara watched them walk past him and stop at the checkout next to theirs. The couple payed for their purchases, failing to notice the somewhat impolite staring the redhead was practicing. After packing up their shopping, the couple turned away from the counter and left. Gaara watched them exit through the sliding doors of the store, remaining confused by their interactions.

Once they were gone, the redhead lost interest in them and the way they behaved. He probably wouldn't have given another thought to it, hadn't something vaguely interesting happened only a minute later. Gaara found himself once more staring at the same man who'd just exited the store. The guy had appeared back at the counter, but left the girl to wait outside. It confused the redhead for a while. But then his eyes caught the small, extravagantly designed stuffed bear in the young man's hands.

The man placed it onto the counter, a faint smile of affection playing on his lips. Gaara hadn't realized it himself, but apparently his stare had turned quite hard to ignore. It was only when the young man turned to meet his gaze, when he understood how intently he was watching. But it didn't make him turn the other way. The man seemed slightly taken aback by his stare for a short while, but in the end didn't seem too bothered by it. He even flashed the redhead a kind smile. Gaara didn't return it.

The man paid for the toy, picked it up and left the counter. The redhead watched him walk away once more, and noticed the way he hid the stuffed animal behind his back, when approaching his girl. The man made his way through the sliding glass doors again, stopped before his lover and revealed her his purchase. She melted. As literally as one could. Her eyes lit up like rays of sunshine, her lips curling into a smile that told of pure joy. But it wasn't only her who seemed pleased. Even from that distance, Gaara could easily see the young man melt into a pulp of sugary goo, overflowing with affection. It was a moment one could only describe as honest happiness.

Then they left. Gaara watched them leave the building, disappearing with their overflowing happiness and stuffed bear. He was left to feel deeply confused. He could not comprehend with what drove people to do such things. He couldn't be certain, but concluded the man must've wanted to make his girl happy. He must've liked seeing her happy. Why, he had no idea. Though the reason for it didn't really matter, Gaara felt annoyed for not understanding the motive behind it.

Why did people want to make others happy? Was that love? Was love feeling happy for somebody else's happiness?

He doubted it. It might've been a part of it, but not all. There must've been more to love than that. Of course he couldn't say for sure. What did he know after all? He couldn't love. Nor did he like making people happy. Never had.

Gaara's train of thought came to a sudden halt. He stopped to think about his latest silent statement more deeply. He came to realize that he couldn't really know for sure whether or not he liked making someone else happy. He'd never tried. Not intentionally. He'd never felt the need to do so. Perhaps that was an indicator enough of how he felt about it. But then again, whenever Naruto came across as happy, it did make him feel oddly content. Was that the same thing?

Gaara didn't know how to answer his own questions. He did like seeing the blonde happy. But he'd never deliberately tried to achieve that. He had no idea what even made the man happy. Was he supposed to know? Would he have liked to make him happy? Could he even do it if he wanted to?

What the fuck was happiness anyway?

The redhead felt his brain nearing a short circuit. His mind had not been designed to wonder about such things. It made him confused and somewhat frustrated. Not to mention how stupid it made him feel to try and figure out something he simply could not understand. He decided not to do it any longer. He grunted and did his best to force the strange thoughts away. He truly did try. But it was surprisingly hard to forget the look of joy on the girl's face when receiving a gift from the one she loved. Did such things truly make people happy? Small gestures and sincere consideration?

Could it really be that simple?

"Yo. Tell me something", Gaara suddenly said.

Sasuke turned to look at him, raising a questioning brow. The redhead suffered a moment of hesitation, but eventually did voice his question.

"What makes blondie happy?"

The raven frowned in vague confusion. "Happy?"

Gaara nodded. Sasuke stopped to think about it, but ended up asking for clarification.

"You mean in an idiotic, child-like way?" he questioned.

That was a pretty good description of the happiness Gaara had just witnessed, so he nodded once more. The other man stopped to wonder about it again, pondering what to tell him. It was surprisingly hard to come up with a good reply. It'd been a while since the blonde last seemed truly happy. It took Sasuke a moment, but eventually a proper answer came to mind.

"Small, modest things make him happy. Gestures that seem somewhat irrelevant even. Remembering something he's said long ago in passing, and showing it didn't go unnoticed. Little things", he told, not finding a better way to phrase it.

Gaara knitted his brows in slight confusion. He wasn't entirely sure what the other one meant, but couldn't bother asking for clarification. He doubted it would've helped much. So he said nothing. A moment of silence followed. The raven studied the other one in a curious manner.

"Why'd you ask?" he pried. The redhead shrugged. "Dunno."

Sasuke got no chance to ask more questions, as the employee tending to them finally returned. Gaara paid for the drug he'd asked for, making his opinion of the woman quite clear by not bothering to thank her. Though it was rude on both sides, the lady made her equally as displeased view of her customer just as clear by not even glancing at him. Both of them felt quite content for their interaction to have run its course. After the redhead it was Sasuke's turn to pay for his purchases. The cashier glanced at the pile of discounted crap the raven had hauled on the counter. Though unprofessional, the woman couldn't help but to give him an askance look. Sasuke huffed and pushed his adored pile of shit closer to her.

"Don't judge me. I'm economical."

Not long after, the two men were on their way back to the hotel. The walk was fairly silent, as they truly didn't have much to talk about. But neither really minded. Both of them were happy smoking their cigarettes in silence, minding their own business. Sasuke struggled to drag all the useless stuff he'd bought behind him, but also refused to ask for any kind of help. Not that Gaara would've given him any. He felt no need to suffer for the other's need to haul all that crap. But he did find himself wondering if buying it all perhaps made Sasuke happy. Discount happy, but nonetheless. He couldn't bother asking.

About halfway through their walk back, the redhead came to a sudden halt. Upon realizing it, Sasuke stopped as well, turning to glance over his shoulder.

"You gonna build a nest there?" he grunted, not particularly pleased about standing there for no apparent reason.

The redhead said nothing. He simply stopped to stare at the pavement, a look of some kind of revelation in his eyes. He didn't remain halted for long though. Letting a thoughtful frown paint his features, he continued walking again. Sasuke gave him a deeply questioning look, but received no explanation. He rolled his eyes at the redhead's strangeness that seemed to know no limits, but couldn't bother asking about it. Concluding it was best to learn accepting the man's oddities, they continued their walk towards the hotel.

Upon reaching their destination, Sasuke decided to go by his own room to drop off the ridiculous amount of complete shit he'd bought. Gaara could barely care enough to listen him inform that, as there was something he needed to do, quite urgently even. Leaving the raven behind, he rushed to make his way to the seventeenth floor. Once there, he hurried his way into his room, finding Naruto exactly where he'd left him. He sat on the bed, laptop placed before him and fingers typing on the keyboard. The fingers of only one hand though. The blonde had stuck a pair of earphones into his ears, which might've explained why he didn't seem to notice Gaara enter, despite the loudness of it. Only when the redhead had more or less run to the bed and dropped on his knees beside it, Naruto finally lifted his gaze up. And nearly suffer a heart attack at that.

"Oh my fucking god. You scared the living shit out of me", he claimed, yanking the earphones out.

Whether or not the redhead even listened to him was somewhat questionable, as he barely let Naruto finish his sentence.

"Close your eyes", the paler one demanded. The oddly rushed tone of his voice struck a note in Naruto's ear. The blonde frowned.

"What?" he asked, looking confused. Gaara only repeated his previous demand, slightly more impatiently.

"Close your eyes."

Naruto stopped to look at him slightly funny. He narrowed his eyes at the other man, not shy to show his justified suspicion. But it only lasted so long. His confused eyes softened at the redhead's almost child-like impatience. Concluding that it was too cute to say no to, Naruto shut the lid of his laptop, pushed it off his lap and did as told. He closed his eyes.

Nothing happened right away. He heard a soft ruffling from the other's direction, but had no idea what it was an indicator of. He waited patiently, only to soon receive another demand.

"Put out your hand."

Naruto frowned. He took his short time, but did extend his healthy arm, the palm-side of his hand upwards. He wasn't sure what to expect, and thus became slightly surprised upon feeling cold metal coming to contact with his skin. Something metallic had been placed into his hand. It wasn't particularly heavy, but neither was it weightless. The blonde waited for a short, silent while, before asking a question.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

The redhead's voice grunted. Naruto took it as a yes. Concluding it was fine, he slowly opened his eyes and directed his gaze towards the palm of his hand. For a short while he wasn't sure what to think. There, in the center of his palm, was something he'd seen and held a million times before. Something he himself carried around his neck. A yakuza tag. No different from the 150 he had stored up at home, just slightly bloodier. He felt a little confused, and showed that by giving the redhead a questioning look. The man said nothing. Only looked at him somewhat curiously. Naruto dropped his gaze back to the tag in his hand, frowning at it.

It took a second or two, but the frown soon lifted off his features. It turned into slight hesitation and uncertainty, before melting into hopeful disbelief. His lips parted unconsciously.

"Is this…?" was the only thing he asked. Gaara nodded. "Yeah."

Naruto couldn't help the instant smile. It lifted the corners of his lips into the kind of smile that eventually made one's cheeks hurt. The look in his eyes lit up in a way it hadn't in years. It'd been awhile since he'd last had a reason to have a gaze that bright.

"I can't believe you remembered", he said, his voice barely a whisper of awe.

The blonde clenched his fist around the tag. More than six months ago he'd told Gaara he had a habit of taking the tags of those they'd disposed of. That habit had stuck with him. So far, he hadn't failed to obtain that small token even once. Not before yesterday. That was the first time he'd killed a guy, and failed to take the tag. It had irked him, to be honest. It sounded ridiculous to feel annoyed by something so seemingly irrelevant, but having failed to take the tag had made the neurotic side of him act up like an unscratchable itch.

But there it now was, in the palm of his hand, his fingers clenching around the cold metal. It was so nominal, yet made him sincerely happy. And even more than having gotten his hands on the tag after all, he felt happy for Gaara having remembered something so absolutely irrelevant. He couldn't believe that the steadily indifferent and strictly rational man had even picked up, let alone taken notice of words he'd spoken only in passing several months ago. Knowing how improbable that was made it just that much better.

Though Naruto had barely whispered his most recent words, Gaara had heard him just fine. And he probably would've somehow downplayed the importance of this seemingly pointless gesture, hadn't he suddenly forgotten how speech was created. The skill of forming words, or even thoughts, died to absolute extinction on his part. The reason to that was something he hadn't even considered to be possible, yet was very much happening. There was a feeling awakening that knocked the air out of him, caused by something he could only describe as absolute perfection.

The smile that'd come to life on the blonde's lips positively was the most breathtaking sight he'd ever seen.

There was a few seconds long moment of Gaara feeling his heartbeat slow down into something barely worthy of being called a pulse anymore. Yet it felt like the blood running in his veins suddenly reached boiling point. It was no conscious decision for his lips to fall open, or for his gaze to turn dazed. Something inexplicable was happening inside him, and he had no say in how it affected him.

His nearly paused pulse did turn back to normal, before attempting to force his heart through his chest. And while his heart seemed to be all fine and alive again, his brain still refused to work even moderately okay. Not a single intellectual thought passed his mind, only the overpowering need to get as close to the other one as humanly possible. Gaara didn't much ask for any kind of permission, as he suddenly rushed onto the bed, forced his way partly on the blonde and smashed his lips against the other's, receiving a muffled sound of surprise.

His approach couldn't really be called the gentlest possible, but it stirred no complaints. Surprise, yes, and maybe a little confusion, but no complaints. The redhead did eventually break away, only to stop and stare at Naruto with perhaps the most intense and starstruck gaze the blonde had ever seen. Though it somewhat confused him, he returned the look, undeniably impressed with the way he'd just been borderline attacked. He suddenly felt a little lightheaded.

The distance between them disappeared once more. But this time it wasn't as much strangely impulsive as it was somewhat cautious, slightly hesitant, and a whole new level of different. It gave the feel comparable to an unexpected touch, only more surprising. Like yet another shock of static electricity, only this time, they both felt it. But it wasn't uncomfortable. It went beyond the general high-like feeling it always created. The physical high became mental. A state of mind. A state of emotion. A state that no words could describe. And it was easy to forget about time and place. Hard to break away from. Impossible not to wish air wasn't a necessity.

Naruto was the one to end it eventually. He stopped to stare at the redhead, unable to speak. Gaara said nothing either. It was doubtful words fitting for that moment even existed. So they didn't bother forcing any. They felt fine stopping in time to wonder about each other's existences, and the inexplicable feeling that seemed to awaken when the two collided for just a while. It was strange. It happened so easily, so effortlessly, yet it seemed to exist on a scale of distant galaxies. It'd grown from being a mere fraction in time, into a world of its own. As if they'd created something entirely new, previously nonexistent.

That moment was the first time they were forced to admit they'd become something way beyond a mistake. But maybe that was how new worlds were created. By accident. By simple unintended mistakes, which eventually grew to be new life. A perfect balance of imperfections. Something that only worked as a whole.

It sounded grand and poetic, yet didn't really feel that way. Not to them. It felt mainly confusing. Even if they had accidentally created something unexpected, their minds could not comprehend with what it meant and what to do whit it. And it was hard to face that confusion head on. Naruto found himself once again falling into that terrifying shaft of illogical emotions that seemed to have no bottom. And for some reason, it felt even scarier than before. Gaara on the other hand found himself deeply confused, even disturbed, by the odd emotion making him feel so terribly weak, and thus unable to fight it. But stranger than anything, he wasn't sure he even wanted to do that.

Naruto flinched. He once again fought not to drown in the disaster that his emotions had become. His way of dealing with it was to back away from Gaara, and refuse to face him. Not that the redhead would've met his gaze even if he'd hoped for such. Equally as confused as the other one, Gaara willingly inched away from the blonde. They then both stopped to stare blankly ahead, wondering what the hell just happened. It was as if they'd gone beyond just being close, and reached a level that was no longer conscious. It was an odd, slightly oppressive, yet hypnotizing feeling. And neither one knew what to think of it. So they thought absolutely nothing.

A good minute must've passed, before Naruto decided he couldn't stay in that heavy silence any longer. He pushed away all the oddness paralyzing him, and glanced at the tag still in his hand. The smile from a while ago returned to his lips, as his fist clenched around the piece of metal.

"This is actually fuckin' awesome. Thanks", he said, honesty in his voice.

Gaara finally turned to look at him again. Though there was a second long pause of hesitation, he too decided to forget about the strange moment and instead enjoyed watching the smile given to him. He might've not realized it himself, but the look in his eyes was a perfect match to the one he'd seen on the stranger's face earlier on. Equally as mesmerized by somebody else's happiness, equally as halted in time and equally as focused on only the smile he was the cause of. The look didn't really fit him as well as it had the naively lovesick young man at the drugstore, but it still was just as sincere.

"Did it make ya happy?" the redhead asked after a while of keen staring. Naruto nodded, his smile growing even brighter. Gaara could almost swear he felt his heart stop at the sight.

"Yeah. It did. It does", the blonde told.

The redhead realized he was feeling something truly peculiar. A feeling he couldn't remember ever having felt in that exact way. If at all. It was a kind of peaceful, calm feeling, yet just a little tingling. Hadn't he seen that feeling manifest itself in the young couple only a while ago, he wouldn't have been able to give a name to it. Only due to that, he could conclude he was in fact feeling happiness. Happiness for making the blonde happy. And though it felt strange and new, he didn't dislike the feeling. If anything, he wondered if he'd ever get to feel that way again. He almost would've dared to consider it a privilege.

But in addition to this high-like feeling, something else formed inside him as well. A less calm, and more anxious state. The longer Gaara watched the blonde stare at the piece of jewelry in his hand, that angelic smile on his lips, the stronger that feeling grew. It wasn't directed at Naruto, not at all. Instead it was directed at everything but him. The entire fucking world, and anything living in it. Before the redhead knew it, the anxiety had evolved into passive anger, and turned onto the path of becoming hostility.

Gaara had asked himself whether or not he'd be able to live with the blonde falling in love and starting a relationship with someone else. And that was the exact moment he realized that the answer was a strong, bold and possessive no.

The redhead's hand briefly clenched into a fist, as the disturbing image of somebody else than him receiving that look of happiness from Naruto crossed his mind. He forced his hand unclenched, as he didn't want the other one to notice his odd discomfort. But the feeling itself wouldn't leave. Suddenly it became impossible not to imagine scenarios that involved somebody else in his place. And the more he thought of it, the tighter the choking sensation in his throat grew.

Gaara was well aware of the nearing breaking point he'd eventually reach if he didn't get the images to disappear. To keep him from going that far, he sunk his teeth to the inside of his cheek, as subtly as he could. The taste of blood eventually touched his tongue. It sort of calmed him. The images disappeared. But the anxiety stayed to linger. The redhead turned to glance at Naruto, who still fumbled the tag in his hand, muttering something that Gaara wasn't able to concentrate on. All he could think about was the painful fact that one day the blonde would find someone he'd fall in love with, and start pushing Gaara away. And there wouldn't be a damn thing he could do about it.

Whether he liked it or not, it was inevitable. He would one day lose Naruto to someone who'd be able to give him what Gaara couldn't. Someone who could love.

"Are you even listening?"

The redhead flinched. He turned to face the blonde, realizing he must've zoned out quite elaborately. The other's frowning face made Gaara consider telling him of the horrible feeling still gripping him. But consideration was as far as that thought ever went. He couldn't tell him. It'd be of no use, as he'd never be good enough to claim the blonde for himself. The absolutely infuriating reality was that all he could do, was to make the best of the time he still had left with him. However short it might be, he refused to waste it. Hence the expression of forced neutrality.

"No", he admitted. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I asked if ya got the drugs. I really need to be made chemically happy. And numb", he told, glancing at his virtually useless arm.

The redhead reached to his jacket pocket and took out the painkillers he'd stuffed down it. Naruto's already joy-filled eyes lit up once more upon seeing the bottled relief he'd asked for. Even if Gaara had tried, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from getting caught in that look of happiness all over again. The blonde was too busy struggling to get access to the drugs to notice the other's stare. Or perhaps he simply didn't mind it.

"Fuckin' finally", Naruto muttered, as he shoved what could only be described as a handful of pills into his mouth.

Gaara watched him wash the drugs down with the remains of coffee that must've gone cold by then. At least that's what the scrunching of his face at the taste indicated. The redhead grunted.

"You better fuckin' enjoy them. I fought that lady forever to get them. Nearly punched her", he told, demanding appreciation. Naruto snorted.

"So heroic. Fighting a girl, just for me", he said, somewhat teasingly. Gaara flipped him off.

"She was no fuckin girl. She was a dragon stuffed in a lab coat two sizes too small", he defended himself.

Naruto couldn't help but to let out a small laugh. He ended it with a light sigh, letting himself slump against the headboard, his head falling to lean against the other's shoulder.

"You beat the dragon. I guess that makes ya my knight in shiny armor", the blonde figured. The paler one smirked.

"The question of who's the princess kinda comes up", he pointed out. Sort of a mistake.

"You're playing with fire, pretty boy", Naruto grunted, turning to give the other one a glare. It only earned him a chuckle.

"Can't take a joke, can ya?" Gaara snorted. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't aware drugstores sell senses of humor", he muttered, implying that the redhead usually had none. Which was true, but the man's principle of never failing to disagree with Naruto refused to let him admit it.

"They do. On a discount price, thanks to Sasuke and his fuckin' coupons", Gaara grunted. The blonde sighed, knowing exactly what coupons and Sasuke meant when used in the same sentence.

"You let him wander off alone in a store? You _never_ let him wander off alone in a store", he educated. The redhead figured Sasuke's problem of hauling discount shit was actually a well-known fact.

"Kinda figured that out once I saw him buying tampons", Gaara told.

Naruto huffed. "Tampons? That's new."

The redhead couldn't help but to smirk. "I guess we know who the princess is, eh?"

Short silence followed, before the blonde burst out laughing. He didn't really care that laughing shot pain down his arm, as he was too busy imagining Sasuke in a pink dress, buying tampons with coupons stuffed inside a pretty little purse. The image was glorious enough to take away the edge off his pain.

Right about then there was a knock on the door. Even if Naruto could've bothered to ignore his pain and get out of bed, his outrageous laughter would've stopped him anyway. Thus Gaara was the one to get up, make his way to the door and open it up for the raven standing behind it. The frown on the man's face indicated he'd heard the blonde's cackling through the door just fine. But instead of asking about it, Sasuke stepped inside and stopped to stare at the one tearing up with laughter. The raven narrowed his eyes at the sight.

"Is he fucking high?" Sasuke asked, finding Naruto's hysteric noises just a bit disturbing.

Gaara smirked. "Nah. He's a moron."

Sasuke felt no need to deny that, so he simply settled on nodding slowly, the most suspicious look in his eyes. He had a feeling he should be insulted, though wasn't sure why. The redhead stopped to watch the hysteric blonde with Sasuke for a short while, before deciding it was a good moment for him to leave and take care of something he needed to get over with. While Naruto was cackling out partial words that only barely were recognizable, and Sasuke busy figuring out what tampons and tutus had to do with each other, Gaara subtly made his way out the door he never closed.

It took a good five minutes before either one of those left behind even noticed the redhead was gone. Naruto's laughter eventually died out to question why Gaara had left without a word. Sasuke had no answer to give. But he did voice the question of why tampons and pink dresses seemed to be the topic of today. His question lead to another fit of laughter, a hysteric explanation and eventually, a sulking Sasuke. It did not help wiping away Naruto's image of him as a pink dressed heir. Not in the least.

* * *

Gaara stood as still as he could. The hundred and fifty feet drop to certain death burned beneath the tips of his shoes. Letting them rest over the edge in wind that strong was dangerous, he knew that. But it was just a bit too tempting to be left undone. It'd always been.

The redhead turned his gaze down just enough to see what would greet him, had the unpredictable ground beneath him happened to disappear. Dry sand and solid rock. That's what.

He lifted his gaze back up, only to close his eyes. His balance instantly felt less reliable. But that did not stop him from spreading his arms, the wind getting excited about having something new to grab onto. It was a fight to keep the icy wind from throwing him off the edge. To the point where he could feel his body lean forward despite the fight. It forced him to use all his strength to straighten himself. His resistance only seemed to feed the wind's need to win. Its high-pitched sound grew stronger, as if turning frustrated. It made Gaara smirk.

The inevitable happened eventually. A strong gust of wind shoved him hard enough to force him to take a better footing. The sudden movement of his body seemed to startle the brittle ground. The icy earth beneath his left foot gave out. A chunk of the dangerously weak edge crumbled into pieces, leaving Gaara without proper footing. Half of him stood on nothing. Most of him leaned over the edge. Yet none of him felt scared.

Gaara opened his eyes. In the split of a second, he had pulled himself backwards, stepping away from the unstable edge. Not hastily, not in fright, but instead calmly and just fast enough not to fall into his death. And as soon as he'd stepped away, the rest of what'd been beneath him, crumbled into icy dust. Everything he'd just stood on, was gone. The redhead grunted.

It seemed that no matter how old he got, how tall he grew, or how heavy he became, he'd never win this fight. It irritated him. He wasn't used to losing. Losing to forces of nature was no exception.

Back on steady ground, feet safely pressed against more solid earth, Gaara glanced around the ledge he stood on. There wasn't much on his sides worth seeing. Dry land, boring rocks, and miles and miles of nothing but desert. In other words, the geographical normalities of Suna. Minus the freezing air. That was new. That far south, exotic even.

Most of the surroundings were dull and nothing worth mentioning. But what opened up in front of him, several miles down and ahead of the ledge, was vaguely interesting. The city of Suna spread out before him, not as much wide, as it did long. It sounded strange, but watching it from so high up, it made sense. The city had been structured to grow and widen towards the north. The south end, which was the closest to Gaara's location, was a narrow, dark and sad-looking sliver, roughly cut off by the desert. That pitiful splotch of depressingly flat terrain was what the redhead unfortunately had once called home. Just the thought of it made him scowl.

It didn't seem to matter where it was viewed from, it remained ugly as hell. And especially from there, the difference between that part of town, and the better, safer part, was disgustingly clear. Divided by a clean, straight contrast of light and darkness. Like there was a wall separating the two. Only there wasn't. The only thing separating them was the amount of tax money put into law enforcement, healthcare and education. Needless to say, the difference in ratio was violently unfair.

The redhead felt actual disgust while watching that part of the city. Actually, he loathed the entire city in general. Had he not had a real reason for coming up there, he wouldn't have bothered. But since he did have a reason, he was forced to suck it up. The faster he could get done with what he'd come to do, the faster he'd get the fuck away.

Gaara was not a sentimental man. Not in the least. Neither did he feel so at the moment. But something told him it was better to do this properly, or not do it at all. That's why he'd chosen that exact location. The ledge he stood on was a manifestation of past memories. That was the place he'd gone to as a kid to get away from everybody else. That was the suicidal ledge countless miserable beings had thrown themselves off, hoping to end pain and suffering. Gaara had never been one to stand on the lethal edge for that reason. But he'd stood there often just to feel the thrill of being so close to an escape. As a kid he'd still felt the need to know such a thing existed if needed. An escape.

He no longer did. He'd come to terms with what life was, what it could give, and how much it never would. But even then, standing on that edge after fifteen years of not even thinking about it, he'd still found it surprisingly thrilling. Perhaps that was the extent his sentimentality could exist as. Only as a distant, yet familiar feeling of the past he no longer could relate to.

But in addition to that edge being a part of his miserable childhood, it was also the setting of a major turn in his life. A turn he actually could've chosen to avoid. Yet didn't.

He'd been thirteen when Akatsuki had come to take him away. Sasori being the individual who carried out that task. Gaara remembered that day very well. He'd known for a long time it would come, but hadn't felt particularly strongly for or against it. It was only the morning of that day, when he'd finally woken up to reality, and realized that it would happen. His father would sell him to criminals.

Gaara had run away from home before the sun even rose. Not really to avoid the inevitable, but to keep himself from going insane. He hadn't been able to just stay still and wait for it. He'd had to do something.

He'd lived with Kankuro at the time, and could remember the man stand in the doorway, watching him leave. The man had stumbled home after yet another drunken night, just as the redhead had been on his way out. Gaara was quite sure his brother had known what would happen. The look in his eyes had told he knew the day he'd lose his brother had come. He'd known, he'd watched it happen, but never did he say a word. Not a single damn word.

Neither had Gaara. He'd met his brother's gaze for the briefest, most insignificant moment, before walking past him and leaving it all behind. The second he'd stepped out the rusty, screeching door, he'd started to run. He'd run as fast as he could. He'd had no idea where he was going, what he was trying to accomplish by running, or what help he'd expected it to be, but he hadn't stopped. Not before reaching the same ledge he now stood on. He'd never decided on ending up there when running away, but most likely it was the place he'd found the safest back then. In surroundings where that word was mostly worthless.

He'd reached the ledge, he'd stopped there to pant his broken lungs of a child out and fallen to his knees on the dirty ground. And there he'd stayed. He'd sat on the edge, swinging his feet over the deathly drop for several hours, doing absolutely nothing. He could no longer remember what'd gone through his head at the time, but figured it probably hadn't been much. Just simple pondering if life really was supposed to be that miserable. Now thinking back to it, it seemed ridiculous. The thirteen year old Gaara hadn't had a clue about how many kinds of misery the world actually contained. And how easy it was to grow numb to it.

Hours and hours had gone by before the inevitable finally happened. After spending nearly the entire day staring close to 200 feet down, Gaara's isolation had finally come to an end. He hadn't had to look to know somebody had come to stand behind him. He'd somehow sensed them. That's when he'd first met Sasori. The man he'd instantly grown to hate, the man he'd eventually learned to accept and the man he might've loved, had he known how.

The man never gave him a greeting of any kind, nor did he forcefully try and take Gaara. He'd let the feared, yet pitiful child sit silent and still on the edge for a full five minutes, before speaking the first words Gaara ever heard him say.

"I'll let you jump, if you want to."

That was it. That was the first thing he told Gaara. And actually the only thing for three whole days after that.

The redhead could remember feeling mostly indifferent when hearing Sasori speak. Slightly surprised, perhaps, as he'd known how valuable merchandise he was to them. That's why he'd first taken the man's words as some kind of sick joke, getting slightly annoyed by it. But as nothing else had followed, he'd realized he really was given an option. The option of leaning forward, letting go and falling to sweet, blissful death. To an escape from pain and suffering, to the end of everything.

It'd been tempting. Gaara had to admit that much. That was the only time he ever considered it. Not because he'd felt suicidal per se, but because it would've been the smart thing to do. Logically speaking. If given the chance to escape what could only be called a lifetime of certain mental hell and lack of individuality, only an idiot would've refused. Yet he did. Gaara refused.

Only for a second had he considered taking the easy way out. He might've taken a longer moment to properly think about the pros and cons, hadn't the image of his father stopped him. The spiteful, disappointed face of that man stopped him from choosing weakness. Though he'd always hated to admit it, he was alive because of his father, and the cruel feeling of inferiority the man inflicted on others. Hadn't it been for that man, he'd be dead.

Gaara hadn't killed himself, because he'd refused to give his father that pleasure.

The thirteen year old redhead had taken one last glance at the drop beneath his feet, sighed, and pulled himself off the edge. He'd turned to finally meet the man behind him, instant, pure hate in his eyes. The man hadn't reacted to it in any way or form. He'd only stood there and eyed Gaara from head to toes. Gaara had refused to feel uncomfortable under that gaze. His decision to do that must've somehow come through, as Sasori had very discreetly seemed a little pleased by his determination.

That silent introduction had been over in just a few seconds. The older man had turned his back at Gaara and started to walk away, expecting the younger one to follow. Which he did. That was how the young redhead chose a hard life instead of a coward's end. It might've made him a moron, but he couldn't have cared less. He'd spent so many years hating any and all forms of life, that there was no way he'd let that hate go to waste. That hate had been born to kill. That hate was all he had, and he refused to let it be taken away. Nor would he grant his father the joy of seeing him give up. That man would feel no joy on the expense of his hate. It's doubtful he ever did. Which was a fact Gaara gladly took pride in.

It was that day, and that first encounter with Sasori, that brought him there today. In the left pocket of Gaara's jacket, there was something that seemed to weigh much more than it actually did. And as his cold hand reached to take it out, it felt like picking up burning hot coal. Not because it really was burning hot. But because all the death and hate rooted in it made it feel as dangerous to play with as raging fire. Ignoring that slightly disturbing fact, Gaara still took it out, brought it to his eye level, and stopped to look at it.

The purple Akatsuki ring. He wasn't sure what to think of it. It looked the same it had years ago. But then again, not much could happen to something made of solid titanium.

For a while, Gaara questioned if it really could be the exact same ring Sasori had once worn. But knowing that Akatsuki was very keen on passing the rings on, it was possible. And upon noticing an almost unnoticeable dent on the inner side of the ring, the redhead had to believe it was the same one. That was a dent he'd caused. Years and years ago, while pleasantly stabbing his mentor's finger nearly in half. Half accidentally, half not.

The redhead grunted. He turned his gaze away from the ring and straight ahead instead. The piece of metal still seemed to burn against his palm, making it difficult not to just drop it. Though Gaara felt ridiculous for it, he almost felt like his teacher was actually there, decidedly trying to rush him by making the ring unpleasant to handle. The though made Gaara smirk.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm gettin' to it", he muttered.

He could've taken the famous one last glance at it, but decided not to. Instead he took a subtle step back, clenched his fist around the ring, and went for it. As his arm came forward with force, his grip letting go of the ring, the burning feeling instantly disappeared. And he almost could've sworn it stopped even before the jewelry left his skin. As if it knew it'd be freed.

Feeling it leave his touch, and seeing it fly far beyond the edge, made Gaara feel like he was letting go of a whole lot more than just the ring. Watching that last solid evidence of his mentor disappear from the view, he wondered if he was supposed to feel something in particular. He couldn't really say he felt like much at all. Relieved, if anything. But for whom, he wasn't sure.

The ring was gone. It'd fallen down those deadly feet that were supposed to have ended Gaara's life long ago. It'd hit the ground that Gaara's head once was supposed to have been splattered across. And it would stay buried in the desert sand that should've been covering the redhead's dead body, wiping him from existence.

None of those things ever happened to him, and Gaara sort of felt he'd tricked fate to avoid it. But maybe fate would be more forgiving now that he'd given something in exchange. He'd thrown the majority of his history over the ledge instead of himself. Maybe that was sufficient enough. Maybe not. Not that it really mattered. He didn't actually care if fate held a grudge against him. He'd always end up doing something that'd make it resent him. And that was just fucking fine.

A sudden gust of wind shook Gaara awake from his thoughts. Hadn't the peculiar nature of the wind caught his attention, he wouldn't have taken notice of it at all. But the odd warmth of the air, as well as the strange movement of it made it hard to ignore. Despite it being nearly cold enough for snowfall, the sudden blast brushed against his face like a warm hand. Even stranger than that, the air stayed to twirl around him. Only for a second or two, yet long enough for him to feel it just fine. It came close, through his clothes, and slithered across his skin like something live. The hair on the back of his neck rose.

Gaara could've refused to believe in such things all he wanted, but the trail of shivers that wind sent down his spine were too familiar to go unrecognized. This was a touch he knew.

The warm air left his body as quickly as it'd come, continuing its path forward, lifting up loose dirt and sand off the ground. It carried the earth unnaturally high, moving it towards the end of the ledge. Upon reaching it, it stopped on the edge, as if demanding to be seen. Gaara gave it what it wanted. He watched the pillar of wind hover on the edge. For the short while it stayed, the redhead felt an oddly familiar, dark presence around him. And for the briefest moment, the man who never experienced sentiment, felt history thrust the most forceful stab of distant past memories deep into his chest. The air in his lungs ran stale.

As soon as that feeling hit him, the twirling air suddenly dropped. The sand it'd lifted up fell back to the ground. The sound of it disappeared. The warmth of it vanished. It was gone. As if it'd thrown itself off the edge. It was completely, entirely gone.

Gaara was frozen still. His gaze had stuck to where the strangely intellectual flow of air had demanded for his attention. There was nothing there anymore. To be honest, he wasn't sure if there'd been anything in the first place. He tried to reason there hadn't. That he'd imagined it. But the shivers going down his spine were yet to leave. They forced him to forget about reason and logic, and accept that he'd ended up saying farewells he hadn't asked for.

The surprised look on Gaara's face dropped, as a scowl came to replace it. But though he tried to maintain that scowl, his attempts ended up being useless. The crooked smirk that eventually came to lift the corner of his lips, wasn't something he could fight. And eventually, he didn't even try.

He felt no need to stay any longer. He'd done what he'd come to do. So, he left. He left finally feeling free from his past, finally free from all the things he'd left unfinished. And more than anything, finally having freed the man whose dead weight he'd carried with him for years, lacking all and any good reason to do so. It was all gone now. And that gave him the liberty to walk away without looking back.

Gaara never told anybody where he'd gone or what'd happened. Not even Naruto. As far as he knew, Gaara went to return their rental car. And because he couldn't lie to that damned face of an angel, he actually did return it.

* * *

**This was a strangely cutesy chapter. Dear lord. What's wrong with me?**

**Oh well, maybe it's a good contrast to all that gutting of dead corpses and shit. Balance, I say, balance.**


	42. The Devil's DNA

**This just in; I am not actually dead. And I feel like that might've been the only good reason for being this fucking late. How 'bout we just ignore the fact that I disappeared for three weeks?**

**No? Oh, okay.**

**Well, like every self-respecting writer, I have a great excuse. I suffered a majestically horrible writer's block with this chapter. I did not go off and take a vacation, I did not get thrown into prison, nor did I fly to the moon. Instead I spent three weeks trying to write this damn thing, literally ripping my damn hair out. What a time to be alive.**

**Just to be super clear, I'm not abandoning this story. I still like writing it, even though this particular chapter made me want to shoot myself in the face. And to those who were sincerely asking if I'd died or gotten paralyzed from the waist down; you're the reason my face is still intact and this chapter is actually out.**

**So, after a million years of waiting, hope you enjoy this one.**

* * *

The sun had gone down by then. The last rays of natural light had disappeared behind the skyline, giving the city lights powered by excess money a chance to fulfill their purpose. Gaara wasn't sure what time it was, but he knew he was late. He should've been back before sundown. The sky was now the darkest shade of navy blue, and he still had a mile to go. Naruto wouldn't be pleased.

Gaara grunted. He threw away the burnt cigarette forgotten in his hold. No, he wouldn't be pleased at all.

Technically speaking, he'd reached downtown. But reaching the border of downtown did not decrease the mile he still had to go to arrive at the hotel. He wasn't really even sure where time had disappeared to have left him so badly late. He usually was a fast walker. Four miles should've been easily traveled in an hour. Yet he'd walked for nearly two.

It seemed that his thoughts were weighing him down more than he'd realized. While Gaara had efficiently thrown away all desire to think about the past along with the ring, the jewelry itself had decided to tag along in his thoughts. Not in the sentimental sense, but in the sense of flawed logical continuation. Though Gaara tried not to mind that flaw, it was simply too big of a disturbance to be ignored. Thus he acknowledged it.

The ring had been horribly misplaced. It shouldn't have been possible for him to find it ever again. Or anyone, at that. It hadn't occurred to him at the time, but had since realized that he'd in fact thrown away a ring that should've been long disposed of. Seven years ago he'd held his dying mentor in his arms, watched the man suffer with a torn open chest, and feeling inexplicable anger towards Akatsuki, he himself had taken the ring off and left it at the scene. There wasn't a shot in hell the thing hadn't been taken in as evidence. And now that the case was closed, it should've been destroyed. By all logic, its mere existence should've been impossible.

Yet there it'd been. There it'd been in his hand once more. While Gaara had tried his hardest to convince himself it wasn't the same exact ring, it was just too big of a lie for him to believe. He would've recognized it with his eyes closed. He wouldn't have forgotten the small dent he'd once ruined it with, he wouldn't have forgotten a single scratch on the cold metal. The familiar weight of sin in that ring was impossible not to recognize.

It made no sense to him. He'd left it at the scene. It must've been taken in as evidence. As must've all the other rings as well. That had now left him feeling like an idiot for not checking if the other dead man at the industrial area had carried one on him as well. He should've figured out whether or not he'd had a ring, and if so, had it ended up back in circulation as well? It shouldn't have been possible. Yet that fact seemed to somehow have mellowed down to just being improbable. That small variable had given a single, simple word the power to take over Gaara's thoughts.

How?

He didn't know. He'd gone through every option possible, only to determine that none of them really came even close to being realistic. That being the only conclusion he could make, the redhead decided that it was no use wearing his head out for nothing. Being late was reason alone to empty his head of questions he obviously had no answer for, and hurry his way to the hotel to get yelled at. Something he wasn't looking forward to, but could reduce the severity of if he rushed his ass over.

He'd reached the train station. He stopped walking just long enough to glance at the digital clock placed on the roof of the station. He took a quick glance of it and then turned to continue walking. But only to stop again. A short still moment ensued, before he took another glance. After two slow blinks, he came to realize that the red led lights on the flat screen wrote out 10:16 pm. The slowest of sighs escaped his lips.

He was roughly three hours late. He'd get hammered with three hours' worth of yelling. Three and a half, if he walked the rest of the way. Three hours and ten minutes, if he ran. Out of the two options, the one he picked was a given.

Gaara impressed himself by making it in just five minutes to the entrance of the hotel. And though he had to question just when and where had he started to care if he got yelled at by the blonde, he still decided to drag his ass to the elevator feeling like a winner. Mentally preparing himself for loud noises and profanities, he made his way up to the 17th floor, stepped out of the lift and soon found himself opening the door of his room. Knowing that immediately getting hit with a flying object or two was an actual possibility, the redhead stayed to stand behind the ajar door.

Having expected to get at least shot at, he was confused by the lack of any sound. It was completely silent. Nothing hit the other side of the door, not a single question or curse word flooded to the hallway. Just complete, utter silence.

Gaara frowned. He could've stayed there to wonder about it, but figured it wouldn't clarify much. So he pushed the door properly open and stepped inside. It was dark. Maybe the blonde was asleep. Gaara shut the door as quietly as he could, just in case. He stopped to stand in the corridor, flicked on the light and intending to take off his shoes, dropped his gaze to the floor.

That was as far as he got. It took him only that split second to realize something was missing. A pair of black combat boots that'd been there when he'd left, were now gone. Boots that belonged to Naruto, who was in fact not there yelling at him as he should've. Heavy, iron-tipped boots that no sane man would want to walk in just to go by the corner store.

Gaara froze. Trying his best not to jump into conclusions based on Naruto's past lousy ideas, he rushed to check if the room really was empty. But there were only so many places to check in a hundred square foot room. He wasn't there. Naruto wasn't there. The slightest bit of panic started awakening somewhere in the back of Gaara's head.

Would that idiot have left without him? Would that wounded, physically vulnerable idiot have left into the notoriously deadly slums without him?

Like hit with electricity, the redhead jolted around and ran to the large closet integrated into the wall. Not much caring of the nasty squeaking of hinges, he yanked the doors open, kicked out of the way useless shit he wasn't interested in, and rushed to check the chest they'd hidden their wildly illegal weaponry in. Gaara didn't plan the actual growl that escaped once he realized that half of its contents were missing. He was now officially panicking.

If Naruto truly had left on his own, entirely ignoring the fact that he had only one hand to shoot with, and no realistic way of fighting barehanded, he would need a miracle to avoid getting into a fight of any kind. Terrifyingly aware of that, Gaara found himself nearing the point of pulling his own hair out. He tried hard not to let himself think of the worst, but really wasn't optimistic enough to think of the best. The best being that the blonde was simply upstairs in Sasuke's room.

If running a mile in five minutes was impressive, the time it took for Gaara to arm himself as heavily as humanly possible without getting arrested in public and run three stories up, went way beyond that. Not even moderately interested in the people staring, he sprinted his way through the corridors of the 20th floor, stopping before the door he assumed was Sasuke's. The outrageously loud way he violated the door attracted even more attention than the running, but even that was wildly outside his zone of interest.

Nobody answered the door. As he realized nobody would, his borderline aggressive knocking turned into downright kicking of the door. The poor hotel staff member that made the mistake of approaching him and weakly voicing an opinion must've come to regret that decision the second he locked eyes with the redhead. And if not, by the time the laughably fragile looking young man got to feel what a single, light shove of Gaara's was like, not another noise escaped his tightly pursed lips.

Leaving behind the unanswered door, along with the tearing up bellboy, the redhead soon found himself on the ground floor, yelling at the receptionist for not remembering if any blonde that looked like an outrageous idiot had exited the hotel. Saving the seemingly lobotomized receptionist only barely from being punched lifeless, he was forced to admit that optimism had once again been of no good. Naruto had left without him.

Gaara couldn't really bother to figure out if he was angry at the blonde for leaving, or at himself for being late, but if that moron ended up getting hurt again, it wouldn't really matter. Living things would die nonetheless.

* * *

Admittedly, he felt uncomfortable. Far more so than before. The walls were the same, the people were the same, the eyes watching him were the same. But the look in that stare, that was different. It was cold, it was judgmental, it was threatening. It pierced him like a blade. And he felt vulnerable under its power. He had no real reason to feel that way. Not really. There was no real danger involved, no real threat put on his life. But even then, Naruto couldn't get comfortable. The leather seat beneath him felt unfit. The air he breathed felt thick like smoke. The music around him was like toxic fog. Yet he knew it was all because of the eyes studying him like something vile and forbidden.

Why Naruto had decided to go there without Gaara, he had no rational explanation for. Not anymore. When leaving the hotel without telling the redhead, he'd figured it might be for the best to leave him uninvolved. To give him an easy pass on something he had no desire to be a part of. But now that he sat there, under the burning gaze of Gaara's older brother, he was wildly reconsidering that choice. Only it was too late to choose otherwise. There was nowhere to run. No physical restraints kept him in place, but a strong mental one did. When watching a being that came from a long line of monsters, one simply did not turn the other way. One simply did not run. Especially not if one happened to be fucking the monster's younger brother.

It was ridiculous, but that was what his uncomfortable feeling mainly consisted of. Of having to face the closest thing he had to an in-law. He and Gaara weren't even close to having a relationship, Gaara and his brother could barely even be called family, and not a single thing indicated either situation would change, yet hadn't that man been the redhead's brother, Naruto wouldn't have felt like fleeing for his life. In his mind, he was only a step away from being beaten to a pulp with a baseball bat for touching the big guy's teeny tiny brother. The fact that this specific teeny tiny brother was an unnaturally well-built coldblooded killer and a misdiagnosed sociopath seemed absolutely irrelevant. Mostly because he wasn't there. And Naruto had only himself to blame.

The fifteen minutes he'd sat there by then had been the slowest, most painfully awkward minutes of his life. Kankuro hadn't said a word. Between spotting the blonde at the entrance, reluctantly signing him to take a seat and that very moment, not a single exchange of words had taken place. Five minutes in, Naruto had been handed a drink of clear vodka. Sasuke not being there, he was now tightly gripping glass number three.

Naruto had considered saying something. Sitting in silence for fifteen consecutive minutes seemed ridiculous. Yet his every attempt on getting out a single word had reached a dead end upon realizing he had no idea what to say. The reason why he was there was a given. By all sense and logic, he should've simply explained his business there. But the tension built upon Kankuro's obvious dislike for him was impossible to ignore. Talking business of any kind under the murdering gaze of someone who according to all possible codes of brotherhood had the right to beat the shit out of him, wasn't his idea of comfortable.

Naruto was reaching his limit of handling awkwardness. He didn't know where to look. He didn't know how to sit. He had no idea if he'd get shot in the head in the split of a second. And as he finally was nearing the decision of simply getting up and leaving without a word, Kankuro finally spoke.

"Where's my brother?"

Naruto had forgotten how deep the man's voice was. The sudden reminder nearly made him flinch. But only nearly.

"Dunno", he told in all honesty.

Short silence ensued. Kankuro wasn't shy to let his gaze study the blonde from head to toes. Naruto fought not to squirm. The somewhat sadistic smirk soon directed at him made it no easier.

"Walkin' the slums all alone is dangerous for a pretty boy like you", the older man said, obvious hostility in his voice.

Naruto's built up anxiety suffered a crack in the form of annoyance. The other's remark made him grunt.

"How's that hole in your hand doin?" he asked, not saving the implication behind the question.

The smirk on Kankuro's lips fell fairly quickly. Naruto's on the other hand came to life. He was well aware he was playing with fire, but as it'd been proven before, he liked doing so. Judging by the look on his face, Kankuro didn't share his interest. Yet he seemed to remain fairly calm. While his following question took the blonde by surprise, it was asked in a semi-civilized tone.

"What's your name, blondie?"

The blonde frowned. He had to wonder if telling the man really was necessary. Perhaps not. But as for now, maybe it was best to just play nicely.

"Naruto."

The older one grunted. "Naruto, huh?"

Apart from wanting to learn the taste of his name, there probably wasn't much reason behind repeating it. But hearing it did make the blonde feel the slightest bit tense. The way he'd said it as if he'd been forced to. It seemed to have been unpleasant enough to deserve a moment of silent staring at a half-empty glass of whiskey on Kankuro's part. The silence was unpleasant enough for Naruto to down the remains of his.

"I'm having trouble forming an opinion of you…Naruto", the older one said after a while.

The second time. Only the second time he'd heard the man spit out his name like something vile, and he was ready to start hating it himself.

"On one hand, I'd have a head full of lead, if it weren't for you. I guess I owe ya one", Kankuro spoke.

He wasn't even looking at the blonde. His voice was indifferent, as if he was talking to himself. He might've been, so Naruto decided not to interrupt. It took a while for the man to continue.

"But on the other hand…", he began, but stopped to down the rest of his drink. Slamming the glass on the table, he gave the blonde a mildly hostile glare. "On the other hand, you're screwing my brother."

Naruto said nothing. He had no way of honestly shooting that statement down, nor did he have the desire to verbally agree. So he said nothing. Whether that pleased Kankuro or not, he didn't know. The thoughtful, yet disgusted look on his face remained the same. Until a smirk that could only taste bitter came to end it.

"I don't like it."

It was a very blunt, solid statement. Naruto wasn't entirely sure what the man expected him to say in return. But the intense stare indicated he expected something. The best he could do was shrug.

"Okay."

Kankuro laughed a dry chuckle.

"I don't think you get it", he said, shaking his head. "I really don't like it."

Naruto grunted. "Yeah. So you said."

Tense silence followed. Kankuro didn't seem particularly pleased of the way his opinion was left ignored. Naruto on the other hand wasn't pleased he was having this discussion in the first place. Though he'd known beforehand it'd be impossible to avoid, actually having to deal with it exceeded his expectations of how uncomfortable it'd be. Since he wasn't planning on spending the entire night wondering whether or not he'd get brutally murdered for having violated Kankuro's image of Gaara, he had to change the subject before it went that far.

"I'm not here to talk about him", he stated. Kankuro couldn't bother even looking at him.

"I know."

Naruto raised a brow. He wasn't sure why he'd expected anything else.

"We're talkin' business, ain't we?" the older one questioned, yet still finding the ceiling more interesting than the blonde.

"Sort of", Naruto said. Kankuro finally turned to face him.

"Sort of?" The blonde nodded. "Yeah. Sort of."

The older one huffed. "I don't do sort of."

Naruto scowled. He had hoped he'd be able to get through his business there doing preferably no work at all. Using Gaara's authority, if nothing else. But it seemed like the thick-headedness of Sabakus' ran in the family. Not that he'd really expected much else. The first time he'd met the man, Kankuro had very clearly declared he did not do charity. Only chances were that this time he'd take that declaration just a step further in the form of childish stubbornness.

"Hn. Nobody you need to get killed?" the blonde questioned. Kankuro once again could not bother looking his way.

"Nope."

Naruto sighed. He knew that couldn't be true. Considering the scale of unlawful business the man practiced, there was no way nobody owed him enough to deserve a bullet. Telling otherwise was nothing but a form of protest. And Naruto found it extremely immature.

"For a business man ya sure are letting personal shit get in the way an awful lot", he said, done beating around the bush. Expecting at least a cold glare, the other one surprised him with a dry chuckle.

"I have a thousand guys workin' for me. I don't need an outsider to get shit done", he told in return. The blonde wasn't shy to show how unimpressed he was with the argument.

"An outsider, or just me?" he asked, though the answer wasn't far from obvious.

Kankuro shrugged. "That's up to you to decide."

Naruto found himself gritting his teeth in annoyance. He had a feeling this one might have an ugly end.

* * *

Sasuke pushed open the glass door, stepped out into the cold and let the door fall shut behind him. The streets were busy. As late as it was, it seemed that Suna wasn't a city prone to rest. Not even the unusually cold winter slowed the life down. He supposed it was impressive.

Stopping to stand on the sidewalk, aside enough not to be in the way of busy pedestrians, Sasuke took out his phone. Glancing at the top right corner of the screen, he read out the time. 10:45 pm. Sasuke frowned. It was getting late. The sun had gone down hours ago, yet Naruto still hadn't called. Judging by the determination the blonde had had about going to see the monster's brother, he'd been prepared to leave for a while already. But since the blonde hadn't called to say word about it, he'd started to wonder if there'd been a change of plans. Had Naruto changed his mind about going?

A slight frown forming on his face, Sasuke stepped into the sea of people and started walking back towards the hotel. Gaze dropped down to his phone, he planned on writing the blonde a text. Forming words laced with his generally pissed off tone, he ran his thumb over the touchscreen. But he never got around to sending it. Midway his rant of how impolite it was not to inform of changes in plans, Sasuke found himself interrupted by something wildly unexpected.

Without half a warning, he felt a sudden force push him backwards. The sudden shock threw him off balance, his back hitting the wall beside him. Partly shocked, partly furious, Sasuke instinctively grabbed the hand gripping the front of his jacket, only to realize it wasn't the first time that hand had forced him against a wall. Lifting his gaze up, Sasuke found a hostile, icy glare drilling holes into his head. The raven let his mild surprise fade, and let annoyance take its place.

"What the fuck, dude?" he asked, not shy to sound exactly as irritated as he was.

The unfortunately familiar redhead pinning him against the wall barely let him finish the sentence. How the hell had he even found him in the midst of a million people?

"Where is he?" Gaara hissed through gritted teeth. Sasuke frowned at the slightly alarmed tone.

"Where is who?" he questioned. The redhead shoved him harder against the wall.

"Your mother. Who do you fuckin' think?" the other one growled.

Deciding to ignore the unnecessary remark of his mother, Sasuke concluded the man must've meant Naruto. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips, as he forced the fist gripping his jacket to let go.

"How should I fuckin' know? I was out buyin' lung cancer", Sasuke muttered, straightening the rumpled collar of his coat. Gaara looked like he was just a snap away from strangling him.

"Why did you leave him the fuck alone?" the redhead asked, not letting go of his anger.

Sasuke stopped fixing his abused clothes and gave the other one an askance glance. After a few seconds of silent staring, he raised a brow.

"Because he's a grown ass man", he then stated, not understanding how it couldn't have been obvious.

By all logic that should've made sense to the redhead as well, but it only seemed to make him further furious. Sasuke instinctively became wary of the clenching fist. Though Gaara seemed to try composing himself, the frustration still came through in his voice.

"That idiot left on his own."

Sasuke gave up on his annoyance and stopped to stare at the redhead with slight disbelief in his eyes. A moment of blank blinking went by, as the raven attempted to comprehend with Naruto's obviously invariant idiocy. He failed to do so.

"The one-armed moron left alone, with his walnut sized brain numbed with a bottle of painkillers?"

An angry sigh escaped the redhead. "Yeah."

Sasuke took a moment to wonder how on earth had Naruto not been declared braindead. He then took another moment to consider whether or not it really was such a big deal that he'd taken off alone. On one hand, he was a capable man. He could take care of himself. But on the other hand, he was also a moron with only one functioning arm, and an outsider in the slums of Suna. The conclusion Sasuke came to made his eye twitch in mild hysteria. A teeny tiny snap happened.

"You absolute fucking twat. How could you let him go on his own?" the raven asked, the level of his voice suddenly rising high.

"You left him alone. This is your damn fault", Gaara argued, matching the other's volume. Sasuke's face twisted into an expression that indicated he would've gladly ripped the other's eyes out.

"I'm not the one who disappeared for hours, you incompetent dickhead", he growled, stepping closer. Gaara matched the distance he'd moved.

"I had shit to do", he argued, screaming approximately an inch away from Sasuke's face. The raven gritted his teeth in absolute annoyance.

"Hope it was worth losin' the moron for", he shouted in return. Gaara wanted to strangle him.

"Shut up. This is your fault."

"No. It's your fault."

"Fuckin' idiot."

"Dickhead."

"Princess."

Sasuke gasped. He honestly gasped. "You just crossed a line there, bitch."

Gaara smirked. "Don't get your makeup runnin'."

Screaming wildly immature insults in the middle of a busy street wasn't the most inconspicuous way to interact, but caring about being labeled as a pair of possibly retarded individuals was outside their range of interest. Ignoring the people staring, Sasuke considered clawing the redhead's eyes out, but ended up deciding against it. Mauling each other wouldn't help the fact that Naruto had left alone, while all they could do was fight in public. Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Sasuke stopped to think.

"Okay, listen. You need to drag your ass over there", he told the other one. Gaara looked unimpressed.

"And what? You'll paint your nails while I bash a fucker's head to shit?" he asked. Sasuke shot him a glare.

"I don't have a gun", he told, not saving the attitude. Gaara grunted.

"Well go fuckin' get one."

Refusing to stay and listen to any possible replies, the redhead gave Sasuke the cheapest look he could muster, and made his way past the man. The absolutely deliberate shove with his shoulder earned an extended middle finger displayed for his turned back. Gaara didn't have to look to know it was there.

* * *

Naruto wasn't sure whether to find the similarities between Gaara and Kankuro amusing, or infuriating. Though they looked nothing alike, both were as immensely stubborn and driven by the simple dislike for all forms of life. Kankuro's dislike for living beings seemed to have culminated down to the blonde. Naruto found it ridiculous. Thus he chuckled.

"You gon' let a good deal slide for nothin'?" he questioned in slight disbelief. Kankuro snorted.

"We have different ideas of a good deal", he said. Naruto raised a brow.

"So it don't matter that your brother needs your help as much as I do?" he asked. The other one tilted his head and flashed the most unpleasant smile Naruto had ever seen.

"If his pride won't give way enough to crawl to me for help, he don't need it."

The blonde scowled. Was this truly about something as ridiculously vain as pride?

"Hn. So his life ain't worth givin' up your pride? How sweet", he grunted.

The blonde's words obviously struck a nerve. While he did an impressive job hiding it, the tense shoulders gave Kankuro's anger away. That, and the voice dripping with malice.

"Ya think I can't see behind your act? There ain't a shot in hell you give a shit about my psycho brother. For such an obvious liar you sure have little shame."

Naruto froze. Not in surprise, but in disbelief. Utter and absolute disbelief. He had difficulties accepting that he had just been accused of looking to find some gain in Gaara. The idea alone was not only ridiculous, but deranged beyond belief. And as a result, Naruto could feel something violent awaken inside him. Though he could keep himself physically in control, the built up need to aggravate finally leaked.

"From what I've heard, ya couldn't bother even acting like you gave a shit."

The rush of anger his words inflicted could be visibly seen. Acting like a wakeup call for all that was lethal, the older man tensed up like steel, a truly disturbing, forced smile forming on his lips.

"You have no sense of survival, do ya?"

Naruto smirked.

"I hardly need one. I brought ya down once. I can bring ya down twice."

Short silence followed. An amused, twisted laughter came to break it. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man who seemed far too joyful to fit the situation. He wasn't sure what to think of it, until the answer came in a form much too accurate to his liking.

"You ain't gonna be much of a threat with one arm, blondie."

Naruto couldn't help the scowl. Kankuro seemed to find further amusement in it.

"Ya thought I wouldn't notice?" the older one asked in a sneering manner.

In all honesty, no. Naruto hadn't expected it to go unnoticed. The immobility of his arm was difficult to hide. But as he'd realized that Kankuro seemed to have been drinking since noon, and the bad mood was obviously fogging his judgment, he had come to hope it might. But apparently, the man had been more alert than he'd expected. Having his vulnerability pointed out, and being the smart man that he was, Naruto knew it was best to admit instant defeat and let the matter be. Taking unnecessary risks was dumb and most likely not worth it. That he knew. Only there was a problem.

After every day he'd spent fighting for him, after every day he'd suffered away from him, and after every damn man he'd killed for him, not even God himself would've had the right to claim Naruto didn't give a shit about Gaara. The least of all would a man who knew nothing of what they were and what they did for each other. That alone was a problem enough for the blonde to throw all sense and sensibility out the window, rise on his feet and speak the most foolhardy words the universe had ever heard.

"I don't need two to bring you on your knees."

Freezing cold, yet burning hot. That was the only way to describe the tension his claim gave birth to. And it seemed Naruto wasn't the only one picking it up. The gradually growing tension was starting to attract gazes from those around them, a few more sensible individuals stepping further away upon noticing the obvious threat of violence.

The older man's eyes slowly turned to look up at the blonde. The gaze stayed to watch him with complete and utter indifference. Naruto had no way of reading the man's face for clues as to what was going on inside his head. But he didn't really need to see in order to know. Chances were the man was battling between pride and sensibility. Agreeing to the obvious challenge Naruto had thrown his way would've been suicidal. Gaara would find out about it, one way or another. And once that'd happen, Kankuro might as well say farewell to the pitiful life he'd hanged onto for three and a half decades. Hardly an appealing option.

But at the same time, he wasn't a man whose pride bowed before death. His pride bowed before nothing, before no one. In his veins ran the blood of dangerously proud men. Whether it was smart or not, he'd never see a day on which his nature would say no to a challenge. His pride would kill him sooner or later, so why not now?

Breaking his indifferent mask with a smirk, Kankuro slowly stood up. As that man rose to tower above every single height in the room, the majority realized it was best to step back. Naruto's gaze followed the other one's, before stopping two heads above his own. He knew the taller one felt sick joy while watching him from above. But he barely even acknowledged it. He was too busy realizing just what he'd gotten himself into. Kankuro must've seen the slight hesitation in Naruto's eyes.

"Ya sure, blondie? Cause this is gonna hurt."

The second that mocking tone of voice reached the blonde's ears, even the mildest of hesitation disappeared. As did all logical reasoning, but with none present, there was nothing there to realize the lack of it. Thus unarming himself and throwing all weaponry onto the low table separating them, with an obnoxious smirk plastered across his face, proved to be no problem at all.

"When I say I only need one arm for this shit, I mean it."

Kankuro raised a brow. Naruto wasn't entirely sure if the man's slightly disbelieving stare indicated he thought of him as an utter idiot, or if he perhaps felt just the slightest bit impressed, but it certainly made the man's smirk even wider.

"Hn. I'm a fair guy. Old school then?" the older one questioned, and went to unarm himself as well.

Setting two pistols and the familiar, extravagantly sized knife Naruto had once come to quite close contact with on the table, Kankuro agreed to play by the blonde's rules. His cooperation earned a pleased nod.

"Old school."

Brief eye contact, two temerarious smirks and the split of a second. That was all either one gave as a warning, before the faster one had already leapt over the table. Though Naruto ended up being the slower of them, he was still quick enough to dodge the fist coming towards him, grabbed it with his healthy hand, and used his knee to knock the wind out of the taller one. At least that'd been his intention. Only he came to find that doing so felt like kicking a wall of bricks. Painful and nearly useless.

Kankuro wasted no time to free his arm, take a small step forward, and thrust his elbow between the blonde's shoulder blades, with force so ridiculous, it just might've brought a wall of bricks down. Naruto could've almost sworn he heard his spine crack. Facing the inevitable outcome of smashing head first into a glass table, the blonde was forced to take his own weight onto just one hand. Barely having the time to celebrate that the glass table did not shatter beneath him, he rushed to jump onto it, turned around and finding himself the perfect height to do so, kicked the taller one in his throat. Getting kicked in the throat by a grown man in combat boots cut off air flow, no matter what.

But that was as far as it went. Apart from a step back, a strained sound of second long suffocation and an angry glare, the man seemed fine. Naruto on the other hand was starting to feel the unfortunate result of the painkillers' effect starting to wear off. The pain in his arm could hardly be called such yet, but he knew it'd worsen. The longer he'd fight with his arm's mobility restricted to pressing it against his abdomen, the stronger the pain would get. And as a big downside, Kankuro seemed to be well aware of it too.

"Thirty seconds, blondie. It's been thirty seconds", the man chuckled, letting go of his hit throat.

A small bruise had instantly started to appear. That was good news to Naruto. That was motivation. The blonde grunted.

"Pain's just a state of mind, Sabaku. Nothin' more."

Kankuro smirked. Maybe it was the blonde's semi-impressive confidence, or perhaps just the slight lightheadedness he'd suffered, but the man didn't stop Naruto from coming at him. He let him freely clench his hand into a fist, jump forward and land before him, only then moving to stop the hit that obviously was coming. But to his surprise, the hit never came forward all the way. Instead it deliberately missed its supposed target, moved past him along with the rest of the blonde, and turned into a payback for the blow on a turned back. Eye for an eye, spine for a spine.

Following that philosophy, Naruto succeeded in hitting the man hard enough to create a sickening sound of bone cracking, followed by a groan of pain. Under the pressure to beat the other one by just that much, he turned to follow it with a kick. But as his lousy luck would have, the man had already turned to face him, and easily caught his leg before it could hit. Instantly aware that he had no way out of this, Naruto lifted his gaze to meet the other's eyes. The pleased look in them was just a bit too honest for his liking. The split second of eye contact was all he got, before he felt the ground disappear from beneath him. Physically not capable of taking his weight on, he came crashing down on his back.

Having the wind knocked out somehow felt more uncomfortable on an old, splintery floor, than it did on most occasions. Even worse than that was the excruciating pain that shot down his left arm, forcing his face to twist in agony. Vaguely aware of the people staring in mild horror, Naruto realized that the fight wasn't looking too good on his side. Not from a bystander's perspective anyway. And to be completely honest, not from his perspective either.

With a groan of pain, and some obvious struggle, Naruto pulled himself up. Kankuro courteously waited for him to get on his feet, and though he knew the man was only doing it as a form of mockery, he wasn't about to complain. His arm was aching. Not too badly, not absolutely excruciatingly, but enough to be a distraction. Slightly out of breath, Naruto glanced at his arm. The slight trickle of blood that'd started seeping through the bandage should probably have been taken more seriously than he could bother. Shrugging it off with an annoyed grunt, he turned to face the man whose obnoxious smirk exceeded all boundaries of consideration.

"Old school ain't goin' easy on ya, blondie."

Naruto scowled. He could've taken offense, as one should've. But instead of feeling insulted, he simply found the other's offensive attitude half the fun. Slowly starting to take steps to the right, Naruto gave the man a crooked smirk.

"Easy ain't fun", he said in return.

Kankuro narrowed his eyes at the blonde's somewhat strange movements, but ended up matching every step he took.

"Ya always find the hard road fun?" the older one asked, slightly tensing up.

Naruto shrugged. "Who wouldn't?"

They'd ended up stepping a quarter of a circle to the right. It seemed to confuse the taller one. And Naruto refused to give an explanation of any kind. Kankuro started to feel uncomfortable.

"Sane people", he muttered. The blonde chuckled.

"Sane ain't any more fun than easy", he said. His words seemed to give Kankuro the perfect chance to be a dick.

"Is that what you're usin' my messed up brother for? Fun?" he questioned, though it wasn't as much about curiosity, as it was about getting to cut with words. Naruto hated to admit it, but it hit home.

"I ain't usin' him", he argued. Kankuro believed him no more than he had before.

"Why else would you put up with his shit?" the man asked.

Naruto stopped walking. He stopped to stand exactly half a circle away from where he'd started. Kankuro stopped as well, staying to stand across him.

"It's worth it", the blonde told honestly. The other man laughed. He seemed to find comedy in the strangest things.

"Worth what? Worth wastin' your time?" he asked, obviously finding it somehow amusing.

Naruto glanced behind the other man as subtly as he could. His glance seemed to go unnoticed.

"No. Worth seein' the side he only shows me", he replied.

Kankuro's amusement came down a notch. But not enough to disappear. The man shook his head.

"You've sold your soul to the devil, blondie," the man spoke.

Naruto barely listened. He was busy evaluating the force he could put into one, single attack. He had the other man where he wanted, but that didn't mean his strength could pull his plan off. Silently wondering whether or not it'd be enough, he let the man continue speaking.

"My brother's evil inside and out. Even Hell would spit him out. You'd only wanna be anywhere near him if there's somethin' in it for ya, and my brother would only bother with you, if he gets to suck ya dry of all life force", Kankuro assured.

Naruto grunted. "Bullshit."

The other one sighed. He seemed almost sad that Naruto wouldn't believe him. As if he pitied him for being an utter idiot. Kankuro's anger had started to turn into simple pity. Towards whom, probably didn't even matter.

"My brother's suffered every second of his life. I watched the world turn him into a monster. And you…you're feedin' the evil in him", the man spoke.

The nearly unnoticeable, faint undertone of what could almost be called sadness caught Naruto's attention. Letting some of his tension go, he stopped to wait for something more. For one reason or another, he had a feeling he might not want to really hear it. Kankuro's gaze had dropped to the floor, as if he himself hesitated to voice his thoughts. But he did, eventually.

"I never thought I'd say it…" the man began, only to stop in more hesitation.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Though he did not know how the sentence would end, his hand clenched into an angry fist. The hesitant silence went on for several seconds, before Kankuro finally lifted his gaze back up, met the blonde's gaze and finished his sentence.

"…but he should've been executed."

It was instant. The feeling was instant. The form of pure, violent rage, yet stronger than any word could describe. Naruto could feel his mind go through a split second long process of trying to handle the feeling, only to collapse under its weight. Never in his entire life had he felt so free of any thought, and that full of absolute rage. He never gave his body permission to move, he never planned a single step he took, and he had never been aware of the strength he apparently obtained. Yet in the blink of an eye, he had reached Kankuro, overpowered any attempt to stop him, and collided into the man's chest shoulder first. This time, the air in his lungs instantly stilled.

Though no sense was present with Naruto anymore, having previously gotten Kankuro where he'd wanted, now paid off. The thud of his entire weight colliding with the other's rib cage was followed by a single, silent second, before the piercing sound of glass shattering filled the room. The fragile build of the table behind the taller one couldn't hold the sudden pressure thrown upon it. Kankuro's back hit the glass with force far stronger than it could bear, the smooth surface breaking into a million sharp shards. The entire structure collapsed beneath them, dropping Kankuro onto a mattress of shattered glass, and Naruto on top of him. The excess weight forced the pieces of glass to sink into the man's flesh, even through his clothes.

The blonde hardly even noticed the fall, the breaking of glass, or the look of pain on the other man's face. His mind still hazy with rage, the only action he could take, was to pin the man beneath him down with his weight, clench his healthy hand into a fist and smash it into the other's face. The small fragments of glass sinking into the side of the man's face never reached his understanding. Not even though he moved his face to stop just an inch away from the other's. The blonde unclenched his fist, only to wrap his fingers around Kankuro's throat.

"Take it back. Take it the fuck back!"

Naruto's demands got no particular response, as Kankuro was busy trying to get the blonde to unhand his throat. Though he'd never admit it, he was shocked by how strong the blonde was. And how it seemed almost impossible to make him let go. The grip only tightened, as words laced with poison was hissed through gritted teeth.

"It makes me sick to think you share the same DNA. You don't deserve to have the same blood in your veins as him."

Not having expected the blonde to get even near to touching him, Kankuro was starting to feel nervous about the fact that he could not breathe. The tight grip of a single hand had cut off all air. He felt ridiculous for being trapped beneath someone whom he by all logic should've been able to kick off with no effort at all. Yet no force, no strength was enough to get himself free. And even after all that insane strength the blonde used on him, he still had the energy left to grin a deranged smile. Kankuro could physically feel the hate in the other's voice.

"They failed. They couldn't kill him. The system fuckin' lost. Do you know what that means?"

Kankuro wasn't sure how exactly Naruto was expecting to get an answer when he had no air to speak with. But it seemed he needed no such thing as a proper reply in the first place. The sound of choking that escaped Kankuro's throat apparently counted as one. The blonde smiled.

"It means that even the law can't take him from me."

It burned. Kankuro's attempts to inhale burned the inside of his throat, as if he'd been drawing in fire. His vision was getting hazy, indicating he wasn't far from losing consciousness. The blonde, half a man smaller than him, was strangling him with strength that was forcing his windpipe to slowly collapse. But even under the real threat of soon having his airways crushed, Kankuro still heard the words Naruto spoke. And as he listened to the tone laced between them, a look of realization flashed on the face that was quickly draining of all healthy color.

Naruto saw the brief change in the mildly panicked expression. And though he did not consciously recognize it, it affected his blind anger. For the split of a second, his grip on the other's throat loosened.

Kankuro was a smart man, even while being suffocated. He easily caught the slight hesitation in the blonde's hold. Though it was a mere fraction of a second, it still gave him the chance to take half a breath. Refusing to let that little air to go to waste, he used the last option he had left. Abandoning his attempts of trying to detach the grip strangling him, Kankuro built up as much strength as he could, and hit the blonde's weak arm with a closed fist. An immediate groan of pain followed, the chokehold weakening into a mere nuisance. And then it let go altogether.

Naruto simply stopped breathing. Nothing, absolutely nothing had ever hurt as much as the stabbing, burning pain suddenly taking over the entire left side of his body. He wanted to scream, but found himself paralyzed by the pain. He could clearly feel the instant, warm flow of blood that started running down his arm. In less than a second, the flow had already reached the tips of his fingers, thickly dripping to the floor. It instantly stained him, the man struggling to catch a breath beneath him, and the splintery wood under them. The horrifying pain made the blonde incapable of moving, breathing or even thinking. And far before he had the chance to even try doing anything, he had already been kicked off the other man, his back hitting the glass littered floor.

Kankuro felt it on him. He could feel the pool of fresh blood the blonde had left on his chest and stomach. It turned his shirt wet and sticky, making the fabric cling to his skin. And as his lungs desperately inhaled the well needed air, the stench of iron filled his sense of smell. But regardless of the blood, regardless of the burning in his lungs, and despite the struggle to breathe, he tried to get up. It didn't take him long to realize that his legs wouldn't carry him yet. So he used the strength he had to turn himself over, pressed his palms against the floor, and ignoring the glass sinking into his hands, he dragged himself next to the wall. Using the wall as support, he pulled himself up, and stayed to lean against it. His breath still heavy and disturbed by dry coughs, his gaze moved to watch the blonde.

Naruto laid on the floor, his arm turned deep red with blood, and breath heavy as the pain never seemed to dull. The bandage around his arm pressed on the wound in a way that forced him to rip the whole thing off. Though it felt like stabbing the open wound, he forced himself to bear the pain of covering the bleeding hole with his healthy hand. Blood spilling from between his fingers, Naruto closed his eyes. He was well aware of lying on the floor, absolutely defenseless. And though he wasn't sure how he'd pull it off, he knew he had to get up. A few shaky, deep breaths later, he stopped to hold it in, prepared himself for excruciating pain and forced himself to sit up. Accompanied by what could only be described as absolute agony, he eventually got onto his feet.

His arm torn open all over again, excruciating pain making his balance shaky, Naruto started feeling mild panic. His anger was long gone. The second he'd been kicked to the floor, reality had come to smack him across the face. He had no idea how he'd succeeded in overpowering the man almost twice his size, but all of that unexpected strength was as quickly gone as it'd appeared. And Naruto had no doubt in his mind he'd made Kankuro absolutely furious. Back in his senses, and obviously holding the position of the underdog, he would have no way of fighting any longer.

Struggling to stand steady, his breath uneven with the pain still gripping him, Naruto lifted his gaze to meet the other one's. Kankuro stood a small distance away, his legs obviously weak and tall figure leaning heavily against the wall. The wheezing sound of his breath, followed by a series of coughs made Naruto nervous. And as his eyes discovered the deep blue marks that had already started to appear on the other's neck, he felt his heart suffer a lack of beat. He realized then and there that he had no chance of survival left.

The blonde forced himself to make eye contact with the other man once more. Expecting to find pure rage and honest will to kill there to meet him, he felt nervous to do so. Even music having died out, the silence that'd fallen around them only emphasized the mild anxiety awakening inside him. But as he met the other's eyes and stopped to study the look in them, the anxiety turned into confusion. There was no rage. There was no hostility there. Instead there to meet him was the most bizarre, unexpected look Naruto had ever encountered. A mix of realization, disbelief and something he felt unconfident identifying as…gratitude. Utterly taken aback and confused by the look, Naruto nearly missed the words that followed.

"You're in love with him."

It took time. Several silent seconds in fact, before the blonde fully understood what the other one had said. But as the disbelief, yet strange certainty in that voice reached his understanding, Naruto froze. He couldn't speak. He simply stared at the other man, for some reason feeling terrified. Whether it was because he was afraid Kankuro was right, or because he was shocked that the feelings he'd tried to suppress had become that obvious, he didn't know. Nor did he really care. All his concentration was taken by the uncertainty of what would happen next.

For a short while, nothing did. Kankuro continued staring at the blonde, still struggling with his breath. Naruto stared back, well aware of looking like a deer caught in headlights. The longer nothing happened, the tenser he felt standing there under that gaze. He wished the man would've said something. He wished he himself could've said something. But more than anything, he hoped his nervousness did not smell like sweet sugar to the other one.

The look in Kankuro's eyes changed. He suddenly looked much more live. Naruto wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing. As the other man unexpectedly pushed himself away from the wall, and took a hasty step towards him, the blonde flinched. The urge to run for his life kicked in, but his body wouldn't move. Fully prepared to experience inexplicable pain, he took the half a step back his paralyzed body was capable of taking. But it turned out to be unnecessary.

The other man's legs couldn't carry him. After only a few hasty steps, he was forced onto his knees. But that didn't stop him from coming closer. He seemed desperate to reach the blonde. That's why Naruto remained confused, but no longer felt threatened. An extended hand came to grasp the helm of his shirt, while another grabbed the wrist of his healthy arm. A bloody forehead, scraped open by glass, got pressed against his stomach. Naruto froze. It took him a good five seconds of shock and terror to realize, he was being embraced.

"You're in love with him."

It was a repetition, yet sounded completely different. The realization and confusion in the man's voice was now gone, replaced by something that resembled very much relief. Honest relief.

Naruto didn't know what to do. He was utterly in shock. Not only because there was a grown man on his knees clinging to him, but because all the anger and hostility Kankuro had held for him, seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Naruto didn't understand. He didn't understand what'd happened. Where did the anger go? Where did the man who'd said he wished his brother had been given a lethal injection go?

Naruto stared emptily at the wall before him for a good thirty seconds, body tensed up from head to toes. Feeling uncertain and confused, Naruto stiffly lowered his gaze down. Still frozen in surprise, he watched the man who'd hidden his face in the blonde's shirt, releasing a noise that could've been either a laugh, or a cry. Perhaps both. He truly could not say for sure.

It'd been a while since a situation as confusing as the one at hand right then. Naruto had already all forgotten about his bleeding arm, even though the pain was still present. He was too busy to mind it. He only tried to understand what was happening, and what it was Kankuro tried to express. It sort of looked like desperation. But also relief. And neither emotion really fit the occasion.

Naruto lifted his gaze back up. A frown appeared. He still couldn't understand.

The sound of a door opening broke the dead silence inside the room. A roomful of people turned to look at the entrance's way, a unanimous wave of light gasps being released. Naruto never turned to look. Though familiar red hair flashed in the corner of his eye, though the familiar feel of actual evil filled the space, something else had caught his attention. In a mere second, all confusion left him. He finally understood.

Kankuro had never wanted Gaara dead for being a monster. He'd wanted him dead because he'd feared nobody would love a monster. He'd feared his brother had nothing to live for.

Naruto felt paralyzed for an entirely new reason. Less confused and more amazed, he turned to look down once more. This time, there was a gaze to meet his. A sincerely grateful one, paired with a blood stained smile. Barely a second long moment of mutual understanding happened between them. And though the knowledge of what had just stepped through the door should've been worthy of acknowledging, the moment was worth more. The second passed. And the moment was gone.

Kankuro must've known it was coming, but never did anything to stop it. He freely let his younger brother walk up to him, the pure hate making his steps heavy. He didn't fight off the kick to his head, which easily forced him on the floor. He didn't even try to push off the redhead, nor did he shield his face from the rage filled fists that quickly bruised his skin. Though every hit pushed the already sunken bits of glass deeper into the side of his face, not a sound escaped his lips. He felt no need to defend himself. He felt no anger, no fear. He felt happy.

Naruto's still frozen body gave way enough for him to turn and see Gaara violently attack his brother. Lips parted and eyes clouded with strange sadness, he stopped to see it happen. He watched the man who made no move to shield himself, and saw the unfit calmness he seemed to feel, despite being in pain. For a little while, Naruto did nothing. He only stood still and watched. But after that short while, he slowly walked the few steps over. Calmly lowering himself down, he reached out a hand and placed it on the redhead's shoulder. The man didn't seem to notice, nor care. Naruto squeezed lightly the other's arm.

"Stop."

He didn't speak harshly. Barely audibly. Not surprisingly, it had no effect. Naruto easily saw the will to kill in Gaara's eyes, and knew that if he couldn't get him to stop, the one being hit would die. The blonde moved his hand higher and laid it to rest on the side of the redhead's face. Gaara flinched, as if he'd woken up from a deep sleep. The hand gripping the front of his brother's shirt held on, but the fist he'd intended on bringing down again, stopped. He turned to look at the blonde beside him. Naruto was slightly taken aback by how surprised the redhead looked. As if he'd entirely forgotten he was there at all. As if he'd forgotten why he was beating his brother in the first place. Naruto gave him a somewhat pleading look.

"It's okay. Just stop."

Gaara said nothing. Simply stared, looking both angry and confused. A shaky hand of his brother's came to grab the one grasping the shirt, not trying to detach the grip, but telling it'd be appreciated. The redhead didn't even glance at him. He only watched the blonde, the confusion in his eyes eventually turning into realization and sense again. The green gaze eventually moved to discover Naruto's bloody arm and the torn open wound, before lifting back up again. Naruto did expect to receive some form of anger or disappointment from the redhead, and rightfully so. He'd left on his own and gotten hurt again. The man must've been furious.

Gaara let go of his brother, leaving him to lie on the floor, bloody and pained. The look he gave Naruto seemed angered and hostile, as did the obvious intent of somehow making him physically suffer. Though it would've been expected to happen, it never did. His gritted teeth did let through an angry growl, and he did lunge at the blonde, forcing him on the ground, but instead of beating him into a coma, he simply started shouting.

"You fucking idiot! You goddamn fucking idiot."

Naruto hissed in pain. Getting shoved on the floor sent a sharp pain up his arm, but Gaara seemed far too fucked up to even notice. He had no trouble pinning the blonde against the hardwood, looking half furious, half hysteric.

"You left without me. How can even you be that fuckin' stupid?" the man questioned, only sounding angrier.

The strangely alarmed tone of Gaara's voice struck a note to Naruto. He wasn't used to hearing him speak in such a way. It was odd enough to be just slightly terrifying.

"You could've gotten killed, you brainless moron", the redhead growled.

Naruto ignored the pain on his left side. He had to. It wasn't often one got to see Gaara in such a strange mood. The man was going unusually overboard with his reaction. Naruto found himself too dumbfounded by it to speak. So he didn't. He let the redhead grab the front of his shirt, pull him closer and keep on hissing angrily.

"What if you'd died, huh? What then?" Gaara asked through gritted teeth. "What the fuck would I've done then?"

He sounded so angry. Naruto was far too taken aback to say anything at all. He could only stare at the man eyes wide and take in the words spat at him. His lack of communication seemed to bother the other one, driving him to raise his voice even more.

"Fuckin' answer me! What the fuck do I have left if you die?"

Naruto felt slightly startled. The angry stare burned straight into him, demanding for an answer. Only he had none to give. None Gaara would've hoped to hear. In the lack of any good reply to give, the blonde gently took a hold of the hand grasping his shirt, and told the only thing he could think of saying.

"I'm fine. I'm okay."

The gaze turned no less angry. If anything, it only burned stronger. The redhead's jaw clenched in obvious frustration. As Naruto realized his argument didn't seem to be of much good, he tried to reach out to touch the other's face. Gaara immediately turned his head and let go of the blonde's shirt, letting him fall back to the floor. Watching the angered man rush to get up and walk further away from him, Naruto struggled himself into a sitting position. Fighting the hiss of pain attempting to escape, he pulled himself onto his feet. He glanced to the left corner of the room. Kankuro had dragged himself there to sit, his upper body heavily slumped against the wall. Apart from the glass sunken into his skin and the blood smeared across his face, the man didn't look too bad. Naruto doubted he needed help. He seemed fine.

Gaara on the other hand, was far from fine. That's how he appeared to be, anyway. The redhead had gone to press his forehead and clenched fists against the wall, the obvious frustration radiating from his tense body. Naruto wasn't sure what to do or say. He had never seen the man that angered in such an unthreatening way. He wasn't being hostile, he didn't seem dangerous. He simply seemed…angry. Angry, worried and disappointed. And the blonde had no idea how he was supposed to respond. In the lack of any better understanding, he cautiously walked over to the redhead, stopped to stand behind him and laid a hand on the other's back. The second his touch reached Gaara, the man turned around and smacked his hand away.

"No. Don't touch me. I'm so _fuckin' _mad at you", the redhead growled.

Naruto flinched. Not because he was startled by the sudden lashing out, but because of the look laid on him. Never, absolutely never before had he felt so insignificant and small under somebody's gaze. The glare shot at him was so full of anger and hurt, it made him feel like the worst living being on the planet. And though the look lingered for barely a second, he could see that in some truly strange way, he had succeeded in offending the redhead. Never having thought he'd find himself being watched that way by Gaara, he had no way of reacting. Not beyond complete and utter silence of shock and confusion. But even if he'd had something to say, Gaara wouldn't have stayed to listen. Before Naruto had the chance to even blink, the other man had already turned his back on him, walked away and disappeared through a door at the back of the room. The loud sound of the door getting slammed shut stayed to echo between the dead silent walls.

Naruto couldn't move. He could only stare at the door Gaara had disappeared behind. Of all the possible things he probably should've been thinking of doing, feeling like an absolute asshole was the only one he could succeed in. He felt like he'd kicked a puppy. It did not matter if Gaara held the strength and danger of a ten angry Rottweilers, he still felt like he'd kicked a puppy. And only now, only after already leaving without saying a word, after getting into a fight and ending up bleeding all over the place, only now he realized how bad of a mistake he'd made.

Gaara was right. He could've gotten himself killed. Hadn't it been for Kankuro and his outrageously provocative statement, the entire scenario probably would've ended in a much more unfortunate way for him. That made the redhead's unanswered question well justified. What would he have left if Naruto had died? Only by forcing himself to think what he'd be left with if Gaara were to die, he could get a clear, true answer.

Nothing. He'd have nothing.

Naruto closed his eyes as he released a long, heavy sigh. Had he had the energy to hit himself, he just might've. On a scale from mildly annoying to disastrously terrible, he had fucked up on an unheard level. While a grown man wandering off on his own didn't sound that bad on a general level, he knew that the general level never applied to them. The general population didn't have a more than likely chance of getting killed. They did. Thus they didn't fit generality anymore. At times, Naruto had troubles remembering that. And maybe, just maybe, he still had troubles actually accepting it.

Though Naruto had no idea what good could come of it, or what he possibly could say, he started making his way towards the door Gaara had violently slammed shut only a moment ago. But he didn't make further than a few slow steps. A hiss of pain, followed by a low, raspy voice stopped him.

"Don't. I'll go."

Naruto stopped and turned to glance at his right. He watched Kankuro struggle himself up to stand, a bloodied hand finding its shaky way to the pocket of the man's jeans. He took out a pack of cigarettes, opened it up, and with fingers stained in red, picked one out. The blonde frowned.

"He'll kill ya."

Kankuro said nothing right away. He took his time placing the cigarette between his lips, lit it up and inhaled a breath of smoke. Letting the breath then slowly flow out, he pushed himself away from the wall, walked over to the door that lead to the back and laid his hand to rest on the handle. Taking another drag of smoke, he turned to face Naruto.

"He's my baby brother, blondie", the man said, a small smirk appearing. "I can handle him."

And then he was gone. Naruto was once again left to stare at same closed door, wondering if that perhaps was the last time he'd see the older Sabaku alive. Knowing Gaara, it might've been.

The blonde stood there for the while it took for him to understand that there was nothing he could do. Not really. And even if there'd been, the fact that his legs weren't far from giving out in pain, efficiently forced him into a passive state. The pain in his arm persistently refused to leave, and though the bleeding had started to weaken, it still flowed freely enough to drip all the way to the floor. He felt weak. He felt dizzy.

Not bothering to fight the need to sit down any longer, Naruto let his back fall against the wall and slid down to sit. The pieces of glass crackled beneath his feet, leaving scrapes on the wooden surface. The sound annoyed him. He sighed. Letting the back of his head hit the wall, he closed his eyes. He wasn't feeling too good. Should he have felt worried?

"Need help?"

Naruto flinched, his eyes opening in a rush. Turning to the direction of the unexpected voice, he found himself staring into a pair of unfamiliar eyes. Shaking off the slight startle, he took a better glance at the one crouching beside him. A middle-aged man, probably in his late forties, dressed in all black. The bartender. Naruto gave the man a long, frowning look.

"Why help me? I just threw your boss through a glass table", he pointed out. The man chuckled.

"All the better reason to stay on your good side, eh?"

Naruto said nothing in return. Instead he tried to find an argument actually worth voicing, but simply had none. In the end all he could give was a grunt. The man seemed pleased enough. Extending his hand for help, he pulled the blonde off the floor and surprisingly enough, even walked him over to the counter. Seating Naruto down at a barstool, the man then left him there and made his way to the other side of the counter. As it barely took a minute for an impressively wide variety of medical supplies to appear in sight, Naruto had to conclude that injuries were no rarity around there.

Once the man had placed down the items he'd picked out, he turned to the blonde and intended on saying something, but stopped before he had the chance to start. The man's gaze moved past Naruto and took a few quick glances around. A roomful of curious gazes were there to meet his. A frown appeared between his brows.

"It's too quiet, isn't it?" the man asked, smiling crookedly.

Naruto doubted it'd been as much a question as just a simple observation. So he didn't bother replying. The silence was soon shattered, as a swift push of a button brought the speakers at the corners of the room back to life. The music that'd at one point died out, filled the room anew. The noise seemed to be the cue for the people there to go back to minding their own business. Surprisingly enough, it worked. The curious gazes turned away. Somewhat impressed and honestly pleased, Naruto gave the bartender an accepting nod.

"Better", he admitted. The man smiled.

"How 'bout we take a look at that arm of yours, kid?"

Naruto glanced at his arm. It looked no prettier. While he had no reason to decline the help to begin with, any potential resistance would've been pure stupidity. So he nodded once more. Pleased enough, the man made his way back around the counter, and grabbed a bottle of something Naruto had learned to despise with all his heart. Rubbing alcohol. Something he'd learned during his few months of working as a hitman was that the unfortunately continuous usage of that abomination couldn't be avoided. Thus he shut his eyes, bit the inside of his cheek and took the sting of it like a man. His attempts not to wince like a little girl seemed to be obvious enough to make the bartender chuckle in amusement.

"I've seen men bigger than you cry on these stools, y'know", he joked. Naruto grunted.

"If I let shit like this make me cry, I won't have time for anythin' else", he muttered, holding actual truth to that statement.

The older man huffed, laying the bottle of alcohol down. A roll of clean, white bandage was next in line.

"Hn. Suppose that's true. A Sabaku would keep ya busy", he spoke, just the slightest bit too knowing of an undertone to his voice.

Naruto cracked his closed eyes open and glanced at the man from the corner of his eye. Pondering how he was supposed to interpret the comment given, he couldn't bother reading too much into it. He watched the man slowly unroll the bandage a short way, before starting to place it on the wound.

"You've been here a long damn time, haven't ya?" the blonde asked eventually.

The bandage being tightened around his arm stung, but not enough to grab his attention away from his company. The older man smirked.

"Too long."

Naruto lightly gritted his teeth as the pressure on his wound grew stronger. But though it felt uncomfortable, he knew it'd stop the bleeding.

"Saw the town before those two. Saw those two step into town. And saw the town be taken over by those two", the man told, reaching the end of the bandage.

The white strip of soft cloth was neatly put in place, a tight knot holding it together. A slight trickle of blood could be seen seeping through, but the bleeding was slow and clotted. It would stop soon. The bartender glanced at the traces of blood that'd stained his hands.

"Haven't seen guys like that before or since", he muttered, grabbing a towel from the counter. Naruto watched him clean his hands in a thorough manner.

"Ya miss the before?" he asked, not bothering to hide his curiosity. The other man glanced at the blonde askance. An amused smile came to accompany it.

"You're smellin' a story here, aren't you?"

Naruto huffed. "Maybe."

The man narrowed his eyes. Not threateningly, but teasingly. But it didn't take him long to chuckle lightheartedly. Shaking his head at the blonde's borderline boldness, the man once again made his way to the other side of the counter, grabbed a glass and poured a generous drink of whiskey. Sliding it over to Naruto, he tilted his head questioningly.

"What you after then?"

Naruto had to ponder whether or not it was appropriate to really ask. Not that he usually was one to act the proper way. He grabbed the drink offered, took a sip, and decided not to care for appropriation this time either.

"All of it."

The man's askance glance turned into askance staring. He seemed hesitative. And Naruto feared he might've not had the right to ask of the history of that town. But knowing that not in a million years would Gaara tell him about it, he couldn't just let the chance go to waste. The man continued staring in silence for good ten seconds, before finally lifting his gaze to meet the blonde's head on. A sigh followed.

"This gon' take time. I'll need one these too", the man muttered, hand reaching for an empty glass, before grabbing the freshly opened bottle of whiskey.

He poured himself a good half a glass, seated himself on a high stool and took a sip. He then laid the glass on the table and sighed again. The man's gaze wandered somewhere off into the distance.

"It was an odd day that day. When their father became the mayor", the man began.

Naruto relaxed. It seemed he actually might hear a story worth listening to.

"Yakuza can smell the weak, y'know. They smell a soul on sale. The mayor, he had one of those. And those jackals sunk their teeth right into it", the man spoke, shaking his head in some vague disappointment of past shame.

"He wasn't a bad man, that mayor. But he was easily corrupted. And the whole city, they knew he was. But no measure of law could do a thing about it. For as long as that man stood as the mayor, the city was ruled by criminals. He truly owned the town. And yakuza owned him."

Naruto took another sip. The whiskey burned his throat, the wound ached in his arm, but somehow he didn't even notice.

"He was a sad son of a bitch to watch suffer. But sadder than that, were the bastard's three children. A girl, pretty as an angel and sweet as sugar. A little feisty, maybe", the man remembered, smiling.

The blonde found himself smiling too. He'd never imagined Temari as little girl. But described in such a way, it felt fitting.

"And two boys. One badly behavin' and quite the handful, yet charismatic and likable. Every young girl's bad boy dream", the other one continued.

Naruto huffed. Sounded equally as fitting. He noticed the light expression on the older man's face turn slightly heavier.

"The other one…" Pause. Frown. A firm voice. "Like the spawn of Satan."

The blonde scowled. Fitting. Still fitting. The other man sighed.

"Their father might've been the mayor, but that man couldn't take care of 'em. He lost his love for life along with his wife. The kids…they ended up here."

Short silence followed. The man seemed to take a moment down memory lane, and Naruto let him. Sipping a little more of his drink, he came to think just how badly Sasuke would've smacked him for it, had he been there. Drink number four it was according to his count. Most likely beyond moderation. But he felt like he deserved it. And as the man finally continued speaking again, Naruto got the perfect excuse to believe he did.

"The mayor wasn't one to pay much attention to them. Too busy wearin' his sold soul out, he forgot he even was a father. But that changed, once he heard his youngest one might be of value."

Naruto's eyes darkened. He still hated hearing that. He doubted he'd ever stop.

"That kid was dangerous. The devil, they called him. Some folks really believed he was. The actual Beelzebub. Sayin' he had the DNA of evil. To the people here, that screamed death and danger. To yakuza, that screamed money", the bartender carried on telling.

Naruto raised a brow. It really wasn't the biggest of shocks to hear such, yet he still found it so ridiculous. But then again, perhaps he'd just gotten used to the devil. Who knew? He could hardly been called an objective observer.

"They wanted him. Yakuza wanted the devil. Even more than them, Akatsuki. And the man who was determined to get all his cheap soul could buy, gave them what they wanted. He handed the kid over."

The blonde shut his eyes. It still stung. Hearing someone say that still stung. Opening his eyes again, he saw a small smirk on the other's lips. Naruto frowned. He wasn't sure what was worth smirking for.

"The devil was off these streets. The town could've sighed in relief. But instead, all hell broke loose."

Naruto's eyes reflected mild surprise. The older man chuckled.

"There's much these streets fear. Much they are terrified of, yet feel it belongs. The devil, he was one of those things. Not a single soul here wasn't petrified of his existence, but he still belonged. The mob took something of ours, and molded it into something of theirs. That didn't go down well 'round here."

It was worth discreetly choking on whiskey. Naruto felt honestly shocked to hear that the slums had felt so strongly about it. He had never imagined the people there felt particularly strongly about anything at all. Gaara had always given quite the braindead impression of the town. And from what he'd seen, he'd had no reason to doubt that. Naruto almost convinced himself that the man must've been exaggerating, but wasn't aware that there were surprises even more shocking yet to be told.

"But above anyone else, it was the older Sabaku who lost all sense."

Naruto raised a shocked brow. The other man smiled and nodded.

"He never was the lovin' kind of a brother. But even his indifference had its limits", the man assured.

The blonde wasn't shy to show his disbelief. But before he could voice any opinions, the other one continued.

"He had watched his father turn the town into somethin' vile. Watched yakuza infest these streets of ours, ruining the order and hierarchy of the slums. He'd been there to see their father feed the evil inside his brother, slowly bringing the kid closer to becoming the real devil. He'd seen it, but what could he have done? He was owned by yakuza as much as the rest of us. As much as his father was."

The man paused to sigh. Naruto had a feeling that he might've wildly underestimated the history of that place.

"He'd seen yakuza's power grow stronger as time went by. He'd seen his home turn into one, giant trap. One wrong move, one wrong word, and you vanished. It'd been easy to just go along with that. Fear makes people do ungodly awful things, makes us agree to degrading treatment", the older one spoke, voice heavy and tired.

Though Naruto wasn't entirely aware of it himself, the disbelief on his face was slowly turning into sadness. Not even because the words spoken truly were sad, but because the voice telling them gave a sad, heavy feeling all around. It was like lazy thunder in midnight rain.

"That's why he never did nothin' to help the kid. He was scared. He saw what they did to him, he knew he should've done somethin', but it was just easier to turn the other way and drown the guilt of it in drugs and booze. The drugs, those kept him goin'. But when the youngest one eventually did get taken away, the drugs suddenly worked no more. He couldn't turn the other way any longer. And he didn't."

The smallest of smiles came to crack the heaviness around them. The older man took a sip of his drink, before placing it back down and letting his smile grow wider.

"The mob took away the one thing he knew he should've looked after. It was too much for the drugs to handle. So instead he handled it himself. He easily built himself an army of angry gangers, tired of bein' beaten down by the mafia. He stopped bein' afraid. He stopped turnin' away. He declared war against 'em. Against yakuza. Against his father."

Naruto didn't dare breathe. He didn't want to risk missing a single word.

"It's a time none of us want to remember, yet can't forget. I guess that's good. Can't have us forgettin' what it took for us to get this far. A lot of death, that it took. Lots and lots of dead people."

The blonde wasn't sure how he should've interpreted the tone of voice speaking. It was heavy, yet somehow dull. As if the years had numbed some of the pain.

"After a few years, we ran out of space to bury them. Us, them, anyone. We were forced to burn piles of those who didn't fit. I doubt the smell ever really left this place", the man muttered, a slight look of disgust flashing on his face.

It was an undeniably gruesome thing to imagine. Regular townspeople burning the corpses of their neighbors and friends. Enemies, too. Naruto could only imagine the numbers of unmarked graves scattered around the area.

"So many died. An entire generation died, before it came to an end. It was an odd morning, the first one in a decade that didn't start with a rain of bullets. It was so quiet. It was…haunting."

The man smiled. A fond memory seemed to have awakened.

"Yakuza had given up. We won."

Naruto was frozen still. He wasn't sure if he felt shock, surprise, fascination or a bit of all. But he certainly did feel something that left him speechless.

"He did it, that Sabaku. He got our city back. He drove them away. He gave us our sad lives back and earned lifelong respect. We owe him all of the little we have", the man told.

It was one of those moments again, when Naruto felt like he'd let ignorance take too big of a hold of himself. He had blindly trusted everything Gaara had told about his brother. He'd entirely ignored the fact that in reality, Gaara knew no better about the man than he did. He hadn't been back in fifteen years. He'd known nothing of the life there after he left. He'd been wrong. Kankuro had cared after all.

"The mayor did get killed after that. By yakuza, we believe. But it was no surprise. Nor was it a shame. That poor bastard's soul finally rests in peace. Not everybody's made to survive in a world like this, y'know. He didn't fit", the man stated.

Naruto had no need to disagree. He'd never known or met the man who'd brought hell upon the town, but had a feeling he might've been better off dead. Not because he didn't deserve to live, but because his personal hell became everybody else's hell too.

"Sabaku saved this town. Saved the slums. To us, that is the town. And he saved us. He's well earned the respect he's given. After the war was won, not a single yakuza or Akatsuki has set foot on our streets again. And not a single soul who mentions one of those names, walks away unharmed. He is very strict with that rule", the man told.

The question of what had made Kankuro react in such a grim way to the mention of Akatsuki was now thoroughly answered. And now that Naruto realized the truth behind the man's hate for them, he felt like a dick for ever having brought it up at all. In fact, there was a lot he shouldn't have brought up. He'd truly misjudged that man. Misjudged his strength, his willpower and most of all, misjudged the way he saw Gaara. But though Kankuro obviously had gone to unimaginable lengths to get revenge for losing his brother, something still bothered Naruto enough to drive him to ask about it. Slightly hesitantly, but nonetheless.

"Why did he never go after him? Why didn't he take his brother back?"

The older man glanced at Naruto from the corner of his eye. A somewhat sad look flashed in his eyes.

"Why go after somethin' that don't want to come back?"

Naruto frowned. He hated to admit it, but it was a good point. The other man sighed.

"That kid was a killing machine. The older one had already lost his chance at savin' him. The best he could do was to save what he still had left. He might've lost his brother, but refused to give up the town as well", he told.

A short pause of thought followed. The man grunted.

"He couldn't get his brother back, but wanted to give him a home to return to."

Naruto felt his heart clench. Could the man have phrased it any sadder than that?

"What about Temari?" the blonde asked, as the other one seemed to fall silent. The man frowned.

"The girl? She was long gone when the war started. She left as soon as she heard the youngest one had been taken. Can't blame her though. She didn't fit here. She never did. She made it out. Good for her."

Naruto didn't bother saying anything. There wasn't much he could've said. He had trouble truly understanding what he'd been told. Not only had he acted like an outrageous asshole by treating Kankuro the way Gaara had made him believe the man deserved to be treated, but he actually hadn't even questioned anything the redhead had spoken of his brother. He'd forgotten that for the majority of all time, Gaara had no clue what he was talking about. Not when it came to understanding other people. And yet Naruto still hadn't questioned a single accusation. It'd now left him feeling stupid and naive.

It wasn't often his stubborn nature gave way to such, but it seemed like he owed the son of a bitch a big, fat apology.

* * *

**It is 5 am. I'm supposed to get up in four hours. But I decided I wouldn't go to sleep before this shit is finally up, so I'm just gonna have to live with it.**

**Hope ya liked it. I rewrote this thing so many times that I seriously have no clue of its quality anymore. I have to warn you that I might not be able to post a new chapter as often as before from now on. I've ran out of pre-written chapters, and am left with shit that needs to be done from scratch. So while I'm by no means abandoning the story, I might not be able to keep up with my weekly uploads any longer. Hopefully ya'll forgive me that much.**

**Sorry for bein' so late, all you beautiful honeybuns. Virtual bitch slaps expected and accepted.**


	43. Easy Deal

**A month, huh? Wow, I really gotta step up my game.**

**I've been unusually busy the past few weeks. And dealt with some unfortunate health issues. But lo and behold; we have a new chapter. In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Hopefully you guys still enjoy it. Sorry for the month long wait. Let's hope it was at least worth it, eh?**

* * *

Nerve-wrecking. Offended. Heavy, perhaps even oppressive. All that, yet still only describable as anger. But it was anger unlike any other before. Anger that wasn't the least bit hostile, held no actual threat and wasn't meant to efficiently kill. No. It was anger filled with frustration, self-pity and the ridiculous need to scream empty insults to thin air at the top of his lungs. Anger he wasn't used to feeling.

Gaara sat on an old, uncomfortable leather couch in the ugly, modestly decorated backroom of the bar. Fingers buried in red hair and head hanging low in a frustrated manner, he fought the need to bang his head against the coffee table before him. He was so incredibly mad at Naruto. Words could not describe how much he wanted to smack the living soul out of him. How badly he wanted to bash his face into the wall, and repeatedly declare him to be an utter idiot. But at the same time, he also wanted to cling to the blonde like his life depended on it and kiss the damn thing senseless, simply because he wasn't dead in the ditch like he'd expected. It was confusing. Gaara didn't work well with confusion.

But it wasn't only Naruto he was mad at. More than anything, he was mad at himself. For being late, for letting him take off alone. For not being there. While he knew he shouldn't have blamed himself for the other's utter idiocy, the guilt still slammed its judgmental weight on him, tearing right through his indifference. It'd now left him positive that leaving the blonde alone for a mere second, was a second too long. A single, irrelevant moment seemed to have become enough for the moron to get himself hurt. Shamelessly on Gaara's mental health's expense, nonetheless.

In reality, it was ridiculous. It was, he knew that. He was planning on buying a collar and a chain for a grown man, simply to make sure he wouldn't get the chance to find trouble. But in his tightly condensed, survival centric universe it sounded perfectly reasonable. Sensible, logical and above all, necessary. Feeling like he'd ran out of all other options, only such a choice existed anymore. And that was what made him more frustrated than anything else. That the only option he was down to anymore, was something so outrageously ridiculous and deeply impractical. In other words, desperate.

He hated to admit it, but had gone way beyond the ability to lie to himself. He had reached an actual level of desperation. Aware that he was rapidly losing control over the situation, he had started to feel some sort of helplessness, mixed with aimless anger. A chaos of humane reactions he had never desired to personally know of. All caused by a single, unnecessarily strong aspect of humanity.

Fear. Uncontrollable, crippling fear.

Gaara, who'd never felt scared of even the most terrifying forms life could manifest itself as, was finally forced to admit he was afraid. Not for himself. Had he been, it would've been easier to shrug it off as natural sense of survival. But not a hint of the fear he felt existed for himself. Every last ounce of terror that'd somehow succeeded in finding him, was for Naruto.

He had become so incredibly scared of losing him. And though the feeling itself deeply disturbed him, he knew it was a justified way to feel. The day would come, when he'd be forced to let go of the only thing he felt was worth holding onto. The day he'd be just a little too late, fall just a little too short, and would be left with nothing to fight for anymore. The simple thought of it made him feel sick.

How could he not be scared of the day he'd see his past mistakes kill the angel who'd cut off its wings for him?

The risk that'd existed all along, had reached an entirely new level of realism. After every time they'd outrun death due to mere luck, the probability of it happening again had gradually crumbled closer into nothingness. And by now, there wasn't much left to crumble. Naruto was badly wounded, they had no leads to follow, and they'd ended up killing two so obviously important men to Akatsuki, that in no scenario in existence would they not pay for it. Coming to Kankuro for help truly was an obvious act of desperation, and if the man proved to be as useless as Gaara feared he would, they'd be all out of options. His lousy brother was their only backup plan, and if that plan ended up backfiring, the only option left would be to preorder coffins.

Digging a grave for Naruto. That had become Gaara's first, yet paralyzing fear. As an unfortunate surprise, he had come to understand that a man did not know true fear, before it stopped being irrational.

Gaara grunted. He paused his frustrated pulling of hair long enough to take out a pack cigarettes. Placing one between his lips, he lit up. The burning thing firmly between his fingers, he sunk his nails into his scalp again. The toxic smoke seemed to be of no help to his mood. It was a disappointment of sorts.

The click of a door opening behind him reached his ears. He couldn't bother turning. He didn't feel like Naruto deserved to be acknowledged by him at the moment. But as the door creaked open and back shut again, footsteps far too heavy to be the blonde's cautiously coming closer, he changed his mind. The second he realized that the presence settling in the room wasn't familiar enough to be Naruto's, the redhead's shoulders tensed up. He rushed to stand up, turned around and found himself face to face with his brother. Not feeling the slightest desire to have any form of interaction with the man, an immediate spike of hostility flashed in Gaara's eyes. But before he got far enough to growl out threats and promises of something vengeful, Kankuro had laid a stern look on him.

"Sit down, Gaara."

The redhead's icy glare faltered. Not having expected such an attitude, he was taken aback. But only for as long as it took for his mind to switch on instant killer mode. Not giving a single thought to it, he lunged at his brother, intending to jump over the couch separating them. But as soon as his foot found a place on the backrest of the seat, an unfortunately familiar click stopped him. That, and the feel of cold metal pressed against his forehead. Freezing cold eyes watching Kankuro behind the barrel of the gun pointed at him, Gaara was forced to stop.

"Sit your ass down, baby brother."

The redhead did nothing. He stopped to glare at the other one, pondering if he had any real need to take being at gunpoint seriously. Though every fiber in his body itched to ignore the weapon and simply lunge at the man holding it, he eventually did as told. His angry gaze refusing to mellow, he backed away and reluctantly sat himself down. Pleased enough, Kankuro lowered the gun. But it stayed in his grip, just in case.

Gaara set his empty gaze to avoid his brother at all costs. He stayed put, but the tension of his shoulders clearly told a story. He didn't know what it was Kankuro wanted, but was certain it didn't interest him in the least. Thus he couldn't bother feeling curious as the older one walked across the room, and seated himself on the couch on the opposite side of the redhead, laying a persistent gaze on the younger one. Gaara wouldn't look at him. And Kankuro was smart enough to know that waiting for eye contact was a waste of time in its purest form. Watching the younger one exhale a thick trail of smoke, he stopped to study him.

The tense shoulders, they told of anger. The restless foot tapping against the floor, it told of anxiety. And the look in his eyes, badly masked by superficial emptiness, that told of hurt. He was restless. He was angry. And so obviously insulted, it almost made Kankuro want to smirk. He knew the other's restless mood had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with the blonde. The knowledge of that made him thoughtful.

Kankuro's gaze moved to properly take a look at his sibling. Life truly hadn't treated him with consideration. The deep, scarred gash on the other's pale face was far too prominent to be ignored. The tattoos reaching his jawline were too obviously meant to cover up marks the man had gotten tired of looking at. But his arms, his hands, the skin on those was still exposed. They bore as many scars as the rest of him must've, yet they hadn't been covered. Why?

Gaara had finally turned to glance at his brother. And it seemed he knew what Kankuro's thoughtful gaze wondered about. The redhead grunted.

"It ain't any of your business."

Kankuro huffed. "You're right. It ain't."

Silence. Tense, cold silence. A thin curtain of smoke danced around the room, dimming the already lousy lighting. Kankuro sighed. He glanced at his hands, frowning at the blood covering them. Grabbing the helm of his shirt, he used it to rub off the drying substance. For an unknown reason, the idea of speaking made him mildly nervous. He refused to let it bother.

"Feelin' pissed off?" he asked, his voice indifferent and empty.

It was best not to give the younger one any reason to feel provoked. Only it seemed he needed no real reason to feel so. The immediate clenching of an already tense fist was a clear sign of his anger being only a step away from getting free of all restraints. A dry, fairly deranged chuckle escaped the redhead's lips.

"Nah. Homicidal."

Kankuro downplayed the shivers he felt upon hearing the other's chilling voice by smirking.

"I'll take that as a yes."

In all honesty, Kankuro was moderately surprised by how calm his brother seemed, despite the obvious anger leaking through the cracks of his composure. He hadn't expected Gaara to care much about being held at gunpoint. Not enough to keep him from carrying out those homicidal desires he openly admitted having. Not being the dumbest of individuals, Kankuro had to reason that the gun most likely didn't play much of a part in the other's decision to stay seated. It was something else keeping him under control. A distracting feeling, more dominant than anger.

The younger's wandering gaze told of emotional discomfort, which on one hand was shocking to see happen. But on the other hand, it was unnerving. It created an unstable feel all around. An uncomfortable tingle in the air, like the presence of static electricity. Kankuro wondered how much it would take to turn the slight electric tingle into hazardous high voltage current.

"Didn't think you'd leave blondie to bleed out all alone."

Not much, it seemed. Even before he'd finished his sentence, a gaze too cold to be called only freezing had turned to mentally rip his eyes out. Kankuro did his best not to flinch at the sudden spike of high voltage rage aimed to shoot right through him.

"Don't think you'll be leavin' this room alive", the redhead threatened. "Me bein' mad at blondie don't change the fact that anybody who touches him, sees me rip out their beatin' hearts."

The latter part turned the threat into a solid promise. Kankuro noticed the way his grip tightened on the gun only after Gaara had acknowledged him doing so. The older one scowled at the sneering look given to him. He did have the urge to feel anxious upon imagining his live heart being torn out of his open rib cage, but in the end, couldn't bother. His grip on the gun loosened, as a lopsided smirk formed on his lips.

"Hn. Can't say I'd really mind, y'know."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the other one. Trying to detect some sign of bluff, he was mildly surprised upon finding none. It made him question the man's sanity.

"I don't remember you bein' that self-destructive", he stated. "Grown cynical, have ya?"

Kankuro sighed. "Ya tell me. Ain't cynicism more your expertise?"

Gaara scowled. He had a hard time denying the other's claim. Turning his gaze away from the older one, he let out a sharp exhale.

"Run's in the family, don't it?" he muttered, not hiding the bitter tone. Kankuro couldn't help the chuckle.

"Yeah. Suppose it does."

Silence fell. Not the pleasant kind, but neither the heavy. Gaara's gaze stayed turned away, while Kankuro's shamelessly studied the redhead. It was strange to see the younger one sit there. It was strange to watch him move, watch him breathe, hear him speak. His entire existence felt strange. After fifteen years of living a reality where he essentially no longer had a brother, Kankuro felt dumbfounded by simply looking at the man. That perhaps being the most bizarre part of it all.

His brother was a man now. A full grown adult. Not a boy, not a child. A man. And such a heartless one at that.

Gaara had never had the most childish features, never had the most delicate voice or been of the shortest height. But regardless of all that, the last time Kankuro had seen him, he'd been a mere child. Taller than most, but still three heads shorter than him. Strong, yet nothing but skin and bones. Skin already scarred, but fair and free of ink. A truly horrendous child he'd been, but even then, the fraction of innocence in him had been real.

But now, after fifteen years of hired slaughtering and seven years of rotting in the slammer, attaching the concept of innocence to him would've been a downright sin. The little purity that'd ever resided within him, was long gone. Grown up to be barely a head shorter than Kankuro anymore, the evil feel of his presence easily made up for the difference in height. The once fragile figure had turned into iron hard muscle, hiding the sickeningly bony edges, and all childlike weakness along with it. The porcelain white skin had dulled into dead pale greyness, smothered by everlasting ink. Nothing about him was innocent. No longer comparable to the stained existence of the average grown man, he could easily be classified as something truly demonic.

But though Kankuro saw all the evil, all the sin Gaara consisted of anymore, there was something even the ugliest sides of him couldn't make untrue. Regardless of all he'd done, despite every sinister desire he had, that man was still his brother. Always had been, always would be. The years he'd been away, it'd been easy to pretend his existence didn't mean much. Not because Kankuro hadn't wanted to acknowledge him as a brother, but because shared blood didn't equal family. Family wasn't a sum of biological facts. Family was a state of mind. And having his biological facts scattered all around the land, parts of it underground, his state of mind had never consisted of those he was related to. But now that Gaara sat there, in real flesh and cold blood, it was hard not to imagine him being a part of that state of mind. Part of family.

Realizing that he'd zoned out somewhere into the past, Kankuro shook himself back to reality. Feeling clueless of what to say, he forced himself to speak out the first irrelevant topic he could think of.

"So, how you been?"

The sheer uncertainty of his voice was enough to turn the situation painfully awkward, but the truly unimpressed look Gaara gave him intensified it to something the word awkward no longer was sufficient enough to describe. A few seconds of disbelieving staring went by, before the redhead finally spoke.

"You bein' fucking serious?"

Kankuro felt the deep need to cringe. But didn't. Instead he accepted his own social stupidity, and decided to carry on like he hadn't made it all far more uncomfortable than really was necessary.

"It's been fifteen years. How'd they go?"

When it came to smart phrasing, Kankuro knew he was failing at it. Gaara proved it be true by praising him with further indifferent staring.

"Well, you obviously are as big of a moron as before", he eventually stated.

Kankuro said nothing in return. He tried coming up with a reply, but in the end, could only sigh. The redhead had once again started to find the blank wall far more interesting than him, and Kankuro had no idea why he even bothered trying to compete with chipping paint. If it succeeded in being more fascinating than him, there probably was no use in outshining it. Feeling partly frustrated and partly anxious, he gave up on conversing altogether.

No longer sure what his plan had been when stepping into the room, if he'd had any at all, Kankuro could safely say it'd been a lousy one to begin with. He didn't feel comfortable. Not mentally, not physically. It felt wildly unfitting to simply sit in silence with the redhead, when attempting to stab each other in the throat would've felt more familiar and suitable. Not to mention how distracting the pulsing pain in the left side of his face was, as the sunken bits of glass continued to burn under his torn open skin.

It was impossible for him not to let out the smallest of pained hisses, as he cautiously reached to feel the damaged flesh. Kankuro frowned. He'd have to get the shards out. Otherwise the wounds would get infected. And hospital healthcare wasn't something he had any intention of relying on.

Letting another heavy sigh slip, Kankuro reached down towards his worn out boots. After a minor struggle, he pulled out a small army knife from the left one's shaft. Having forgotten all about it when fighting blondie, he now had use for it. The sight of metal shining under the dim lighting obviously caught the redhead's attention, making him tense up in an instant. Kankuro noticed his brother reach behind his back, presumably for a gun, so he rushed to make it clear that the knife wasn't meant to be a threat. Flipping the knife around, taking a hold of the blade instead of the handle, he cautiously brought it forward, offering it to Gaara.

Somewhat confused, the redhead decided not to draw his gun out after all. His hand still remaining on the weapon just in case, he dropped his gaze down to the knife. Not really understanding the intention behind offering it, he eventually looked back up to lay a mildly questioning look on the older one. Kankuro grunted.

"Your pretty boy slammed me through a glass table", he muttered. "Cut that shit outta my face, will ya?"

It felt somewhat degrading to ask for such, but he didn't have much of a choice. Picking the glass out himself would've been too painful to be properly done. And while willingly handing a knife to his homicidal brother screamed of pure idiocy, he wanted to give him that much trust. Whether or not he actually deserved it didn't really matter. If Gaara wanted to kill him, he'd pull it off anyway. So why not make it a little easier for everybody?

Gaara said nothing. Apart from blankly staring at his brother, there wasn't much he could do. He wasn't sure if this was perhaps a really bad joke, or if Kankuro truly had lost the last of light on the attic. To voluntarily offer him the chance to go poke at someone's head with a knife was downright suicidal. Which was why he deeply questioned the intention behind it. Was the son of a bitch testing him? Or had he simply become as self-destructive as he seemed?

The redhead paused his blank staring long enough to put out the cigarette that'd burned down to the filter. Moving his gaze back to the knife still being offered, he took himself another cigarette right away, lit it up and stopped to look at the shiny blade for a while longer. Eventually he made the decision to reach out and grab it. He took a hold of the handle, and Kankuro let him take it without a struggle. The knife was brand new. Sleek and neat. Handmade, by the looks of it. High quality and ideal for slitting a throat.

Gaara grunted. Finally turning to face his brother again, he stood up. Kankuro couldn't help but to feel the slightest bit nervous upon seeing the other one take a step closer, the knife in a tight grip. Knowing that the chances of getting stabbed in the face were far greater than those of not, he felt the need to flinch. But instead of doing so, he simply waited. Judging by the younger's cold gaze and tense shoulders, getting stabbed was likely. But the somewhat thoughtful look behind the coldness told that it wasn't all certain.

It took a threatening moment of intent eye contact and an eventual sigh of defeat, before Gaara's tight grip on the knife loosened. His tense shoulders fell and cold look dulled back into nothingness. With a few lazy steps, the redhead reached the couch Kankuro sat on and slumped down to sit next to him. Whether it was planned or not, the older one let out a clearly audible, shaky breath of relief upon realizing he might not get his face sliced off after all. Exhaling a breath of smoke, Gaara took a better hold of the knife and wasn't shy to bring it forward. The last of Kankuro's nervousness disappeared, as the redhead pleasantly surprised him by not shoving it into his temple, but instead used only the sharp tip of it to scrape off the most superficial bits of glass.

It took a good ten seconds, before Kankuro could let himself relax entirely. But as the younger one seemed perfectly calm and free of any sinister intentions, he managed to breathe evenly again. Feeling the cold metal slide over his cut skin stung, but the miracle of having his brother sit there seemingly stable easily took his mind off the pain. And as a silent minute or two of getting glass scraped off his face had passed, he'd forgotten all about feeling nervous. By the time Gaara suddenly cracked a smirk that didn't seem the least bit spiteful, he could almost declare himself comfortable.

"Blondie slammed you through glass, huh?" the redhead muttered.

Kankuro could've let the obviously pleased tone of voice irk him, but had no desire to feel annoyed. Instead he simply huffed.

"Laugh all ya want. That boy might look like an angel, but fights like a hellhound", he said. Gaara grunted.

"Hn. I'm painfully aware", he agreed.

The older one glanced at the redhead from the corner of his eye, slightly curiously. The smallest of mischievous smirks appeared on his lips.

"Got you down too, eh?" he halfheartedly scoffed. "And I thought I'd just gotten old."

Gaara gave the other one an unimpressed glance, refusing to give a reply of any kind. He might've admitted that fighting Naruto was no picnic, but not in a million years would he tell just how little of a picnic it was even for him. The cold glare seemed to be enough of a hint for Kankuro to get it. Thus he let the matter be. Short silence fell again, as Gaara continued taking out the easily removable bits of glass. The pain wasn't as bad as Kankuro had expected. But of course the ones sunken deep under his skin remained. Not particularly interested in imagining the pain still to come, he decided to distract himself by asking a seemingly casual question.

"How'd you meet him?"

Gaara said nothing right away. He carved out a couple of chips of glass, before replying.

"Why'd you care?"

Kankuro frowned. He had an answer, but wasn't confident of how it'd be received. He decided to risk it.

"Cause you're my brother."

The knife moving against his skin stopped for a passing second. In that single second, an entire lifetime of disappointments in the concept of family was condensed. Years and years of hate towards the word itself, as well as the urge to declare that their shared DNA made them no closer than the average stranger. It would've been easy to give in to the grim mood that instantly awakened. But Gaara decided he had no desire to be that easy to control. Instead of losing his shit and stabbing the other man unrecognizable, he forced himself to continue removing the glass. The movement of his hand might've become slightly more harsh, but not enough to be threatening. Kankuro patiently waited for the redhead to give an answer. And eventually, he did.

"He's my lawyer."

It was Kankuro's turn to freeze for a short moment. Gaara couldn't bother acknowledging the obvious pause in his brother's existence, nor did he give much attention to the amused chuckle that soon followed. Which then continued to go on far too long to be entirely normal.

"Dude, I gotta get my hearin' checked. Thought you said he's your lawyer", the man eventually managed to say. Gaara grunted.

"Nothin' wrong with your hearing", he assured.

The other one stopped laughing. The little way the knife against his temple gave, he turned to glance at the redhead. The look on his face could only be described as stupefied. The comment that followed couldn't be given much credit as anything intellect either.

"Huh?" Gaara nodded. "Hn. Yeah."

Kankuro continued staring.

"Ya mean like a real smart dude that went to school and shit?" he asked, like a true idiot. The redhead grunted.

"School and shit", he confirmed.

Some more dumbfounded staring ensued, before Kankuro finally turned to blankly stare at the floor. He was silent for a while, and Gaara felt no reason to interfere with it. The older one seemed thoughtful. A frown soon appeared to prove that assumption right. Disbelief could be heard in the voice that next spoke.

"I got my ass kicked by a lawyer." It was very much a true statement. "Cool. Pathetic, but cool."

The redhead snorted. "Nah. Ya got your ass kicked by a hellhound, not a lawyer."

Kankuro smirked. "Ya really hear a difference there?"

The other one had a point, leaving Gaara without an argument. So he said nothing at all. Having reached a point in removing the glass where it had to be gouged out, he simply concentrated on doing so. Every time the tip of the blade sunk into his skin, Kankuro let out a hiss of pain. Gaara didn't really care enough to be any more considerate. And Kankuro didn't really expect him to be.

"So he got ya outta death row, huh?" the older one questioned after a while.

Another hiss of pain threatened to escape, but he refused to let it stop him from finishing the sentence.

"Got me out before I made it there", Gaara corrected, cutting out yet another grain of glass.

The abundance of glass seemed never-ending. The one, particularly awkwardly stuck piece of glass that absolutely refused to cooperate, was rapidly wearing his patience thin. A frustrated huff escaped his lips. Abandoning the whole task long enough to stand up, he confused his brother by unbuckling his belt and removing it altogether. His actions earned a truly questioning look. Ignoring the stare, he sat back down, folded the belt a couple of times, before shoving it in front of the other's face.

"Bite."

Slightly horrified staring and silence was all he got. It took a while before Kankuro even dared to ask.

"Why?" he questioned. The redhead didn't as much as blink.

"Cause I'm gon' cut your head open."

The perfectly casual tone of his voice was disturbing on so many different levels, but Kankuro knew resistance would've been futile. As long as he wanted the glass out of his face, he'd have to do as he was told. So while it wasn't the most desirable thing in the world, he took the folded belt and bit down into the black leather. Barely having shut his jaws around the bitter tasting material, the immediate feel of cold metal pressing right through the skin of his temple forced him to groan in pain. As the blade slowly started sliding down the side of his face, only barely leaving the bone beneath untouched, it became impossible not to close his eyes tight and clench his fists in actual agony. He could feel the warm blood start to pour down his face, reaching his jaw and dripping down onto the couch.

Even after the knife left the cut it'd made, the burn remained. As the sharp metal then moved to gouge out a larger shard of glass that'd gotten stuck somewhere beneath the skin, the pain grew close to unbearable. Yet he refused to let it become too much. Stubbornly biting the belt, he ignored the blood blurring the left side of his vision, as well as the sickening feel of metal literally crawling under his skin. After a few agonizing seconds, that'd felt longer than an eternity, the piece of glass was finally out. And the knife along with it. While Kankuro fought to breathe properly, his jaws still tightly shut around the leather belt, Gaara stopped to look at the open cut with a curious look on his face.

"Hn. Fucked up your tattoos, but it's out", he grunted after a while.

Fighting not to cry real tears like a little girl, Kankuro couldn't have cared less about his tattoos. He was simply relieved that the redhead was done poking his face with a knife. Not much beyond that seemed relevant.

"Done", Gaara declared, throwing the bloody knife on the table beside him.

Glancing down at his hands, he turned up his nose at the blood staining them, but couldn't bother doing anything to get rid of it. He turned to look at his brother, who still had his teeth sunken into leather.

"I'd like that back", he told.

The other one could only nod, a shaky hand half-forcibly tearing the belt from between the jaws that'd locked shut in pain. His teeth instantly gritting tightly against each other, he offered the belt back to Gaara. One quick glance was enough for the redhead to see the tooth marks that'd nearly cut it in half. His desire to have it back quickly dropped.

"That's nasty", he commented. The older one shot him a glare.

"Ya cut my fuckin' face open. What'd you expect?" he pointed out.

The redhead grunted. "Whatever. Keep it. I don't want it."

Kankuro snorted. "Hn. Wouldn't give it even if ya did."

Gaara raised an unimpressed brow. The other one made a face. Which turned out to be quite painful, but still considered absolutely worth it.

It was around then the strange feeling hit. The strange feeling of calmness, that neither one had really expected to be possible. Yet somehow it happened. Kankuro couldn't help but to smile a blood covered smirk, while Gaara's expression hardly changed. But the neutral look in his eyes, that told of moderate stability. It was good enough.

Both of them sitting there, blood smeared across the couch and themselves, gazes staring into the distance and no distinct sounds present, they were left to wonder what was supposed to happen next. Neither one having planned being in the same room with each other to be such a civilized event, the behavioral rules were somewhat unclear. Surprisingly enough, Gaara was the one to break the silence.

"Blondie fucked ya up bad", he muttered, his gaze stopping to study the other's bruised neck. Kankuro grunted.

"If he'd had two workin' hands, I'd be a carcass", he admitted.

His confession seemed to please the redhead, as a genuinely content smirk soon appeared on his lips.

"Fuck, that guy knows how to make me proud", Gaara said. Kankuro gave the younger one an unimpressed look.

"That's…some real deranged shit you two got goin' on", he mumbled.

The other one chuckled. "Hn. What else?"

Kankuro felt no need to reply, as the question hadn't been much of a one at all. So instead of speaking, he allowed silence to fall back around them, his mind wandering off to imagine scenarios he didn't feel too fond of.

He couldn't lie. He had a hard time accepting the fact that his brother had that close of a relationship with another man. He himself had been raised to view such desires as a sign of weakness. Real men did not need one another for something nature had designed a woman to do. Men weren't meant to want each other, they were meant to kill each other. Meant to fight wars for their wives and children, meant to tear each other down. And in war, only one could win. For that reason alone, a man could never be equal to another. There couldn't be two winners, no two men equal, no two men meant to defy nature's will.

He couldn't understand it. He couldn't comprehend with what it was that'd driven his brother to choose the blonde. Or why the blonde had willingly wanted to be chosen by him. It could be that no woman would've been able to handle the inhumane redhead. Not that it explained why Gaara would've wanted anyone to handle him in the first place. It did not suit him, the desire for any human connection. That alone was enough to make Kankuro feel confused. He truly did not understand. Chances were he wasn't supposed to either. For that reason, he knew it was best not to bring the subject up. Though he pushed the forbidden issue aside, he voiced a thought that was equally as volatile.

"Y'know…I still have dreams 'bout it. Nightmares. Of you givin' me that cold stare and walkin' out the door", he muttered, barely audibly.

The second he finished his sentence, he could feel the latent tension spike. Well aware that speaking of that distant time in the past risked the superficial calmness around them, he felt nervous to continue. Yet he did anyway.

"A million times I've seen you walk away. A million times I've hoped you'd come back. And a million times you never have."

He paused long enough to give Gaara a chance to say something. He never did, of course. But he did slowly turn to look at his brother, a growing coldness returning to his eyes. Kankuro decided he had no choice but to ignore it.

"The guilt I feel…you have no idea what it's done to me", Kankuro said, his head falling low in shame. "Sellin' my soul to them at your expense is the biggest regret I have."

Kankuro didn't have to look to know the younger one's mood had drastically changed. Gone from moderately stable, to a fight against a murderous itch. The cold gaze had turned to look the other way, but the tension still kept on rising.

"There's a fuckin' line, Kankuro. Ya should know better than to step over it."

It was a clear threat, dressed in the attire of indirect wording. Wording that held truth to it. The redhead was right. There was a line. Kankuro was well aware of its existence, and should've known better than to stretch it further than it'd ever go. But sometimes the act of doing so was worth the punishment. He knew he wouldn't get another chance to speak of something he'd held in for fifteen long years. Refusing to let that chance slip through his fingers, he decided to take another kind of approach. The kind that would make it hard for Gaara to refuse listening.

"There's somethin' ya need from me, ain't there?" he asked after a while.

There was no answer. Kankuro hadn't really dared to hope for one, either. The reality they lived in, wasn't one that allowed Gaara to ever admit to needing anything from the other one. That was fine. Kankuro didn't mind. The question had been more of a rhetorical one in the first place.

Kankuro pulled himself off the couch. Feeling his brother's suspicious gaze burn holes into his back, he wordlessly made his way over to the farthest corner of the small room. Stopping before a small cabinet placed in that corner, he crouched down before it and went to open the creaky, old door of it. The rusty hinges whined weakly, making Gaara narrow his eyes at the vaguely surprising sight that got revealed. Inside the cabinet there was a heavily built, yet modestly sized safe.

As the older one went to twist the old fashioned number lock on it, this wide frame hid what'd been concealed inside. Gaara found it irksome. He could see the man reach out and pick something up, but couldn't make out what that something was. The lack of identifying the item in the other's hands made him tense. Mildly alert, even.

"I'll make a deal with ya", Kankuro unexpectedly stated.

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the man's turned back, but said nothing. The older one left the safe's door slightly ajar, stood up, yet didn't turn to face him. Gaze dropped down to whatever he was holding, Kankuro let a short silence fall in between his speech.

"You listen to what I've waited fifteen years to tell you, and I give you the information you need."

The redhead didn't reply. Kankuro didn't have to look to know his suggestion wasn't receiving a warm welcome.

"It's a good deal, Gaara. Ya should take it."

Dead silence followed. Gaara's gaze had turned intense enough for Kankuro to feel its acidic burn on his turned back. The effect was fully intended. Gaara didn't like the deal. The mere thought of it made him feel general discomfort. From a realistic point of view, Kankuro was right. It was a good deal, an easy deal. But he also was painfully aware that whatever it was the man wanted to tell him, it would wear his patience real thin, real quick. Lacking the element of patience would efficiently turn an easy deal into a lost chance. Not having the desire to verbally agree to the suggestion he knew he'd have to take, Gaara said nothing. But that was enough. Kankuro gladly accepted the only form of agreement he'd get. Despite the underlying resistance, some sort of mutual agreement had been achieved. Pleased enough, Kankuro finally turned around, the item in his hold revealed. The slightest of surprise forced the redhead to acknowledge it. Having expected something threatening, something potentially dangerous, Gaara was honestly taken aback to see something shockingly innocent. And terrifyingly familiar.

A dirty, old teddy bear. The size of his hand, its seams barely strong enough to keep in the filling, one wooden eye nearly loose. Gaara said nothing. Only stared at the stuffed toy with a hollow look in his eyes. Kankuro ignored the lack of reaction, and instead dropped his gaze down to look at it, a small smile appearing on his lips.

"Remember this?" he asked, voice strangely soft. "It's yours."

Gaara didn't reply. He continued staring at the thing, a sudden rush of something from the past washing over him. In the time span of a mere second, he relived countless nights of falling asleep to the sounds of gunfire, that ugly old toy being the only thing he'd had to hold onto. The second passed, the memories disappeared, but the strange feeling inside him stayed to linger. Though he could've tried to fight it, he eventually gave in to the urge to stand up, step closer and stop to stare at the thing again. He wasn't aware of it himself, but his cold, hollow eyes had turned into something far less empty.

Kankuro's smile saddened, but didn't disappear. After a while he reached out his hand, offering the stuffed toy for Gaara to take. The redhead refused to accept it. The hesitant look in his eyes was gradually becoming more unsure, perhaps even slightly nervous. Kankuro knew what would happen. Gaara would start feeling anxious, take a step back and tell him to put it away. He couldn't let him do that. Taking a step closer, Kankuro gently pressed the toy against the other's chest. The redhead couldn't stop the flinch from happening. A hesitating look flashing in his eyes, Gaara wanted to demand it to be taken away. Yet he found himself taking a hold of it, long before he even realized it.

The feel of it was familiar. Smaller, yet familiar. It felt much heavier than its looks indicated. But Gaara knew it wasn't the toy that truly weighed much. It was the weight of an entire childhood trapped inside that turned the soft stuffing into solid lead.

Gaara seated himself back down, gaze still glued to the toy in his hand. Kankuro took the seat across him, curiously watching his brother react to that piece of his own history. It took a whole minute of silence, before the redhead finally turned to look at the older one. Wordlessly, but silent questions in his eyes. Kankuro smiled, surprising the other one with its sincerity.

"Feels smaller, don't it?"

Gaara dropped his gaze back down. The toy's worn out eyes stared back at him. It made him feel strangely vulnerable.

"Feels heavier", he said, quieter than intended.

Kankuro's smile weakened slightly. He stopped to watch his brother, a mild sensation of sadness washing over him. Not having known what to expect from the other one, he was taken aback by the sudden drop in the redhead's usually coldblooded aura. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved, or afraid. Either one was as good of a guess of what the change in the atmosphere really meant. Regardless of the uncertainty the change stirred, it was still a reaction. That was more than he could've asked for. Kankuro let his slightly tense shoulders fall. He didn't dare to interrupt the younger's quiet moment, thus he patiently waited in silence. Eventually Gaara lifted his gaze up again, a mixed look of curiosity and disbelief directed at the older one. Strangely enough, it didn't feel threatening. Only intense.

"Why?" the redhead suddenly asked.

For a one word question, the curiosity was well condensed. Overpowering curiosity of why Kankuro had kept it all this time. The answer was an easy one to give.

"How could I not?"

It perhaps wasn't fair to answer the question with another one, but it felt the most fit. Gaara didn't seem to mind the vagueness of it. But he did feel the need to answer it. Turning to look at the toy again, he acted outside his comfort zone, and replied with honesty.

"Cause it'd been easier not to."

Kankuro let his smile fade away. The redhead's way of seeing it didn't surprise him, but he found it sad nonetheless. He couldn't much blame him though. Considering the kind of brother he'd been when he'd still had the chance to be one, Gaara had all the right to feel disbelieving. But perhaps that was for the best. Disbelief still beat indifference, by far. And Kankuro had all the intention to use that little leverage. Shifting into a slightly more comfortable position, he took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. He couldn't lie. He felt nervous.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about", he soon said.

For the split of a second, Gaara's unusually mellow gaze turned colder. But as he forced himself to accept that he'd somewhat agreed to the deal offered, he relaxed again. Kankuro couldn't help but to feel slightly relieved. As the redhead seemed to stay fairly calm and cooperative, the older one took a short while to find a way to phrase his words correctly. Though he'd spent fifteen years practicing the exact wording, it suddenly seemed impossible to get right. In the end he had to admit that no such thing actually existed. There was only one way to say it, and as far from perfection as it was, it was still the closest he could get.

"The easy way. That's the one I always took, ain't it?" he began.

Though he tried to fight it, Kankuro still ended up avoiding the other's gaze. But he noticed that no major change had happened in the look given to him. Not yet, anyway.

"I fucked up. I fucked up a million times", Kankuro muttered, the weight of shame in his voice well evident.

Gaara's pale eyes studied the man seated across him. Looking for signs of lies and awkward excuses, he wasn't sure how to feel upon finding none. It was surprising to an extent, yet not enough to sway his opinion on how useless he found the discussion to be.

"The day you left, that's when I realized it. How bad I'd fucked up", the older one continued, a dry chuckle pausing his speech.

"Not much good it did anymore." Short silence fell, as Kankuro's gaze fell dark with regret and shame. "I was too late."

Gaara's neutral expression hadn't changed the slightest bit. He found no reason to go beyond steady neutrality. While he had to admit that Kankuro's allover appearance told of no lies, he refused to his lose grasp on realism. The man had had fifteen years to practice his act. Nothing indicated it wasn't just that, an act. The redhead found it fairly easy to stay objective. Easy to not lose his cool, easy to not buy words that probably weren't worth more than thin air. Kankuro must've noticed the indifferent attitude, but didn't let it bother. A small smile appeared to lift the corner of the older man's lips.

"I never thought I'd see ya again. Never thought I'd see what the world made of you", Kankuro told. He paused again, as if hesitating to continue. Eventually, he did.

"Kinda took me aback. Wasn't all I expected."

Gaara couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the man. The wording somewhat irked him, yet the goodhearted tone of voice balanced it out. He tried his hardest not to, but eventually had to ask.

"Hn. The fuck did ya expect then?"

It was borderline immature, but he couldn't help the defensive tone. Kankuro might've found it mildly amusing, but the shock of hearing the redhead in fact willingly speak up effectively made him forget all about it. He rushed to shake his head to sign that he'd meant no offense.

"That was half a lie", he admitted. "Dunno what I expected, really. Nothin'. Everything."

Kankuro paused once again. Gaara found it somewhat irksome. But he stopped himself from expressing it. The further he could stretch his patience, the sooner he'd get through the necessities. Thus he simply waited for the man to continue. After a thoughtful and hesitant moment, he did.

"Anythin' but blondie. Him I didn't expect", Kankuro finally told.

The redhead said nothing. The other's reply had been too obvious for him to react to. Thus he didn't. Realizing that there was nothing Gaara would say, Kankuro cleared his throat, and filled the silence with his voice once again.

"What I expected don't matter. It don't change what I need to tell ya."

Kankuro's posture slumped down in the rhythm of a sigh. As if something suddenly weighed him down. Or perhaps it was simple relief lifting off the tension holding him up. Either way, Gaara found himself just the slightest bit curious. Not because he had particularly high expectations of what his brother had to say for himself. But because he was curious about how badly he'd fall short of the nearly nonexistent credit Gaara was ready to give, were a miracle to happen and Kankuro have an even vaguely interesting excuse to tell.

The older one most likely was aware of the redhead's lack of all trust and hope in him, but didn't let it bother. As if free of all fear and insecurities, Kankuro turned to properly face the younger one. Against all odds, Gaara accepted the search for eye contact. Whether it was the redhead's unusually accepting mood, or the words that soon slipped into the air, Kankuro smiled. Smiled, and with a few simple words, brought crashing down every wall of skepticism Gaara had spent years building.

"I'm sorry. I'm so _fucking_ sorry, Gaara."

The silence that followed was impossible to describe. It was empty and cold, yet intense as burning fire. Though the other's voice had stopped speaking seconds ago, the words stayed to echo somewhere in the remains of the protective bubble that'd suddenly burst from around the redhead, leaving him feeling something he never had before. Vulnerable and emotionally naked.

Gaara quickly became aware of the look of pure shock on his face, yet couldn't stop it from happening. No matter how hard he tried, he failed to scrape together the pieces of his composure and mask the disbelief he felt. It'd simply been too unexpected. Out of all the things he'd been prepared to hear, an apology had never even crossed his mind. Nor the sincere tone of voice he'd heard, neither the slight watering of his brother's brown eyes.

He had a hard time believing his own ears. Where were the excuses? Where were the lies? Where were all the empty words and rehearsed speeches? It didn't make sense.

It took a long while for Gaara to notice the tight grip he had on the stuffed toy still in his hand. Forcing himself free of the frozen state he felt stuck inside, he dropped his gaze down to the small bear. Stopping to stare at it, he listened to the rusty screeching of his train of thought, attempting to restart itself. It seemed stuck. He seemed stuck.

A sudden realization reached his awareness. As he let his gaze stay taken by the toy still in his grip, he experienced an odd rush of understanding. Something ridiculously obvious had entirely slipped his attention. Something he should've found unusual, strange at least. Something, that in its all seeming insignificance, suddenly made him question an entire lifetime of solid opinions.

Kankuro had saved the only piece of matter Gaara had left a fragment of his soul inside. For fifteen long years, Kankuro had held onto the ugly, old toy bear. And only then did the significance of it truly hit him.

Gaara felt as if the entirety of his mind had been blown to a million mushy pieces. His pale eyes continued drilling holes into the toy with a disbelieving stare, long enough to make him feel incredibly confused and uncomfortable. He had to look away after a while. He lifted his gaze up, and turned to look at the farthest corner of the room. A moment of hesitation went by, before he lifted himself off the couch. His head felt light.

Slowly he made his way to the corner his eyes were set on. The corner the old safe was placed in. Stopping before the small cabinet, as well as the slightly ajar safe door, he crouched down before it. For some reason he felt nervous to reach out and open the door. But curiosity came to beat that nervousness down. He pulled the squeaky door open. Once he saw what was inside, he wasn't sure whether to sigh, or not breathe at all.

Empty. The safe was empty.

Gaara stood up again. He turned around and met the somewhat nervous gaze of his brother. Neither said a word. Neither really knew what to say. Kankuro felt slightly anxious for not knowing what the redhead thought of it all. Gaara was no help to that issue. He knew no better himself. Forming an opinion seemed impossible. Apparently Kankuro had dedicated a safe for a useless, old toy of his and waited fifteen years to tell only that he was sorry. It could be called unexpected.

It became quiet. Not in the heavy sense, not in the casual sense. In the verbally indescribable sense, mostly. The seemingly timeless stillness continued for as long as it took for Gaara to leave the safe be and sit back down. He then stopped to look at the toy again, before dropping his gaze to the floor and letting a sigh slip. He didn't know what to say. Chances were he wouldn't, either. He took his time pondering whether or not to tell the other something of no real meaning, only to nominally fill the strange stillness. In the end, he couldn't bother. He wasn't cut out for doing such. Filling uncertain silence with pretty words resembled too much normal human behavior. It didn't fit him. So instead, he acted like himself.

"You done?"

It wasn't really disappointment Kankuro felt for the reply he received. It wasn't what he'd hoped for, yet still exceeded his expectations. Instead of utter denial and raging anger, Gaara offered him moderate acceptance. That was enough. That was more than he ever could've asked for. That alone deserved a smirk.

"Hn. Yeah."

It barely took a second. A subtle, deep breath and little concentration was all it took for Gaara to shake off the strange feeling that'd taken him by surprise. Kankuro didn't mind. If anything, he was pleased to see that the redhead let no small nor big surprises bother him for long. It explained much of his skill to survive.

"I kept my end of the deal. You're up", the redhead stated, all traces of what'd just happened gone.

Kankuro sighed. Feeling such overwhelming relief for finally having voiced the words he'd held in for so long, he found it fairly easy to follow the younger's example and pretend that the previous conversation never happened. Leaving it behind as the unique glimpse of something that didn't truly fit the world they lived in, he carried on to living up to his promise.

"What you wanna know?" he asked, showing perfect cooperation.

The redhead grunted. "Everythin'."

Kankuro raised a lazy brow. "Way to narrow shit down, bro."

Gaara scowled. The look said it all. The older one rolled his eyes and sighed. Reaching into his pocket for a cigarette, he went straight to the point.

"Akatsuki, eh?" he questioned, lighting up. The name rolled off his tongue, leaving a bitter taste behind.

Gaara nodded. "Human trafficking, ain't it?"

"So I've heard", Kankuro told, exhaling a puff of smoke. The redhead huffed.

"Funny ya didn't mention that last time", he muttered, the sarcastic tone of voice fully intended. The older one smirked.

"Funny ya didn't mention the shit that went down the other day", he said in return, just as confidently sarcastic. The younger one narrowed his eyes, making Kankuro chuckle.

"Word travels fast here. Don't tell me ya forgot", he said, shaking his head in amusement.

Gaara scoffed, but said nothing. Kankuro took another drag of smoke, letting it out along with a sigh. A mildly judgmental shake of his head accompanied the heavy exhale.

"Ya could've fucked up bad, Gaara. You were careless. Left it unfinished", he muttered, sounding the slightest bit disappointed. "You don't remember what I taught you?"

The redhead shot a glare at the man watching him with a serious gaze. The look he'd intended as cold came across more immature than anything. The rolling of eyes that followed didn't make it much less that.

"Mistakes don't make 'em dead enough", the redhead muttered. Kankuro smirked in a pleased manner, before letting it fall off his lips again.

"Blondie got shot. I heard. And you got mad, I get it. But you let it cloud your head. That ain't smart. That makes room for mistakes. Ya got lucky now, but that ain't gon' work forever", he said.

Gaara felt annoyed by the other's lecturing. But he knew the man was right. Thus he didn't argue. Not irrationally, anyway.

"Hn. There ain't a mistake I wouldn't gladly make to keep blondie safe", he told. An almost unnoticeable flash of a smile crossed his lips. "He's worth all my pain and more."

Kankuro tilted his head curiously. He wondered if Gaara was aware of the gentle tone of voice he used when speaking of the blonde. Most likely not. He decided it was better not to point it out.

"Cute", Kankuro chuckled mockingly. Gaara shot him a glare, efficiently shutting the man up.

"I still don't hear ya explaining why you didn't mention the human trafficking", he pointed out, shoving the discussion back on track. The older one shrugged.

"Ya never asked. Besides, I only got certain word of it this mornin'. The industrial area ain't part of my territory. It takes a while for my guys on the outside to get the word home", he told in his defense.

Gaara wished he could've crushed his brother's explanations, but found it too hard to bother. Not seeing any point in getting stuck on such irrelevances, he fell into silent thought. A slight frown appeared on his pale face.

"Why Suna?" he asked after a while. "Why did they pick Suna?"

Kankuro had an instant answer to give. "The industrial area."

The redhead grunted. It seemed Naruto had been right. It was the industrial area that'd drawn Akatsuki to Suna. Something about it seemed to have been proven useful for their unlawful businesses. Wildly guessing, Gaara figured they must've found it a low profile location. For that to be a fact, yakuza couldn't have been the owner of the place. An outside influence was involved.

"How'd they find the place?" the redhead questioned, partly to himself, partly his brother.

"The owner gave 'em access to it in exchange for somethin'. Just a good ol' fashioned mob deal", Kankuro told. The redhead narrowed his eyes.

"In exchange for what?" he asked. The other man shrugged.

"Dunno. But it gotta be more glittery than gold. This ain't no small job they're doin'. And no small risk the owner's taking."

Gaara turned thoughtful again. He tried to figure out what the price for help that generous could be. Having access to that area must've played a big part in yakuza getting away with human trafficking. It was only reasonable to assume that they'd been quite generous to whomever it was that'd given them usage of the place. That being said, there was only one question Gaara could ask anymore.

"Who owns the place?"

Against all odds and possibilities, with only a few simple words, Kankuro suddenly gave Gaara something that could easily be considered more glittery than gold.

"A wealthy family from the west." A short pause. "The Hyuuga clan."

Gaara stopped to stare at his brother. Kankuro stared back, slightly confused. Just as the older one was ready to feel worried by the lack of any reply, the redhead shocked the flaming hell out of him with something outrageously unexpected. A manic, yet sincere laughter flooded from between the younger's lips. Kankuro could've almost sworn his heart stopped in utter surprise and mild fear. The chuckling died out in a few seconds, but an obnoxious smirk stayed to remind of it. Gaara shook his head in some level of amused disbelief, yet felt quite pleased.

"I'm so gon' get laid tonight."

Kankuro frowned. The redhead noticed that, but gave no explanation for his amusement. The older man sighed.

"Still. Deranged shit you two got goin' on", he muttered, firmly believing it to be true. Gaara shrugged.

"Well, ya ain't wrong", he admitted.

Silence fell. It went back to the more comfortable kind, a sense of calmness to it. Kankuro felt stupid for risking losing that calmness, but as he stopped to watch his younger brother, the question he'd tried hard to suppress, surfaced again. He took his time trying to shove it back to where it'd come from, but in the end let curiosity take the better of him. Whether that was a huge mistake or not, he tried not to even think about.

"Why him?"

It came out more cautious than planned. The slightly nervous tone of voice perhaps was a bigger mistake than the question itself. Gaara slowly turned to meet his brother's gaze, a blank expression painting his face. He said nothing. Only stared, as if daring Kankuro to ask again. It would've been easy, and actually smart, to simply let the matter be and take the chance to pretend he'd never said anything at all. Generally speaking, Kankuro preferred doing smart choices. But for one reason or another, this one didn't land in the zone of generality, nor smart choices.

"Seven billion people. Three and half billion women. Why him?"

The redhead's reply still went no further than a blank stare. Kankuro wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel nervous or not. Just to play it safe, he did. The longer nothing happened, the more he started to regret ever asking. And the more he regretted, the less natural it felt to sit still. After a while, the need to squirm started nearing overpowering. Then the sigh of defeat happened.

Gaara's blank stare turned more bored than cold, and the tense shoulders fell in the rhythm of his heavy exhale.

"The fuck's it to ya?" the redhead asked.

Kankuro was too surprised of the unexpectedly calm reaction to answer right away. Nor was he really sure what the answer was. In the end, he went with the most obvious, honest one.

"Just curious."

The redhead chuckled dryly. "Figures."

Gaara sighed again. It sounded more frustrated than the first one, but not alarmingly. Slumping against the backrest of the couch, he dropped his gaze to the floor. He took his time to ponder whether or not it was even remotely necessary to partake the discussion Kankuro was keen on having. It wasn't, not in the least. Perhaps that's why he did.

"You've done time, right?" he asked. The other man frowned. The question seemed a little out of topic.

"Ya know I have", Kankuro muttered, slight bitterness to his voice.

For a short moment, his mind traveled into the past. He found himself back in his late teens, back in the time before Gaara left, and back in prison. It was almost funny how long of a time a single year became, when spent behind bars and plexi glass. Almost.

"High risk?" the redhead pried. Kankuro snorted.

"Dope pushers ain't high risk", he pointed out.

Gaara grunted. He wasn't sure why he'd asked, when he'd known the answer beforehand. Perhaps he'd hoped for the unlikely reply. It would've made explaining his point a little easier.

"Hn. It ain't fun, being a high risk inmate", the redhead muttered. "Prison ain't fun, no matter what risk level. But seven years of twenty-three hour isolation…that's hell."

Kankuro's frown disappeared. He easily noticed the other's fist clenching into a tight ball. Not that it surprised him, but it seemed Gaara had no warm memories of prison life.

"Imagine an hour outside in chains and cuffs, the other twenty-three in a concrete box. No people, no sounds. Just the ones inside your head."

A frown appeared on the younger's face. He seemed not to be entirely present in the room.

"Makes ya forget the color of the sky. The hour a day it's above you don't make up for it."

Kankuro didn't know what to say. So he said nothing at all. The redhead grunted.

"You get used to wonderin' what the outside is like. It only takes six months to forget, y'know. Six months."

He sounded so bitter. Perhaps that was what helped Kankuro paint the pictures inside his head. They happened without an effort. A small smirk came to replace the frown on Gaara's face.

"Then imagine a day somethin' from the other side walks into that darkness."

It wasn't hard to figure out what he was talking about. Or whom, to be exact. The unusual brightness in the younger's eyes instantly gave it away.

"Ya realize you're lookin' at something that don't belong there. Somethin' that got lost and ended up on evil grounds. It's like finding an angel in hell. Perfection."

Kankuro was surprised by how easy it was to imagine it happen. Imagine that sliver of light in total darkness. He'd seen his fair share of nights that no daylight followed. Imagining that slight hope among perfect destruction felt almost euphoric. Had he ever been given a chance like that, he would've grabbed it with all he got.

"You wanna touch it. You wanna know what the outside feels like. What an angel feels like", the redhead muttered, his mind traveling back to that time.

Though the memory made his stomach clench in an oddly good way, the unfortunate weight of reality turned the feeling into something less comfortable. A scowl formed on his face.

"But since I ain't an idiot, I knew it wasn't real. It was an illusion. When you're stuck in purgatory, demons become angels and hellfire the fucking sun. In prison, anything from the outside seems perfect."

It sounded so unfortunately accurate, it made Kankuro scowl as well. Gaara was right. Everything was relative. When falling down an endless pit, finding the bottom easily became as desirable as getting back up. Perhaps even more so.

"When I got out, I didn't think much of him. I figured that in a world of seven billion people, he was just another pretty face attached to a dime a dozen soul", Gaara grunted.

Kankuro tilted his head curiously. He couldn't help but to smirk. "He wasn't, was he?"

The redhead matched the other's smirk. "No. He wasn't."

He didn't feel a hint of embarrassment in admitting that. Such honesty didn't fit his tongue, didn't fit him in general. Yet it didn't bother him in the least.

"I thought I'd gone fuckin' crazy. He was no less perfect under the real sun. He was still so much more than one among a million others. It was like I'd found gold in a mountain of rocks."

They were big words, yet flowed out so naturally, Kankuro had no reason to doubt him. He wasn't sure if it helped him understand his brother's choice of an individual to care for any better, but if nothing else, at least he could be sure the redhead wasn't in it for vain gain. As outrageous as it seemed, he'd found something worth being a human for. Monster for the rest of them, but human for that one in seven billion.

"He's the reason", Gaara suddenly said. Kankuro frowned. "What?"

"He's the reason I won't fuck up my arms with ink", the redhead told.

Kankuro's gaze softened, but he said nothing. The younger one glanced at his hands.

"I hold him with these hands. I protect him with these hands. He deserves a part of me that don't belong to yakuza, that ain't covered with shit I hide behind", Gaara muttered, a smirk following. "A part that's just his."

Kankuro stopped to look at the other one. Narrowing his eyes at the man, he snorted.

"Bullshit", he stated boldly.

Gaara lifted his gaze to meet the other's. He could've easily lost his shit for the tone of voice, but knew that Kankuro wouldn't have dared to use it for no good reason. So he said nothing. The older one smirked.

"That's bullshit", he repeated. "There ain't an inch of you that ain't his."

He sounded quite confident in saying so. Thus it became hard for Gaara to lie to his face. Giving up on even trying, he remained silent. That was a solid sign of agreeing. Kankuro raised a brow.

"Does he know that?" he asked. The redhead scowled.

"No", he told honestly. The other one grunted. "Why?"

Gaara's gaze dropped down again. A somewhat anxious look crossed his face. He hated being honest.

"Cause I can't have him."

Kankuro felt like sighing. He also felt like grabbing the redhead by the collar of his shirt and banging his head into the wall. But instead of carrying out those desires, he tried to see it from Gaara's point of view.

"Tryin' won't hurt, baby brother", he pointed out. It didn't seem to do much good.

"Why bother? He ain't like me. He's too…human", the other one argued. "I can't give him what he needs."

The older one considered continuing the argument. But it would've been useless. Chances were Gaara wasn't all wrong. Kankuro couldn't confidently say the younger one would ever be suited for the position as somebody's significant other. It sounded too improbable to be taken seriously. He himself had a long resume of fucked up tries at steady relationships. And unlike Gaara, he was only a man. A very average, dull man. If he couldn't pull it off, what were the chances half a machine would?

There wasn't much Kankuro could say in the other's defense, so he said nothing at all. Instead he changed the subject altogether.

"Ya still mad at blondie?" he asked. The redhead's eyes dimmed into a darker shade.

"Mad as hell", he grunted. The other one huffed.

"Ain't that a waste of energy?" he questioned.

"Hn. Yeah", Gaara admitted. "But what he did could've been a waste of his life."

It was a valid argument, Kankuro had to agree with him. On the list of worst ideas ever, an outsider walking the slums alone and injured made it into the top five, falling just behind fucking a blender. But at the same time, he sort of wished the redhead had seen how the blonde had handled himself. Were any injured outsider to wander the slum alone, blondie undoubtedly had the best chances of surviving. Kankuro doubted he had to point that fact out. Gaara must've known. His anger wasn't rational. It was purely, chaotically emotional. Perhaps it was better to let him ride it out in peace.

"Here. Take it back."

Kankuro nearly flinched at the sudden demand. He turned to look at the other one. Gaara had reached out his hand, the old toy still in his grip. He was offering it back. For a while, Kankuro considered saying he wanted the redhead to keep it. But that would've been an outrageous lie. He did want it back. So he took it. Gaara seemed almost relieved to have it taken away. And Kankuro relieved to have it back. Both were content. A fairly good end to a reunion that could've easily ended in a homicide or two. Kankuro couldn't help but to smirk.

"We did okay, didn't we?"

Gaara could've tried to fight the chuckle, but didn't bother.

"Yeah. We did okay."

* * *

**Not gonna lie. This mostly pointless interaction between those two took up a whole chapter, yet doesn't much change the plot to one way or another. Well, it wasn't entirely pointless, but y'know what I mean. But I just couldn't leave it out. I felt it was somehow necessary. Or at least deserved to be written. Dunno if you agree. Opinions are warmly welcomed.**

**As a teeny tiny side note; in case anybody's wondering 'bout the inaccurate age differences between pretty much all the characters, I can only explain it by saying that I found the original setting too...vague. Writing them as full grown adults, a year or two ain't gonna feel like much, is it? So I boldly took the liberty to exaggerate the age differences, simply to make the differences still count as such. If that makes any damn sense.**

**I'm gonna try to be a bit more efficient when it comes to the next chapter. Maybe a bit less self-critical. Then I might not have to rewrite that shit a million times. Love to all you perfect creatures. **


	44. Dead Ends

**Yeah, took me awhile. Perhaps the following 17,909 words make up for it.**

* * *

Naruto stared at the bottom of his half-empty glass. He could see his reflection in the contents of it. The light brown liquid had a smell strong enough to keep him painfully aware of its existence. He'd drank too much. He knew that. One, maybe two too many. It didn't really matter. Still more than he'd intended.

The blonde scowled. What had he been thinking? What the hell was wrong with him?

Gaara had been gone for an hour by then. Somehow that short time had been enough for Naruto to accept a good three refills from the old man working the counter. Meaning he was staring at the bottom of glass number seven. He'd ran out of excuses after the fifth. That's when the pain of his wounded arm had dulled into a perfectly bearable annoyance. The last two hadn't even tasted that good anymore. Seven was too many. Way too many. Yet for some reason that didn't stop him from taking a hold of the unfinished drink once more. He brought the glass up, scowled at stench of it, but still pressed it against his lips. Perhaps it'd magically start tasting somewhat endurable.

That was as far as he got. Suddenly the glass was gone. A hand that wasn't his had grabbed it and violently yanked it away from his hold. The blonde couldn't help but to flinch. Startled beyond belief, he turned to look to his right. Only to flinch again. Right beside him stood Gaara, the glass in hand and an inexplicably hostile look in his eyes.

Naruto froze. Between wondering just when the redhead had appeared beside him, and just how he'd missed him altogether, the blonde felt himself shrink under the other's gaze. Gaara said nothing. Neither did he. Only returned the cold glare with an absolutely horrified one. He wasn't even all that sure why he felt so surprised and startled. In case he hadn't had a reason for it before, he soon received one. Anger flashed in the redhead's eyes as his hold around the glass tightened. In an instant, it was in pieces. Naruto couldn't stop his eyes from closing as he flinched for the third time.

He reluctantly opened his eyes to see the hand that'd held the now shattered glass. The sight made him want to cringe. A messy trail of whiskey and blood ran from inside the tightly clenched fist. It must've hurt. Yet not a single sign of pain was visible on the redhead's face. Only the freezing cold glare that refused to let Naruto look away. As if staring straight through the blonde, Gaara unclenched his tight fist. Fragments of glass fell down. And Naruto felt himself shiver with dread. Mild panic reached him.

"I'm not drunk. I swear I'm not d-"

He had no need to finish the sentence. Gaara had already walked away. Left to watch the redhead's turned back travel towards the exit of the bar, Naruto closed his eyes tightly shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't need to be told he'd fucked up.

"Ignore him", a voice suddenly spoke. "That was overkill."

Naruto opened his eyes and glanced to his right. Kankuro stood beside him. He'd been too busy disappointing Gaara to notice the man. The blonde grunted.

"No. He's right", he muttered.

His healthy hand picked up a shard of whiskey soaked glass from the counter. He laid a bitter look on it, before throwing it away. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He was forced to say it out loud.

"I have a problem."

The other man tilted his head in a curious manner and put on a thoughtful face. After a while, he huffed.

"Hn. Ya ain't the only one it's friends with", he admitted. "Me and booze, we go way back."

Naruto glanced at the other one. He wasn't exactly surprised. Having been in the man's company the little time he had, it'd been easy to figure out. Which again didn't paint the prettiest of pictures to represent the blonde's potential future, if he didn't get his shit together. Kankuro seemed to know exactly what Naruto was thinking. But instead of feeling insulted, he decided to give the man a little hope.

"But y'know…that problem ain't your friend if you don't need it. We drink for a reason." A small smirk appeared on his lips. "And I lost mine just today."

Naruto's gloomy gaze softened. It seemed Kankuro had found some closure after all. That was good. Without loose ends, perhaps he'd finally get a peace of mind. That thought sprung to mind another one. A thought he felt he needed to voice.

"Pissing Gaara off ain't the only thing I fucked up today", he muttered, his gaze darkening again.

"Yeah?" Kankuro asked, letting himself lean against the counter. The blonde nodded.

"Yeah", he admitted. "I…miscalculated a few things."

"Like what?" the other one pried.

Naruto sighed. "You."

For a one word answer, it was quite well chosen. And surprisingly honest. Since it wasn't much of a stretch for Kankuro to figure out the reason for Naruto's change of heart when it came to him, he didn't bother saying anything at all. And that was just fine. The blonde didn't mind. He let silence fall for the while it took for him to gather the balls to say what he knew he had to.

"I owe you an apology", he finally admitted. "A fuckin' big one."

Kankuro said nothing right away. He stopped to stare at the blonde, a blank expression on his face. Naruto didn't know if he was supposed to fear that his apology wouldn't mean shit. Or if he'd get challenged into another fight simply for bringing it up. He was already starting to lean towards the less appealing option of the two unpleasant ones, when the other man suddenly sighed.

"Pretty sure I owe you a few myself", he told. "But that ain't my style, so how 'bout we just call it even?"

Slightly surprised by the suggestion, it took a while for Naruto to reply. A smile eventually appeared onto his lips.

"Hn. Sure."

Kankuro flashed a pleased smirk. The blonde gave him one in return. It was a nice moment. It might've lasted longer, hadn't the older one decided it was best to let the blonde on his way.

"Alrighty, blondie. Fuck off. Go kiss and make up with the monster", he said, chuckling lightly.

Naruto snorted, but stood up from the stool. He wasn't entirely sure what to say, so ended up standing still somewhat awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. He eventually forced himself to simply say what was on his mind.

"I know you ain't my biggest fan, but…if ya start missin' him, we got a big house", he told, slightly hesitant.

Kankuro was visibly taken aback by the sudden gesture of kindness. But the surprise was quickly washed away. A crooked smirk came to replace it.

"Thanks. But he don't want me there", the man assured. Naruto flashed a lopsided smile.

"Don't care. My house, my rules", he argued.

It lured out a chuckle from Kankuro, but not much beyond that. The blonde almost gave up on selling the perks of one day visiting, but ended up voicing just one more reason.

"Your sister…she lives over there too. Same city."

The older man's generally harsh eyes softened. Not significantly, but enough for Naruto to notice it just fine. Kankuro might've fought against it, but eventually let himself smile.

"Hn. Maybe one day. No promises", he said.

That was good enough. Knowing it was the best he could get, the blonde felt pleased. Feeling like there wasn't much more he could've said or done, the only thing left was some awkward form of goodbyes. Grabbing his jacket, Naruto took one last glance of the other man.

"Take care."

A simple nod was all he got in return. Not having expected much more, the blonde turned to leave. Already wondering if Gaara had taken off instead of waiting for him, he was surprised to hear Kankuro's voice once more.

"Wait."

Naruto halted. Frowning, he turned back around. He laid a questioning look on the other man, but received no verbal reply. Instead he was offered a slightly hesitant, extended hand. The blonde dropped his gaze down to look at the hand offered, feeling somewhat dumbfounded. Not having expected such a gesture, he had to search the other's eyes for reassurance. The crooked smile that spread across the man's lips was assurance enough. Thus he accepted the act of kindness. But what took him by surprise was the tug closer, and arm that shockingly came to hold him firmly against a strong chest. Lacking both the skill to react, as well as another working arm, the blonde couldn't return the friendly hold. But that didn't much matter, once he heard Kankuro say words he truly hadn't been prepared for.

"Welcome to the family, blondie."

* * *

The walk back to the hotel was dead silent. Gaara had refused to even glance at the blonde. Naruto hadn't really minded it. Between knowing that the redhead had a good reason to feel angry, and feeling somewhat content for the unexpected acceptance Kankuro had given him, Naruto had let the silence continue. Just once had he attempted to pry about Sasuke's whereabouts, only to get entirely ignored. He'd taken the hint. It was no use pushing it.

While trying his best not to mind being treated like thin air, Naruto wondered about what'd happened in the backroom of the bar. Against all odds, both Gaara and Kankuro had seemed perfectly fine when reappearing. The older one had had a bloody face, but the shards of glass were gone. Naruto almost dared to assume that the redhead might've helped him out. It was a wild assumption, yet somewhat reasonable. Perhaps he'd ask about it once Gaara got over his obvious resentment towards him.

Not much had changed by the time they'd reached downtown. The redhead had remained as cold and unforgiving as so far, and Naruto had kept his mouth shut for his own general well-being. But as the hotel was finally appearing in the distance, he was finding it difficult not to say anything at all. Reaching the steps leading to the building seemed like the perfect place to try and break the icy wall between them. Naruto took the somewhat dreaded step of grabbing the other's arm and brought him to a halt.

"You can't stay silent forever."

It didn't go much beyond a brief glance and tearing his arm free for Gaara to tell he disagreed.

"Watch me."

The man turned the other way again, intending on walking away from the obviously unpleasant situation. The blonde scowled. Whether it was his mildly intoxicated state, or perhaps the simple tendency to not make smart decisions, Naruto rushed to grab the redhead's arm once more. He opened his mouth to firmly disagree, but the words never made it out. Gaara violently freed himself from the other's grip, turned around and laid the coldest, most hostile glare on the startled blonde. It wasn't as much the glare that shocked him. It was the borderline aggressive shove that sent him back a step or two. Too surprised to say anything, he simply stared at the redhead, returning the icy glare with a disbelieving one.

"Don't you fucking touch me."

The blonde froze. The demand came out in such a threatening way, he wasn't able to give a respond of any kind. Not apart from further shocked staring. Nor was he given a chance to fix that. Before he could even consider saying something, Gaara was halfway through the door already. This time, Naruto did nothing to stop him. He was left to stand there in the cold alone, a dumbfounded look on his face. Gaze staring emptily at the ground, he eventually released the desperate sigh itching his throat. He truly wasn't having the best of days. And he only had himself to blame.

Moving towards the few steps left to the stairs leading to the building's entrance, the blonde planned on going after the redhead. Yet somehow he found himself slumping down on the first one and pressing his face against the hands that remained bloodstained. Another sigh escaped his lips.

"Shit."

Frustration was the only word that could describe the emotion he felt. And perhaps some vague form of self-loathing. But that he could blame on the whiskey. Not having much of a plan of what to do, nor any particular desire to come up with one, the blonde dug out a pack of cigarettes, lit up, and proceeded to poison his body a little further. Not more than half a silent minute could've gone by, when he heard a set of footsteps walk out the large glass doors behind him and stop beside his sat down form. He couldn't bother turning to look. He already knew who it was. After twenty something years, Sasuke's steps had become familiar enough to be recognized by the sound alone.

Naruto said nothing as the other man sat down next to him. Didn't spare as much as a glance. Neither did Sasuke. For the longest time, neither one spoke. But the silence could only go on for so long. Eventually the blonde brought it to an end.

"Where were you?" he questioned, keeping his gaze on the ground. As did the other one.

"Stayed behind", Sasuke grunted. The blonde snorted.

"Way to be useless", Naruto huffed under his breath. It didn't go unnoticed, of course.

"What's that? Can't hear you from inside that cloud of alcoholism", Sasuke growled, turning to look at his friend with a cold stare.

Naruto felt the stare, heard the disappointment and instantly regretted acting like a dick, but said nothing. Sasuke's gaze lingered on him for a while longer, before turning away.

"Thought I wouldn't notice?" he asked, just the slightest bit mockingly. Naruto sighed.

"Not really", he admitted. Sasuke grunted.

"You smell like shit", he informed. The blonde felt frustration building up again.

"Yeah. I'm aware."

Silence followed. Quite the uncomfortable kind. Like a mutual form of protest against the other one. It might've gone on forever, hadn't Sasuke eventually decided to be the bigger man and slap his friend on the back of his head, no strength spared. Naruto couldn't bother yelping in surprise, as he'd somewhat expected such a slap to happen sooner or later. But the glare he refused to save. Not that it much affected Sasuke's disappointed attitude.

"Hn. Sounds as empty as I thought it would. The fuck were you thinking?" he hissed, obviously done acting cold and calm, instead moving on to making the scene he felt the occasion deserved.

Naruto let out a frustrated sigh. He could either rebel against the lecture he knew was inevitably coming, or simply surrender to it. Considering the level of motivation he currently had for anything at all, the latter option actually sounded more appealing.

"I wasn't", he eventually admitted. Sasuke grunted.

"I can see that. The fuck happened to that somewhat functioning brain of yours? You got a fucking potato to replace it?"

Naruto huffed. "A potato would be improvement."

As snort-worthy as it sounded, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to find it funny. Not when he noticed the sincerely depressed look in the blonde's downcast gaze. While he would've liked nothing more than to continue going on about the other's idiotic actions, he did understand it'd be of no real use. Naruto already knew he'd fucked up. He already knew everything Sasuke had to say to him. It was no use to bore him with depressing facts he was already aware of. So though it felt dissatisfactory, he refrained from pushing it too far. There were more useful topics to talk about.

"How'd it go?" Sasuke asked after a while of silence. Naruto shrugged.

"Fine, I guess", he muttered.

"Did ya get what we need?" the other one pried. The blonde shrugged again.

"Dunno. You gotta ask the monster", he told. Sasuke frowned.

"You didn't ask him?" he questioned. Naruto shook his head.

"I pissed him off. Real bad", he admitted. "Don't feel like getting my eyes ripped outta my head."

It didn't sound all that improbable, Sasuke had to admit that much. Having passed the redhead on his way out without receiving as much as a cold glare, he'd figured the man might've still been on a bad mood. For a severe understatement, it was quite accurate.

"Hn. Figures", the raven muttered. "The guy almost strangled me for letting ya take off alone. Like you should be put on a fucking leash."

Naruto felt like smirking, but just couldn't bother. Sasuke sighed.

"That's why I stayed behind. Figured I'd just be in the way. He was pissed off enough to handle it himself", he explained.

The blonde silently agreed. Sasuke reached out to steal the half-burnt cigarette from the other's hold. Naruto let him take it.

"Besides, while you bathed in whiskey, I used my time to research the yakuza case you told me 'bout", the raven revealed, inhaling a drag of smoke. Naruto's interest perked up just enough for him to bother forming an actual word.

"And?"

Sasuke grunted. "Nothing."

Naruto frowned. He could've tried acting uninterested, but was forced to admit that he simply wasn't.

"Nothin'?" he questioned. The other one nodded.

"Nothin'. Couldn't find a damn thing. Only shit the press has already printed out. "

The blonde grunted in a thoughtful manner. "So a classified case, eh? Figures, I guess."

Sasuke nodded. "Probably."

Naruto sighed. It was unfortunate. Perhaps even an issue. Much of it depended on what Gaara had gotten his brother to tell. But since asking about it would most definitely get his tongue ripped off and face bashed to shit, Naruto had no way of making conclusions of any kind. Thus he didn't. Instead he let the idea of having to go upstairs and actually face that man make his eyes go dark once again. Though he hadn't much tried hiding his mood, he still felt like rolling his eyes as Sasuke pointed it out.

"You gotta stop acting like an idiot, Naruto", the raven muttered. "One of these days he's really gon' beat ya dead."

The blonde tried, yet still couldn't stop the rolling of his eyes from happening. It wasn't a sign of disagreement. It was a sign of feeling more than sufficiently aware of the reality, even without the other's remarks.

"I know that. I ain't fucking stupid", he mumbled.

A look of absolute disagreement crossed the paler one's face. Naruto saw that, but was quick to give him a glare. Sasuke kept his opinions to himself. The blonde was content enough.

"Besides…it ain't as fuckin' simple as you think", he continued, barely audibly.

From the corner of his downcast eyes, Naruto could see his friend turn to take a curious glance. He didn't return it. Sasuke grunted.

"Hn. Or are you just making it harder than necessary for a change?"

The blonde took a quick glance of the other one, only to lower his gaze back down. A slight frown between his brows, jaw clenched tightly and fingers somewhat nervously tugging on the laces of his combat boots, there passed a brief moment at which he actually considered telling. Telling the truth. Or at least a part of it. Anything, that might've lifted off even a fraction of the weight that seemed to push his posture further down as the days went by. But brief was truly what the moment was. The consideration was gone as quickly as it'd come, a frustrated sigh the only thing left audible.

"Yeah. Probably am", Naruto muttered. "Must be that."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde, stopping to look at him somewhat thoughtfully. As if he'd slightly doubted the other's unusually easy agreeing to the borderline rude accusation. But he never said anything about it. It didn't seem like asking about it would do much good. Thus he let silence fall. Naruto felt somewhat pleased for it. But as it went on for a while, he became unfortunately aware of how useless it was to let it continue. He wasn't really supposed to be sitting there at all. There was an inevitable confrontation waiting, that the postponing of was ridiculous and unnecessary. Yet he felt anxious just thinking about the other, much less appealing option. Bottling it up until erupting as a frustrated groan happened more easily than it should've.

"The fuck am I even doin' here?" the blonde eventually mumbled, bringing the silence to an end. Sasuke glanced at the other one.

"You questioning your general existence, or the sitting here in freezin' fucking cold?" he asked. Naruto sighed.

"Dunno", he admitted. "Can't answer either one."

Admitting such made Naruto suddenly realize just how tired he truly felt. Not only because of the absolutely insufficient sleep he'd been forced to settle for, but also because of the lack of any clear plan anymore. That, topped with daily life threatening situations and the quite unique stress that getting away with murders after another brought upon one, motivation to even breathe could no longer be taken granted for. Upon glancing at Sasuke, Naruto had to conclude he wasn't the only one tired. The other man looked equally as exhausted. It could be seen in the dark shade under his eyes, in the hollows of his cheeks and empty look in his eyes. Sasuke was just as burnt out as him. Had been for a long while. And he knew perfectly fine why. That thought lead him to voice something he hadn't so far. Not even though he should've.

"Thanks, Sasuke."

The paler one turned to look at him, silent for a short while.

"For what?" he asked eventually. Naruto worked to get a small smirk on his lips.

"For bein' here. For goin' through all this shit for me."

Silence greeted him. Sasuke seemed unsure of what to say for a while. Most likely he hadn't expected such a sudden turn in conversation. But the weak smile that finally appeared on his tired face told that he didn't mind it.

"Till the day I die."

An exchange of brief chuckles followed, as well as a bumping of fists. Then the moment was gone. The way it should. After that, it was mostly a race of who was the first to carry on casually again.

"You on your way somewhere?" Naruto questioned. The other one shrugged.

"Not really. Just thought I'd take a walk", he told, glancing at the blonde. "Wanna come?"

Naruto did consider it. It sounded more pleasant than what would wait for him upstairs. But he knew better than that. Avoiding it would only make it worse. Thus he was forced to decline.

"Nah. I've got a suicide mission waiting", he told, ending the sentence with yet another sigh. Sasuke smirked.

"Hn. Right. Well, it was nice knowing ya", he chuckled. Naruto couldn't help but to snort.

"Yeah. You too."

It wasn't often Naruto had felt that unwilling to open a door. The function of it wasn't that hard to master. But neither should've the simple task of breathing have been. Yet it was only after starting to feel slightly lightheaded that he realized he'd stood there holding his breath for an entire minute, empty gaze glued to the door separating him and somewhat certain death. He wasn't sure if he thought of it as more of an actual hazard, or just bothersome inconvenience. Probably a nuisance, more than anything.

Knowing that he had no way around it, he finally forced himself to breathe again and unlocked the door. He slowly pushed it open to get greeted by a dark, quiet hotel room. For a short while, he dared to wonder if Gaara was there at all. But judging by the unexplained heaviness filling the space, he must've been. The blonde stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him, quietly. Why he thought that made any difference, he wasn't sure. It wasn't as if loud noises would've woken up the dragon waiting for its prey. The dragon was wide awake already.

The moment of meeting the redhead's gaze wasn't anything worth mentioning. There he sat in the dark room, on the edge of the bed, perfectly silent and an angry, yet empty look in his eyes. Though it was nearly too dark to see, judging by the stale air Naruto could tell he was smoking. And most likely continuously had for the past fifteen minutes. He always did while pissed off. He found it calming, probably.

Neither one said anything. Naruto let his back hit the wall and stayed to lean against it. The redhead remained still and quiet, his askance stare barely visible in the dark. But just enough to be unfortunately present. The atmosphere was uncomfortable to say the least. And the longer nothing happened, the less Naruto felt sorry anymore. His vague shame for his poor decisions turned into simple annoyance. The vapid stare directed at him only fed that feeling. The general banality of the present moment unexpectedly enough made the blonde hope some sort of yelling would've taken place. He sincerely would've preferred that over the lack of all reaction altogether. Not surprisingly, he eventually got tired of being ignored. Not much caring to be the bigger person the situation would've required, he condensed his annoyance into a tightly clenched fist, and slammed it loudly against the light switch beside him. The darkness vanished. The hostile glare still on him, not so much. But this time, he confronted it equally as unpleasantly. Gaara decided to respond by turning his gaze away, proceeding to ignore the other one even further. Naruto felt his annoyance spike.

"Fuckin' mature, asshole."

The redhead said nothing, only chuckled dryly. The mocking tone of it irked Naruto in unimaginable ways. Feeling just enough pissed off not to show remorse any longer, he marched his way over to the other man and stopped to stand right in front of him. Watching the redhead from above, he waited to be looked at. That never happened. Keen on making his opinion on the matter clear, he shoved the man. It barely budged him.

"Look at me", the blonde demanded.

He might as well have said nothing at all. In fact, he might as well not have been in the room altogether. He was being treated like thin air, regardless of demanding otherwise. The urge to act like a prick quickly became overpowering. The fact that the cigarette the redhead obviously attempted to drown his anger in seemed a million times more interesting than him, effectively helped that urge to grow. Feeling immensely annoyed by Gaara's overall existence, the blonde eventually felt the slightest snap happen. He boldly snatched the other's burning distraction away and put it out. It earned him the eye contact he'd hoped for. Only a very, very unpleasant form of it. Yet defying all rules of survival, Naruto returned the murderous look with a sneering fake smile.

He somewhat expected to get murdered. At least punched. Which he felt disturbingly enthusiastic about. But it never happened. Instead of any proper reaction, Gaara turned his gaze away again, stood up and made a move to walk past the blonde. For a split second Naruto let his jaw drop in disbelief. But as soon as the second passed, he turned around, grabbed the first thing his hold could find, and threw it at the redhead's turned back. He was somewhat disappointed upon realizing he hadn't thrown anything more intimidating than a lighter, but seeing it hit its target still brought him some sense of accomplishment.

Gaara stopped walking. He stopped, but didn't turn. Yet judging by the tensing of his shoulders, Naruto could tell he would've wanted nothing more but to beat something dead. For that reason alone, the blonde was nearly shocked to see the redhead shrug the whole thing off and continue his walk away. Naruto felt surprisingly insulted. And motivated to get his way.

"Coward."

Such a small word, yet so effective. Throwing inanimate objects might've not worked, but the second he finished that teeny tiny insult, Gaara had already turned around and clenched his hand into a fist. Instead of feeling the slightest bit threatened by the approaching redhead, Naruto gladly met him halfway. He didn't even try to fight the harsh hold that grabbed him by the front of his shirt. The other man glared at him from barely an inch away.

"The fuck did you say?" the redhead growled.

Naruto didn't even try to stop the smirk from happening.

"I said you're a fuckin' coward."

The familiar flash of pure rage the blonde had been waiting to see finally visited the other's gaze. Naruto instantly knew the man was himself again. That explained much of why he didn't mind Gaara smashing his forehead into his face with all he got. The hit sent Naruto back a step or two, resulted in a bloody nose, yet all he did was laugh. Hadn't Gaara then grabbed him by the throat and shoved him against the wall, it might've not come to an end. Abruptly finding himself without air, his chuckles turned strained. The smirk still remained all the same, not minding the fact that he was in fact choking. The sounds of strangulation effectively drowned under the redhead's poisonous voice.

"Drink again, and I'll beat you unrecognizable."

It was no threat, it was a solid promise. Yet Naruto still didn't find it motivating enough to act serious. He used his healthy hand to pull the other one so close, there barely was a gap left at all. When he spoke, his voice could be best described as a taunting groan.

"I probably shouldn't be turned on by you right now, should I?"

In all seriousness, he should've known better than to provoke. And Gaara was quick to remind him of that by smashing his fist against the wall, landing the hit right beside the blonde's head.

"This ain't a fuckin' joke, bitch", he hissed, not the least bit amused.

The smirk on Naruto's lips finally faded away, replaced by a bored expression. His tone of voice wasn't much more lively than the look on his face.

"That ain't no way to talk to the only bitch that puts up with your shit", he grunted, somewhat serious.

He could've made an issue out of the other's unnecessary choice of word, but simply couldn't bother. Nor did the redhead give him any chance to even consider doing so. It seemed he somewhat agreed with the point the blonde tried to make.

"Exactly. The only fuckin' one", the pale man growled.

Naruto frowned as Gaara for one reason or another willingly stepped closer. The grip he still had around the blonde's throat was no longer chocking. Not because he was calmer, but because he was too angry to keep a proper hold without positively killing him. The man physically shook with anger. And Naruto noticed that. Suddenly he stopped finding it so funny anymore. The inhumane sound that supposedly was the redhead's voice didn't much help.

"There's only one of you", it spoke, then pausing. "And I can't afford losing shit as useful."

Naruto's eyes narrowed in some level of disbelief. Gaara gave him no chance to speak. Wanting to make his point extremely clear, he tightened the chocking hold on the blonde's throat enough for it to feel uncomfortable again.

"That's why you ain't _ever_ fuckin' leaving alone again", he informed, not leaving room for declining. "Do you _fucking_ understand?"

Naruto said nothing. Quite possibly didn't even breathe. Only stared at the redhead with eyes so empty, it could've been the gaze of a blind man. For a passing second, he was once again reminded about Gaara's inadequacy as a human being. Of all the ways he would never be what the blonde wished he could've been. How no matter what he did or whom he prayed to, the man would always be to him much more than he was to the other one. And he still hated it, with all his heart.

Naruto turned his gaze away. He didn't feel as insulted as he probably should've. Yet still enough to make a remark.

"Shit as useful as me?" he muttered. "Hn. That's new."

He met the other's gaze again, finding that the redhead had realized how poorly he'd chosen his words. But even then, did nothing to correct himself. Naruto snorted.

"This may come as a surprise, but you don't actually own me."

He forced away the hand holding him by the neck, which surprisingly enough was no fight at all. Glancing at Gaara, he noticed the slightest change of expression on the man's face. A slightly confused shift. As if it really had been a surprise. The blonde's gaze grew colder as he took a step closer.

"What I do ain't up to you. I'm useful to you, because I choose to be", he told in a calm, but cold voice.

The redhead almost looked like he would've wanted to take a step back. For that reason alone, Naruto took another one closer. There wasn't much room left to disappear anymore. The blonde let a small, haunting smile spread across his lips.

"And nothing's stoppin' me from choosing otherwise."

It wasn't just a factual statement, but in fact a real possibility. And it made Gaara instantly uneasy. Why, he wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps because he'd known it to be true, but hadn't thought the blonde would actually go there. In the matter of seconds anger had vanished from his face, uncertainty quickly replacing it. He stopped minding how close the other one was. He suddenly felt overpowered, mentally. And hated it.

"You're right. I don't own you", he said. "But you still owe me your life."

As an argument, it didn't seem to impress much. Voicing it in a far less certain manner than planned might've played a part in the outcome. Naruto found it unimpressive enough to release a taunting chuckle.

"If it weren't for you, I'd still have a fucking life", he pointed out.

Gaara said nothing. The blonde narrowed his eyes at him.

"And if it weren't for me, you'd be rotting in death row, waiting for your lethal injection", he reminded.

The redhead's pale green eyes darkened with hate. He hated that Naruto was right. But more than anything, he hated the direction the conversation was going. Not only had he lost all control over it, but it was getting dangerously close to a plan of abandoning everything, him included. Either that, or blackmailing. Out of the two, he really couldn't tell which one was more probable. But both certainly angered, as well as scared him. Though it wasn't planned, he took a tight hold of the other's arm, and gave him a much needier look than he'd realized he was capable of.

"You can't leave me."

It wasn't as much of an absolute truth, as it was an attempt to assure himself. The blonde released a tired sigh.

"What is there to leave?"

It hurt more than the redhead would ever admit. Mostly because he had no answer to give. Not knowing what to say, he ended up staying silent for as long as it took him to find the only word fit enough.

"Us."

The look on Naruto's face told that it wasn't as fit as he'd thought.

"There ain't a fucking us, now is there", the blonde grunted.

Once again, Gaara had no idea what to say. He felt lost on the subject. He _was_ lost. And it shone through obviously enough for Naruto's harsh gaze to soften just a little. The blonde already knew the conversation had nothing but a dead end ahead. He found no point in forcing it to go on. So accompanied by a tired sigh, he changed the subject altogether.

"I ain't drinking anymore. Okay?" he muttered, gaze cast slightly lower.

The redhead said nothing right away. For a while he wondered if it was really okay to just pretend that the previous conversation never happened in the first place. But realizing he actually felt a little relieved, he let himself forget about it.

"Hn. You do, and I'll fuck you up so bad you can't fuckin' see straight", he grunted.

His tone wasn't lighthearted in the least, indicating he was in fact serious. Naruto didn't really mind. He met the other's serious gaze with just a hint lighter one.

"You take me for granted, and I'll send your sorry ass back to death row in a hot fucking second", he told in return.

Though he was somewhat serious, it made the redhead crack a smirk. Which was just fine.

"Don't matter. I'm taking you with me", the man assured. The blonde's smile saddened, but didn't vanish.

"We're there already."

It came out more melancholic than intended. Gaara reached to brush a strand of blonde hair aside to have better view of the other's eyes.

"Hn. Guess we are", he muttered bitterly, yet followed it with a smirk. "But I like this row better."

Naruto could've tried not to smile, but saw no point in doing so. And as the other one made the gap between them disappear, he didn't even try fighting it. Which Gaara was quite pleased about. And would've continued being, hadn't Naruto soon brought it to an end with something that really didn't fit the goal he was aiming for.

"Kankuro."

Having that particular name muttered against his lips was a way bigger turn off than he'd ever imagined anything to be. He was quick to express that by breaking away, a scowl forming on his face.

"Wrong brother, dude", he informed, the scowl deepening. "Somethin' you wanna tell me?"

Naruto made a face, indicating he didn't find the supposed humor in it.

"I'm not gonna answer that", he declared. "You know what I'm talking 'bout."

The redhead chuckled, a sudden smug look taking over his features. The blonde narrowed his eyes.

"Why the face? You creep me the fuck out", he muttered.

The other's smirk grew somewhat obnoxious, which Naruto wished to get an explanation for. And he did. Though not an expected one.

"I'll bet you a new car that you'll be rippin' off my clothes in less than ten seconds, without me touching you once."

The blonde blinked, slowly. Certainly not what he'd expected. Not to mention just how wildly irrelevant it seemed. Yet it still was too tempting of a bet not to be taken. He couldn't bother hiding the smirk.

"Hn. Fine."

Literally no one had ever looked as smug as Gaara did then.

"The industrial area's owned by Hyuuga."

Gaara won the bet. In eight and a half seconds, to be exact.

* * *

They ended up staying in Suna for three more days. For rest, mostly. Some planning of future actions had taken place as well. Hyuuga's name had become the centerpiece everything else was built around. Since the man's permanent address resided in Fuchu, traveling there had become an inevitable necessity. One that Gaara wasn't ecstatic about. For more reasons than one. Unfortunately for him, his lack of enthusiasm had nothing to do with the necessity of it. He'd accepted that. But it still didn't mean he liked it. Which he'd generously let everybody in on, constantly and repeatedly.

Saying that the redhead had been on a bad mood for three consecutive days was an understatement. Naruto had tried to be understanding of it, but somewhere along the line his opinion of the man's behavior had gone from 'a somewhat reasonably reacting being', to 'moody piece of shit lacking all conception of rationality'.

Gaara had felt the need to argue about anything and everything, including transportation to the city he had no desire visiting. Sasuke had suggested the train, Naruto had agreed, but a certain someone had absolutely refused to be cooperative. For that reason alone, they now sat in yet another car far too flashy to be inconspicuously stolen, but naturally hadn't stopped the redhead from doing so anyway. Jet black Pontiac GTO from 1967, worth far more than a human life, according to any hitman wage ever. Sounded like a bad idea from start to finish. Probably was. But on the bright side, Naruto no longer owed the man a car for the bet he'd lost.

The ride was long and slow. At the very least it felt slow for as long as Sasuke kept complaining. Halfway through he realized it was no use and finally stopped. Gaara's desire to ram the car against the railing drastically dropped after that. Naruto had been fortunate enough to enjoy sweet oblivion for most of the ride, lulled to a chemical minicoma by the aid of painkillers. His pains had lessened and the arm's mobility improved. Not drastically, but notably enough to have given some vague hope of its eventual recovery. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't rest that'd motivated him to try moving it. To put it in a family friendly way, Sasuke wasn't informed about the details.

Though the raven had given up on most complaining, he still remained bitter about having been forced under the threat of potentially getting arrested. Why he bothered worrying about it anymore considering whom he was traveling with was anybody's guess. The best explanation he'd given was that out of the three of them, he had an actual job to lose if getting caught in a stolen vehicle.

"If we get arrested, I swear I'll strangle you with the fucking handcuffs", Sasuke muttered, around the hundredth time. Gaara gritted his teeth for the thousandth.

"Hn. You always been this fucking boring?" he grunted. The other one flipped him off.

"How can anybody like you? You've got the personality of a rattlesnake", Sasuke told. The redhead fought not to roll his eyes. He doubted they'd bear any more of it without falling out.

"Says the guy with the personality of dry sand", he said in return.

Sasuke felt the great need to add another insult or two, but aware that he'd be trapped in a moving vehicle with the redhead for another few hours, he discarded that plan fairly quickly. Instead of saying anything at all, he fell silent and moved to glance out the window. The sun was on its way down already. They'd left before it'd risen. That meant Naruto had been asleep the entire day. He'd wake up soon, probably.

Sasuke tore his gaze away from the window, and glanced over his shoulder instead. The blonde still lay on the backseat, his back turned and face hidden. Still breathing steadily, still asleep. Sasuke frowned.

"Did he say anything 'bout it?" he suddenly asked, voice low and toned down.

Gaara glanced at the other one. He didn't have to ask to know what the man was referring to. They hadn't talked about it so far. About the blonde's lapse back to bad habits. The redhead scowled.

"Said he'd stop", he told. Sasuke turned his gaze back forward, staying silent for a short, hesitant moment.

"You think he meant it?" he asked eventually.

He noticed Gaara's grip on the steering wheel tighten. The man said nothing right away.

"Dunno", he finally admitted with a hint of anger audible. "Unless he wants a real reason to shove that shit down his throat, he did."

Sasuke didn't what to say to that. So he said nothing at all. He couldn't say he disagreed with the redhead's attitude towards the issue, but did hope it wouldn't get to a point that bad. Not particularly keen on dwelling on it any longer, the raven let silence fall. Not more than thirty seconds of it could've gone by, before a long absent voice from the backseat brought it to an end.

"When are we there?"

Sasuke flinched. Even Gaara turned his gaze to the rear view mirror. The raven fought not to cringe. He could tell by the blonde's voice alone, he'd heard the conversation that hadn't been meant to reach his knowledge. Despite feeling like smacking himself, Sasuke forced himself to ignore it.

"Once the car stops", he muttered after a while. His response didn't seem to be sufficient enough.

"When are we there?" Naruto asked again, a slightly harsher tone to his voice. Sasuke scowled at the man's poor attempt to mask his obvious anger.

"What are you, five?" the raven grunted.

It might've been what he said, or had nothing to do with him at all, but the blonde was quick to suddenly sit up and hiss the question once more through gritted teeth.

"I asked, when the_ fuck_ are we there?"

He probably hadn't planned to raise his voice, yet it happened anyway. Sasuke's motivation to even try cooperating with the blonde disappeared that exact second. Fortunately his motivation wasn't needed. Gaara seemed fast to get fed up with Naruto's attitude.

"In three _fucking_ hours", he told, borderline shouting. "Now shut the hell up."

He did. Didn't say another word. But the glare he directed at the redhead through the rear view mirror told more than a thousand words. Gaara ignored it.

The remaining three hours of the ride were not only dead silent, but felt much longer than just the three. There wasn't a single living cell inside that car left that didn't want to explode in sincere joy once the familiar skyline of Fuchu eventually came to view. Reaching downtown and hearing the car engine finally die down was like a standing ovation to all three men's paper thin patience, that through some miracle had made it till the end. It was doubtful more aggressive exits out of any existing vehicle had ever been performed before.

The lack of any proper plan quickly became evident. The three men found themselves standing there on the side of the road, absolutely silent and each looking moodier than the other one. It might've gone on forever, hadn't Sasuke eventually reached his breaking point.

"I'm gon' go look for a hotel."

Even for a barely sensible mumble, it got quite the nonexistent response. Not that one was really needed. He'd had no intention to stay and wait for such to begin with. Sasuke's turned back soon disappeared behind the street corner, leaving the other two alone. How good of an idea that was what somewhat questionable. Both of them in a bad mood usually equaled in a disaster of one kind or another. At that moment, it was as likely of an outcome as any other time. Yet the sigh of defeat Gaara eventually released made it seem like miracles weren't entirely extinct after all.

"Now what?"

It wasn't a situation saving element at its best, but still more productive than silent sulking in freezing cold winter air. Whether Naruto liked it or not, he was forced to admit defeat as well. They'd wasted three days doing nothing, making no progress whatsoever. Time being a luxury, they had to make up for it now. Though he'd had those three whole days to plan ahead, there hadn't been much information to work with. Their only lead was Hyuuga. Finding the man wasn't a problem. Finding out his dirty secrets was. That was what they needed. Leverage.

It wasn't all bad news. Much to Naruto's delight, there was a man who specialized in the deepest, darkest and dirtiest secrets people of power did their best to hide. Much to Gaara's blood pressure's danger, that man was Sai. Regardless of the redhead potentially losing his shit, Naruto would eventually have to tell him that Sai was their best shot at learning Hyuuga's weakest points. But as a relief all around, it could wait. Before inevitably winding up in the colorfully queer bartender's territory, Naruto had to get his hands on the case file he'd tried his best to find, yet failed. The complete case file of yakuza's human trafficking trial.

The blonde sighed. After spending days trying to find a solution to the most obvious issue, he was starting to feel frustrated for still not having one. A frown between his brows and another sigh itching to escape, Naruto let himself lean against the parked, and very much stolen, vintage car. He closed his eyes to concentrate. The feel of his already thin patience stretching itself to unnatural extents could be called a distraction. The cold, hard metal pressing against his back didn't help. Until it suddenly did.

The blonde opened his eyes to glance at the car supporting him. A small smirk appeared on his lips. Though he'd been against stealing yet another high-end vehicle, he was forced to admit that thanks to it, he now knew exactly whom to call. Unexpectedly reminded of a certain moody old man who held an undying love for old, fast cars might become the solution to their problem. Aware that this said man obtained impressive connections to the law enforcement and court personnel, Naruto took out his phone to dial a familiar number.

"Who you gon' call?" Gaara questioned, narrowing his eyes at the phone.

The blonde's thumb halted at the dial button, as he wondered whether or not to tell the redhead. He didn't want to, really. Nor would Gaara really want to know, either.

"You don't wanna know", Naruto muttered. "Trust me."

Not too keen on answering any further questions, he turned his back to the other man and hit dial. Ignoring the burning stare on his back, he waited for the call to get picked up. It didn't take long. The opening line didn't much differ from his expectations.

"I'm gonna smack your sorry ass to the moon and back, you bratty piece of crap."

Naruto's urge to roll his eyes was out of this dimension.

"Missed you too, old man", he said, barely given the time to finish.

"Don't you 'old man' me. I've been calling you for months. _Months. _Do you not know how to pick up the damn phone, or have you just gone full on mentally retarded?"

The blonde couldn't help but to sigh. He never had been one to bring out the best in Jiraiya.

"Sorry", he muttered. "Been busy."

Short silence followed. Naruto didn't have to be there witnessing it to know the old man was kicking at thin air in anger.

"I don't care where you are, I will fly to the other side of the world if I have to, and shove that phone so high up your ass, you'll hear your spleen cry for mercy", the older one promised.

Naruto couldn't help the smirk. He'd somewhat missed the old man's perfectly unpleasant personality.

"No need. I'm in town", he revealed. "And I need your help."

Jiraiya sighed, heavily.

"Such a shame it is", he mumbled disappointedly. Naruto wished the man could've seen his bored expression.

"What is?" he asked, no interest visiting his tone of voice. The older man didn't let that bother.

"Your integrated stupidity. It's obviously here to stay", the man grunted. "You ignored my calls for months. Like hell I'm helping you."

Naruto huffed. "I'll pay you."

It took a couple of silent seconds, before the other end of the line burst into the most outrageous laughter. The blonde figured he wasn't taken seriously.

"I don't want your money, brat. I've finally retired my old ass. The only work I'll be doing anymore is kickin' the bucket once the time comes", Jiraiya told.

Naruto snorted. "Retired? Nearly forgot you're older than the fuckin' sky."

"Watch your mouth, brat. I still get more ladies than you", Jiraiya argued.

The blonde couldn't have imagined a less effective argument. Releasing an unimpressed huff, he glanced at Gaara. Busy murdering a lighter that refused to cooperate with the cold weather, the man didn't notice the glance. Or the way it subtly checked him out from head to toes. Though Naruto questioned why he put up with that mess of a man on a daily basis, he couldn't deny that that said mess was more than easy on the eye. Most likely it also explained much of why he did put up with him.

"Me and women, ain't a word to describe how bad of a combination it is", Naruto muttered bitterly.

The old man grunted. "I take it you ain't married anymore?"

"Hn. Divorced", the blonde told. Jiraiya sighed.

"How'd you fuck up?" he asked, as if the breakup had inevitably been Naruto's fault.

"Didn't do shit. I ain't always the fuckup. But you are a prick", the blonde stated.

"That I am", the old man admitted. Didn't even try to deny it.

Naruto couldn't bother adding up on insults. His priorities lay elsewhere.

"As fun as this is, I'm short on time and deep in shit. Yakuza versus the state, human trafficking. You heard of it?" he asked, done with the casual conversing.

The old man was silent for a while. The drastic change of subject might've been unexpected.

"Yeah. I have", he admitted eventually. Naruto felt mild relief.

"The case file's classified. I know you can get access to it, and you know I ain't askin' this for fun."

This time, long silence followed. Naruto knew he was asking much from someone he already owed more than he'd ever be able to give back. But being short on options drove a man to desperate measures. As Jiraiya didn't give a reply of any kind, the blonde started feeling the slightest of anxiety build up.

"I'll pay you good."

The old man finally broke his silence with a sigh. Naruto had never realized how hesitant a simple release of air could sound.

"I can't take money from you, brat. I might be broke, but I can't sink that low", the man eventually told.

Naruto closed his eyes in disappointment. If Jiraiya didn't agree to help, he wouldn't have anybody left to go to. On the verge of already accepting that fate, the old man succeeded in pleasantly surprising him.

"If I get caught and sent to jail at sixty fucking five, I swear to God your dumb ass is going down with me."

The sigh of relief happened without noticing. Naruto couldn't help but to grin and do a small dance of victory. It earned him a strange look from Gaara. He ignored it.

"You, geezer, are old but gold", Naruto spoke into the phone, his relief obvious.

"You're still getting your ass kicked, kid", Jiraiya assured. The blonde chuckled.

"Do whatever the hell you want", he told. "How long?"

"A few hours. I'll give you a call", the older one promised. It was good enough.

"Cool. I'll wait."

"Bye, brat."

Naruto hung up. He was more than pleased. Hadn't the dread of telling Gaara the news been as big of a distraction as it were, he might've let it show. Though he wished that by some miracle he'd avoid telling the man anything at all, his hopes were quickly shattered.

"Spit it out, blondie."

Naruto sighed. He had no way around it, did he? As a desperate attempt to buy himself time, he dug out a pack of cigarettes and lit up. But that only took so long.

"I want to remind you that I am the most delightful thing in your life, and strangling me to death would be a nuisance in the long run", he eventually said.

Disturbingly enough, he wasn't actually joking. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the blonde, already less than impressed. Naruto grunted.

"The old man who used to run the prison here", he muttered. "We're gon' go see him."

Blank staring was what ensued. An outburst of anger in the form of grabbing the blonde by the front of his shirt followed. Gaara was pissed off, to put it lightly.

"Fucking excuse me?" the redhead hissed, from barely an inch away. Naruto gave him a bored look.

"You got a better idea?" he questioned, not saving the attitude.

Gaara gritted his teeth violently enough to make a sound. The urge to punch the blonde was obvious. Naruto understood his anger to an extent. He'd never expected him to like the plan. But the man had to keep his discontent in the range of rationality. The blonde gently detached the hold on his shirt.

"You don't. And you won't", he stated. "You know we ain't got a choice."

The truth behind that angered Gaara more than then the issue itself. But though every fiber in his body wished he could've murdered the blonde and not end up missing him, reality won once again. He didn't have a better idea, they didn't have a choice, and he would end up missing him. In other words, the universe was flipping him off like usual.

Time moved slowly for those who waited. It never failed to be true, and neither did it this time. Barely two hours had passed, yet Naruto was already on the verge of ripping his own face off out of pure frustration. Though waiting for Jiraiya's call played a small part in it, it was Gaara's bitter and generally unpleasant attitude that made time seem like an imaginary concept altogether.

The place they sat at, a mix between a café and a bar, was filled with life far too cheery for them to fit in. Among the chatter all around, they stuck out a couple of sore thumbs with the dead silence that'd gone on for a solid two hours. Naruto had drank all the coffee his body could realistically take, now forcing down coffee that he shouldn't have, waiting to reach the limit of coffee he couldn't. Not because it suddenly tasted like heaven in a cup, but because it was distraction in a cup. Expensive distraction in a cup far too fancy.

"That ain't healthy."

Deep in thought, Naruto flinched upon hearing Gaara unexpected comment on his excessive coffee intake. He turned to look at the man, a scowl instantly appearing.

"Bein' around you ain't healthy. Yet here I am", he grunted, taking another sip from his cup.

It did taste like shit. Claiming otherwise would've been ridiculous. But Naruto found that to be no reason to admit the redhead was right. Gaara was less than impressed by his argument.

"You're only stuffin' that shit down your throat to avoid speaking to me", he claimed, and quite rightfully so. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. Cause everything's gotta be 'bout you", he mumbled sarcastically. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Fuckin' fine. Do what you want", he muttered. "Let's never talk again."

The blonde narrowed his eyes at the man in annoyance. After glaring at him for a short, irritated while, he laid his half empty cup of cooled coffee down. Perhaps slightly harsher than really necessary.

"Hn. Wanna talk, huh?" he asked with an attitude. "Let's have a discussion 'bout that massive dick growing out of your head then."

Gaara scowled at the blonde's blaming tone, instantly regretting he'd ever said a word.

"No thanks", he declined right away. Naruto snorted.

"I wasn't asking, love."

The redhead felt himself reach his limit before the blonde even finished his sentence. He buried his fingers in red hair only to tug on it in annoyance. A frustrated grunt escaped his lips regardless of attempting to keep it in.

"I can't fucking deal with your shit right now", he mumbled into the hands he'd hidden his face behind.

Before Naruto could even consider opening his mouth to spit out anything even mildly provocative, Gaara left his seat to stand up and laid a pissed off look on the other one.

"I'm gonna go smoke the living shit out of my lungs. Sit the fuck still", he demanded.

Already prepared for arguments and insults, he followed his demand with a fair warning.

"Unless you want me to shoot dead everybody in here, you'll stop acting like a fucking five year old."

Since Naruto literally had no way of telling whether or not the redhead was being serious, he was forced to submit to the demands and keep it shut. But nothing stopped him from glaring after the redhead, as the man made his way towards the exit. Though he felt his glaring wasn't sufficient enough to fulfill his childish need to throw a tantrum, Naruto let it be. Left to sit alone at the table, he proceeded to project his mood onto the coffee cup he'd abandoned on the table. He stared at it for quite some time. Looking at it detached from his hold, he wanted to gag. Though he refused to admit it, Gaara was right. He'd drank far too much coffee, and only to avoid acknowledging the redhead. He really wasn't acting much smarter than a five year old.

"Excuse me. Are you done with that?"

Naruto almost flinched at the unexpected voice. Realizing that a waiter had appeared beside him to collect away the cup he intently glared at, he couldn't bother looking their way.

"Hn. Yeah", he mumbled, and reached for the cup to pass it for the waiter.

Unfortunately, the waiter had reached for the cup as well. As a result, the poor server ended up knocking it over. As the inevitable happened, Naruto immediately felt like punching all sense out of the airhead. Getting cold coffee thrown on him wasn't the blonde's idea of fun, not on good days, but especially not on bad ones.

"The fuck you doing?" he growled, rushing to stand up. Not much good it did anymore.

"I-I am so sorry, sir", came the humiliated apology.

The blonde barely listened. His pissed off mind occupied by a wet shirt and the urge to throw inanimate objects at living things, he ignored the waiter that rushed to clean the mess they'd made. Ignoring them did get slightly harder once they grabbed the helm of his shirt to see the result of their clumsiness.

"Oh no. I am so very sorry", the waiter repeated, sounding quite distressed.

Planning on replying something not so nice, Naruto finally lifted his gaze up to meet theirs. But anything he might've intended on blurting out, got stuck in his throat like a fat man into a seat too narrow. Instead of ever speaking, he ended up standing there in complete silence, his mouth still hanging open, only no sound happening. He must've looked like an idiot. Which wasn't desirable, considering what he was looking at.

He had never seen anybody as breathtakingly gorgeous as the one standing before him, still muttering out repeated apologies. A young man, hazel eyes and fairly long, brown hair. Fair skin and built like Bambi. Like the epitome of innocence and all that was good, wrapped up in a single pretty package. A package as obviously gay as one could be, without having it stamped across their forehead. Coincidentally, Naruto suddenly felt no need to be rude to him anymore.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it", he said, once his voice finally returned. The charming smile wasn't a planned one.

The young man stopped his frantic apologizing, his gaze lifting up to meet the blonde's. Relief could be seen in the hazel eyes, which in Naruto's opinion must've been ripped out of the head of an angel. The young man smiled kindly.

"I'm sorry about the shirt", he told again. "Would you at least let me dry it?"

Naruto returned the kind smile, trying to hide the fact that he would've gladly ripped his shirt off entirely.

"Sure."

Gaara narrowed his eyes, as his jaw clenched even tighter. He'd spent the last minute leaning against the entrance's door frame, observing the blonde's disturbingly kind interacting with the unnaturally pretty waiter. While he'd found some amusement in walking in and seeing Naruto get soaked in cold coffee, the situation's humorous element had disappeared fairly quickly.

Nobody smiled like that for someone who'd thrown half a cup of coffee all over them. Nobody but a horny bastard with a dick too eager for its own good.

Gaara didn't feel angry. Not really. But neither did he feel comfortable. He had no real word for what he felt. There might've been one, only he wasn't aware of its existence. In a way, he was fascinated. Fascinated by the way he felt watching that fragile fairy get far too close to the blonde to be considered casual. But his fascination was barely worth mentioning. Mostly he felt annoyed. Somebody had caught the blonde's interest. Someone else than him. He didn't like it. But it was none of his business, now was it?

No, it wasn't. Technically speaking, it wasn't. But realistically speaking, Gaara didn't give a shit. And as a realist, he didn't much care for technicalities.

Naruto had long forgotten about his wet shirt. Busy grinning like an idiot and slipping sweet nothings between the casual conversation he was desperate to hold with the pretty boy wiping the damp front of his shirt, he almost missed the sudden dread that filled the young man's eyes. But once he took notice of it, the reason for it became obvious to him in an instant. He'd seen that look in countless gazes, always caused by the same old thing. Gaara was standing behind him.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder. The redhead stood barely an inch away from him. The man said nothing, didn't even glance at him. Only kept on staring at the young guy, who now shrunk under the freezing cold glare. Before the blonde got a chance to voice opinions of any kind, Gaara lifted the corner of his lips into a smirk. It made him look obviously homicidal.

"No."

That was all he said. Not much more was needed. Naruto had never seen anybody quiver in fear as violently as the young man who rushed to detach his hold from the blonde's shirt. All that terror only because of a single, simple word. The shaken man obviously tried to form words for yet another apology, but never succeeded. In the end, all he could do was stutter nonsense, panic and leave. Naruto was left to watch the poor boy hurry his way as far as possible, a mix of confusion and disbelief forcing his mouth to hang open. For several silent seconds, he tried to figure out what exactly did the redhead think he was doing. It dawned on him eventually. His disbelief merely deepened.

"Oh my fucking god", he gasped. "You're jealous."

He spun around just in time to catch the flash of an upcoming lie in Gaara's eyes. The redhead put on a defensive scowl. Even before he opened his mouth, Naruto declared it bad acting.

"Hn. Bullshit", the redhead argued.

The man's obvious difficulty to keep eye contact gave it away in an instant. The redhead's solution was not to even try facing Naruto, and simply sit back down by the table. The blonde didn't know whether to feel angry or amused. He settled on feeling both.

"Bullshit?" he asked, taking the seat across the redhead. "I can smell your lies a million miles away, and you fuckin' know it."

Gaara gritted his teeth in annoyance, not able to stop his irritation from forming into words.

"I ain't havin' this conversation", he declared the instant he realized where it was heading. The blonde snorted.

"We sure as hell shouldn't, since we already had this fuckin' fight", he reminded.

The redhead glanced at him, but said nothing. The gaze soon turned away again, continuing to avoid reality altogether. Naruto shook his head in disbelief.

"The fuck is it that you don't understand?" he wondered. "What I do ain't any of your damn business. That applies to _everything_."

Gaara would've wanted nothing more than to simply ignore the blonde till the end of time. But no matter how much he fought against it, his built up frustration could no longer keep quiet. His tone of voice came out as nothing short of hostile.

"And how the fuck not, huh? How the fuck ain't it my business?" he questioned. "I run around savin' your sorry ass, put up with your goddamn shit day after day, and never ask for anythin' in return. So how the _fuck_ ain't it my business?"

Naruto's disbelief deepened into depths previously unheard of, making him unable of speaking. He had troubles believing the redhead truly had the nerve to even ask such. The lack of all response didn't much slow Gaara down.

"Do you even realize all the shit I do for you?" he hissed, obviously reaching a limit of some kind.

Naruto said nothing. He knew the man was far from finished.

"Two hours ago you told me you'll be draggin' me to see the fucker who made sure I spent at least five of my seven fuckin' years in the slammer in solitary, and I agreed to it like goddamn dog."

The hate in Gaara's voice flowed in such a pure form, Naruto could only imagine how long he'd waited to let it out.

"What more could you possibly fuckin' need? Ya need to put a real leash on me?" the redhead growled. "If that'll shut you the hell up, then please do."

The blonde sighed. Aware of the stares Gaara's gradually rising voice was attracting, he knew he had to keep his calm. Fighting with the redhead was unpleasant on a general level, but fighting with him in public was simply humiliating.

"Stop it. You're making a scene", he stated in a bored tone. "And to state the fucking obvious, you don't have to go see anybody you don't want to. I can go alone."

The redhead paused his angry gritting of teeth, as if considering it. The grunt that followed already told he would decline.

"Like hell I'm lettin' you go alone."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You are impossible to please."

"You ain't even fucking tryin'", the redhead muttered, attempting to keep it under his breath. But Naruto heard him, of course.

"Fuck you", he spat out in an instant. "I ain't here to please you. I'm here to survive the shit _you_ got me into."

The redhead chuckled in a condescending manner. "You can't blame me for your own shitty decisions."

"Yes I fuckin' can. Without you I'd be a hell of a lot better off", the blonde stated, the bitterness finding its way through in his voice. Gaara shot him a glare that physically stung.

"Hn. Same goes for you", he grunted. Naruto raised an unimpressed brow.

"Without me you'd be in death row", he reminded. The redhead smirked a sneering smile.

"Exactly."

The blonde felt like ripping the other's head right off his shoulders. Not even bothering to wonder how the redhead had the nerve to claim that death row outshone his company, he decided to put an end to the entire conversation.

"You know what? Doesn't matter what you want, I ain't takin' you with me. Just go fuck yourself to death."

To Naruto's surprise, the redhead didn't say anything in return. Simply watched as the blonde stood up and put on his jacket to leave. There was a kind of curious look in the other's eyes. To Naruto's displeasure, he wasn't fast enough to avoid the question that obviously was coming.

"You gon' go see the slum whore?"

Naruto couldn't bother looking at him, instead concentrating on digging out his phone. Still no call. The blonde frowned.

"Sai?" he muttered, though the answer was obvious. "Yeah. I am. And you ain't coming."

The redhead's amused chuckle forced Naruto to glance at him. The sneering look on the man's face never failed to irritate him.

"That's the last place on earth I'd let you go alone to", Gaara declared.

Just the tone of voice alone was enough to make the blonde scowl. But the words dug even deeper than that, instantly stirring up anger. Naruto clenched his jaw as an attempt to keep his cool.

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?"

It was an unnecessary question. He knew what it meant. And Gaara knew he knew. The man laid an askance look on the blonde, an element of judgment obviously present. Naruto's glare grew colder, daring him to say it. As usual, Gaara showed no dare could scare him silent.

"You know exactly what it fuckin' means."

Naruto said nothing. His freezing cold glare set on the redhead, he fought not to lose it. That only worked to certain extents. Eventually he had to say something.

"You absolute fucking asshole."

He didn't raise his voice, didn't make any threatening moves. Only stated what he had to say, calmly and slowly, yet filled with hate and anger. In a way it was a thousand times more hostile than a more severe reaction. Gaara said nothing in return. Only watched silently as the blonde reached to grab the car keys off the table, turned his back and took a step to walk away. That one step was as far as he got, before his growing anger forced him turn back around, and say it one last time. Stopping barely an inch away from the redhead, he gave him the most spiteful look one could imagine, his entire body shivering with pure rage. When he spoke, his voice was but a hiss.

"What I do, where I go, and who I fuck ain't any of your goddamn business. Don't even for a second think otherwise."

Gaara left his growing anger no secret. The look in his eyes was a perfect match for the one given to him. Neither did the venom in his voice fall much short of the other's.

"Or what?"

There was obvious spite directed at Naruto and his demand. It didn't sit too well with him. Nor was he afraid to show it. The smirk on his lips could only be described malicious.

"Or I will make motherfucking sure yakuza gets what they want."

His hissing voice had turned into dry, breathy whisper. Having ended up close enough the other man for their lips to touch as he spoke, a whisper was all he needed. His proximity was well calculated and entirely planned. It emphasized just how serious he was. The mixed look of anger, hate and slightest bit of horror in Gaara's eyes proved that his point had hit home.

It wasn't a mere threat. It was a promise. And with that promise, Naruto left Gaara to drown into his raged hate.

Two hours. Two whole hours of sitting in the car, abusing all and any inanimate objects nearby, and Naruto still fumed with rage. It wasn't the passive aggressive, subtly soul eating kind of rage he felt. No, it was the outrageously violent kind that screamed for release in the form of a forceful outburst the space of a car simply did not allow. It wasn't just anger. It was fury.

Whether his fury was in fact rational or not didn't matter much. He found his reasoning sufficient enough. It wasn't simply the redhead's generally unpleasant attitude that angered him. The man being an overall prick was one thing, but acting as if he had a say in what Naruto did and didn't do went far beyond it. In reality, Gaara obtained no such right. And he must've known that. He knew, but simply refused to care. It wasn't only insulting, but in fact a sick form of unjustified possessiveness. Socially unacceptable, even on his standards.

Naruto was slightly hesitant to interpret it as possessiveness anymore. Attempted ownership felt much more truthful. The idea itself sounded ugly and angering. Not to mention condescending. Naruto had always hated the attitude of somebody assuming they could claim some form of ownership over him. He'd hated it as a child, he'd hated it while married and he hated it now. In fact now more than ever before.

This time, the one attempting to rule his free will had no real leverage to back them up. There was nothing he owed to Gaara. He was under no promises given to him. The man didn't own an inch of him, in any shape or form. Nobody ever really had. But there had been a time when he'd willingly given himself to someone else. Loaned, in a sense. He had given himself to the woman who'd ended up not deserving him. He'd vowed to be hers, as she had vowed to be his. Though that deal ended up falling through in shit and flames, it'd mattered.

Him and Gaara, they didn't. They didn't matter. There was no them. He wasn't entirely sure what they were. The outcome of a series of unfortunate mistakes and forced agreements, perhaps. But even then, nothing even close to a promise. They were a dead end.

Gaara had been right. The word jealousy wasn't fit to describe his actions. That man knew no jealousy. All he knew was pride and possession, objects inanimate or alive were objects nonetheless. The list of those might've not been long, but it was ambitious. And as an unfortunate twist, Naruto had come to realize he was included in that list.

Was it too late to try and run away? Probably. No, positively. It positively was too late.

It was his own fault, really. Though he would've liked nothing more than to blame it all on Gaara and pretend he was merely the victim of something cruel and unfair, it would've been ignorant for him to claim so. As ignorant as it was for the redhead to claim ownership over him. Gaara was a cruel man, that was true. And Naruto had hated him and his cruelty from the very start. Such as a shame it was he'd let that hate turn into something else. He'd slipped. And the second he had, it'd been too late to run away.

Naruto closed his eyes in the vain hope of calming down. He was tired of feeling angry. He was tired of hosting so much hate, pain and anger. Tired of never finding isolation, tired of always being alone. Tired of the growing emotion he tried so hard to kill, as it was nothing but a sad call that'd never get answered. He was tired of so many things. The appealing idea of starting the car and ramming it head on into a lamppost had slowly cooked into an actual plan, but so far he hadn't acted on it. For reasons he didn't want to acknowledge, he'd repeatedly ended up wondering if really doing it would leave Gaara missing him, and if so, how much? Enough to create a new monster within the existing one? It sounded reasonable. Creating one wasn't much of a stretch.

What about enough to make him cry?

Improbable, perhaps impossible. Wishful thinking at its best. Not to mention, entirely irrelevant. It seemed like Naruto had reached a new point of pointless questioning, and started looking for answers that didn't exist, let alone matter. He couldn't help but to wonder where exactly the line between idiocy and insanity lied, and whether or not he'd finally crossed it. Chances were he didn't really want to know.

Well aware that there was no common nor higher sense driving his train of thought anymore, Naruto was on the verge of praying to God for a distraction from his self-destructive mind. Not more than a few seconds could've gone by, before the sweet sound of his phone ringing shattered the silence. The slow, heavy sigh that slipped from between his lips redefined the concept of relief.

"Please tell me ya got good news."

The blonde's rushed opening line set the caller back enough for there to be a pause.

"You okay, kiddo?" Jiraiya's familiar, gruff voice questioned.

"Yeah. Just fuckin' tell me", Naruto demanded, his fingers tapping against the steering wheel's leather surface.

The lack of all credibility in his voice resulted in another silent pause. Though the old man must've considered it, he knew better than to pry about it.

"Hm. The hell's scratching your ass, brat?" the man muttered, barely understandably. "I got the file."

Naruto instantly felt a sense of relief wash over him, dulling the worst of his anger. It gave him a reason to clean up his unpleasant act. Even a small smirk found its way onto his lips.

"Your old ass deserves a throne", he said with a small chuckle. "The whole file?"

"Damn right it does. And yeah, the whole file", the other one assured.

Though Naruto felt the need to perform a victory dance for pissing on Karma's parade, he forced himself not to celebrate too much too soon. The file wasn't in his reach just yet. Knowing life, and the way it treated him, a million things could still go wrong.

"Can we meet up?" he asked, checking the time. It was nearing 10 pm.

"Sure", Jiraiya said, the pausing to think. "The old park outside the town. It's quiet in the winter. Drag your ass there in twenty minutes."

Naruto did not know where the old park was. Naruto did not know if he'd get there in twenty minutes. But not about to miss his only chance on a lead, Naruto still agreed.

"Yeah. Can do. See ya there."

"Don't be late, brat."

Naruto hung up. He couldn't bother wasting time with buckling up, but instead started the car and left the parking space. Though he could clearly feel that the road beneath was starting to layer up with ice, his general disregard for safety took the wheel. Even on its own, speeding down icy roads couldn't be considered smart, but pretending not to notice a few red lights didn't much add a sense of intellect. Yet though he miraculously avoided sliding off his lane and enjoyed a mostly spacious road all to himself, an unexpected obstacle eventually reminded him of the bliss of having functioning brakes.

He'd barely made it a block or two from where he'd started, when a moron of the worst kind set their foot directly onto his path. How he ever saw the figure dressed in all black in that darkness, he had no idea. Stepping on the brakes hardly did much good on the frozen asphalt. The blonde instinctively shut his eyes, trying to ignore the screeching of wheels as the vehicle did its best to stop the motion. Dreading an impact and a sound to go with it, Naruto felt brave enough to open his eyes when neither one ever happened. Relief was a good enough way to describe what he felt. But coming face to face with the moron standing in his way effectively washed that calmness away.

Only an inch or two. That was all that separated the car and the unfortunately familiar redhead standing in front of it. Naruto wanted nothing more but to scream out promises of homicidal behavior, but was simply too startled to do so. Gaara couldn't have looked less generally impressed. He'd deliberately stepped in front of a moving car, and hadn't even flinched. Only stood there, hands stuffed into his pockets, a blank expression painting his face. The man was either admirably fearless, or an utter idiot. Naruto certainly had an opinion on the matter.

"You sick, suicidal idiot."

Gaara of course couldn't hear him. But neither was it necessary. The look of angered disbelief directed at him told all he needed to know. In no way did it stop him from leaving the front of the car, walk over to the shotgun side and seat himself there quite comfortably. Neither one said a word. Simply stared at each other in silence. Naruto looked like he wanted an explanation. One never happened, as expected. The blonde did consider kicking the redhead out, even felt the itch to reach for firearm of some sorts, but in the end concluded he didn't have the time for either one. He was forced to take Gaara with him. Naruto's disregard for general safety suffered yet another boost.

With the help of a vague memory of a park and absolute nonchalance towards speed limits, they arrived at their destination in only fifteen minutes. Naruto parked the car on the empty parking lot beside the park. He turned off the engine, immediately took out a cigarette and lit up. Keen on holding onto the silence, he refused to even glance at Gaara. Not that he received one himself. After about five minutes of complete, tense and murdering silence, Naruto could hear a car engine in the distance. He glanced out the window. A familiar black Dodge pulled up the small road leading to the parking lot. That was his cue to get out.

"You're stayin' in the car", he straight up informed, still not facing the redhead.

Gaara stayed silent long enough to feed Naruto's hopes of him staying that way. But as the blonde reached for the door handle intending to exit the car, the other one decided to speak up after all.

"Why?"

Naruto paused, only to end up not answering. Instead he ignored the other's question and opened the door, letting the cold winter air inside. The lack of acknowledgment didn't sit well with Gaara.

"Fuckin' why?" he asked again, demanding a reply. It came faster and far louder than expected.

"Because I fucking say so!"

The redhead turned to meet the cold gaze laid on him, but remained silent. Naruto had no intention of staying to wait for that to change. One wrong word away from going beyond simply raising his voice, the blonde left the car, slammed the door shut and left the other one to bottle up his anger.

Jiraiya's frostbitten fingers reached for the ignition switch and grabbed the keys to turn off the engine of his car. His curious gaze watched through the fogged up window, as a familiar blonde exited the beautiful vintage car parked on the other side of the lot. He'd spotted the old, yet well-kept vehicle as soon as he'd pulled up, but doubted it could've been the brat's. It seemed his old eyes proved him wrong. But though he'd enjoyed the look of fine vintage, an angered voice followed by the loud slam of a car door had distracted his attention away from it.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at the blonde now walking his way. The brat seemed angry.

The old man turned his gaze past the blonde, taking another look at the unfamiliar car. There must've been someone else inside. Who it was, he couldn't say. The darkly tinted windows blocked the view. Though he remained a little curious, he couldn't bother himself with problems that weren't in fact his. Seeing that Naruto had nearly reached his spot already, Jiraiya prepared himself for the cold weather outside and exited the car. As the blonde soon stopped to stand before him, a forced smile spread across his lips, Jiraiya found himself at a loss of words.

Though proper darkness had already fallen, the streetlights around them gave enough light for him to see the younger's features just fine. He found himself feeling shock of some extent. His old eyes stopped to stare at the now only distantly familiar face. The blonde looked nothing like before. His hair was a mess, his tan skin seemed to have lost its vibrant color and not much life was left in the blue of his eyes either. The young man looked like he hadn't slept in years. Like he'd been dragged through hell and back. Jiraiya tried so hard not to mention it, but simply couldn't help himself.

"You look like shit."

Naruto let himself drop the forced smile off his lips.

"Hn. I know."

Jiraiya couldn't stop the worried frown from creeping onto his face. What on earth had happened to the once lively blonde boy with a heart of gold?

"Wanna talk about it?"

The blonde immediately shook his head.

"No."

It was a truly stiff and awkward start of a discussion. Naruto knew that, and might've felt bad for it, hadn't anger taken up most of his capacity to feel anything at all. A tired sigh was the best he could do.

"Sorry, old man. Just…not a good day", he muttered, hoping to speed things along. "How 'bout that case?"

The less than subtle attempt at changing the subject was too obviously forced to be considered comfortable, but seemed to do its job. Though Jiraiya felt hesitant to simply ignore the absolute disaster of a man standing in front of him, he concluded that pushing his limits was an idea of the worst kind. So he let it slide. For now.

"I have it here", Jiraiya told, clearing his dry throat. "All of it."

Naruto grabbed the dull looking case file offered to him. He took a short moment to open it up and flick through the pages. The seemingly prominent scowl on his face softened as he read on.

"Huh. Look at that. This really is the real thing", he muttered eventually, still gazing the photocopied pages. The older one grunted.

"Sounds an awful lot like you had no faith in me whatsoever", he said, acting offended.

The blonde shook his head slowly, gaze still downcast at the file.

"Faith ain't got anythin' to do with it", he mumbled, somewhat bitterly. "Karma don't give a shit 'bout my faith."

Jiraiya refrained himself from sighing. He could've asked, but didn't. Naruto closed the file in his hand and reached into the pocket of his jacket. He took out a slip of paper and wordlessly offered it to the older man. Jiraiya glanced down, grabbed it and brought it closer for his elderly eyes to see. An unintended gasp slipped through his lips. Sudden shock forced him to take a double take.

The seemingly innocent looking slip of paper was in fact a check. A check written for him, finished off with a number he presumed as money that would've easily covered six months' worth of his mortgage payment. For a long, sincerely shocked while, Jiraiya didn't know what to say. His shock soon turned into deep wonderment. Jiraiya had only ever seen gazes as empty and dead as the blonde's in inmates suffering solitary confinement for months and months. How could the pitiful looking brat have access to money like this? It was a worrying question to say the least. Jiraiya laid a hesitant look on the younger one.

"What happened to you?"

Naruto glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He took his time to find the forced smirk once more, before replying.

"I got divorced. Ain't that explanation enough?"

It was an excuse so obvious, it failed even as an attempt. Jiraiya didn't buy a single word of it, and Naruto knew that. Thus he let his smirk fade away, replaced by the hollow, emotionless mask again. Jiraiya felt uncomfortable in its presence. He didn't think the look suited the blonde at all. But if nothing else, it proved something along the line had gone horribly wrong. Naruto even somewhat admitted to it.

"It's better if you don't know, old man", he muttered quietly. "Don't wanna be a disappointment."

The older man's stern eyes softened. It was easy to see that the blonde wasn't feeling well. The weight of something truly heavy and tiring forced his posture to slump. It was difficult to watch him suffer so openly.

"Try me", Jiraiya said after a while.

Naruto lifted his downcast gaze to meet the other's. He said nothing, but the hesitant look in his eyes told he considered it. Considered telling. He wished he could've. In all honesty, he might've. Starting to feel too tired to carry all that heavy weight by himself, he nearly let it slip. Fortunately the lesser of two evils prevented the worse one from happening. The sound of a car door opening cut him off before the words even made it to his tongue.

For a second, Naruto froze. The slightly softer look in his eyes hardened into solid anger in an instant. He spun around just in time to witness Gaara step out of the car and slam the door violently shut. The man obviously didn't feel a hint of shame, as he then started to walk towards them. Naruto instantly considered shooting him dead.

The blonde turned back around to face Jiraiya. The man's eyes were set past him, narrowed at the approaching figure. It was evident the old man didn't recognize the redhead, were it for the poor lighting or bad eyesight. But as the curiosity in his eyes slowly evolved into shock, and eventually absolute terror, Naruto knew it was too late to make up white lies. The old man took a defensive step back, unable to speak. The blonde on the other hand had no such issue. He turned to face the redhead, not hesitant to show every last bit of his anger.

"Didn't I tell you to wait in the car?" he hissed, borderline growling.

Though Gaara had nearly reached them, he marched over the few remaining steps to make sure he didn't make it all the way. Some mildly forceful halting was involved.

"Yeah. I decided not to give a fuck", the redhead growled, shoving Naruto further away from his face.

The blonde clenched his hand into a tight fist, shivering with less than pleasant intentions. Gaara had been well aware of why his face wasn't welcome in the situation. The man was acting risky simply to see the hate it stirred in Naruto.

"You doin' this just to piss me the fuck off?" the blonde growled, though the answer was nothing short of obvious.

The obnoxious smirk that spread across the redhead's lips proved that to be true. He even leaned a little closer, only to emphasize his need to provoke the blonde.

"Yeah. That's exactly why", Gaara sneered, well aware of the consequences.

The look in Naruto's eyes could be described as the epitome of hostility and hate.

"I will decapitate you with my bare fuckin' hands", he promised. The redhead snorted.

"Yeah, you've been tellin' that for a long time. Yet I still have my head. Funny ain't it?"

Naruto had difficulties standing still. It took his everything not to rip the other's eyes out.

"The fuck's with you?" he questioned, his voice gradually rising. "You enjoy bein' a total fucking asshole?"

Gaara merely found the other's anger amusing.

"You have no idea", he admitted. "But I ain't the only one. Take a look in the mirror, angelface."

That was the point where any of their shouting stopped making sense, and began growing into nothing but spiteful yelling back and forth.

"Me?" the blonde questioned in disbelief. "How exactly am I being the asshole here? I ain't the one tryin' to own the entire world and everything in it."

Gaara shamelessly laughed in his face. The threatening step closer crushed the humor of it.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don't want you to be everybody's damn property?" he growled, no longer much calmer than the blonde.

Naruto's jaw dropped open in sincere disbelief. His anger quickly reached an extent that no longer could be measured. Finding himself insulted enough to be left speechless, the only thing he could do was shove the taller one. The man barely budged.

"You're fuckin' sick in the head", the blonde hissed. Gaara laid a disgusted look on the other one.

"Hn. Still better than fallin' for every easy whore that bats their eyes at me."

There was hardly any logic behind their fighting anymore. Having lost all sense of what was acceptable behavior in public and especially in the company of outsiders, only mindless shouting was left. Long having forgotten about the audience they had, none of their insults held a hint of reason behind them. Naruto sincerely hoped he could've been anywhere but there. He had neither the patience, nor the motivation to deal with Gaara and his ridiculous behavior any longer. In all sincerity, he couldn't understand how even Gaara had the nerve to behave the way he did. Especially after all the time he'd been away.

"You have no sense of reality", the blonde tried to forcefully explain. "You don't disappear for six goddamn months, come back to a life you ain't no longer a part of, and expect me to be on my fuckin' knees for you. Life don't work like that."

Gaara merely laughed. And then he made the mistake of speaking without consulting his brain on the choice of words.

"Bullshit. It took you less than an hour to be on your knees for me."

Absolute, murdering silence fell. The blonde's already angry gaze turned so deeply hostile, it physically stung to stand under it. Gaara was quick to realize the massive mistake he'd made. Anger stopped dominating his features, a look of regret arriving to replace it. Never before had the redhead wished that badly for a filter between his thoughts and tongue. Not much good that wishing did anymore. The hit came long before he could even consider taking back what he'd said. Knowing he more than deserved it, Gaara took it like a man.

Though the two of them had long forgotten about it, Jiraiya still stood there witnessing it all happen. Paralyzed with everything from shock to horror, he couldn't speak or move. Even less so, as the situation gradually evolved from threatening to actually violent. No words could describe the sincere terror he felt upon seeing the blonde brat ram his fist into the face of a man who'd attacked fellow inmates for reasons as petty as an uninvited glance or hastily planned word. Starting a fistfight with him couldn't be considered anything short of a death wish.

Gaara didn't know whether to feel impressed or surprised. He honestly could not recall a time he would've been hit harder than he just had. The impact still burned on the side of his forcibly turned head. He could clearly feel his skin starting to bruise. Truly impressive, somewhat surprising, and absolutely not pleasant. Against all expectations of the old man watching in horror, Gaara didn't lose his calm. He remained perfectly still, his head still turned to the side by the force of the hit, not a single muscle tensing up in anger. As if afraid to do so, the redhead didn't face the blonde still shivering with silent rage. Not even when speaking to him.

"I fucked up, didn't I?"

It wasn't as much of a question as it was stating the obvious. Naruto couldn't bother replying. When Gaara finally turned his uncertain gaze back ahead, the blonde met it with one of utter disappointment and hate. Their silent staring lasted for its brief while, before the redhead finally took a hesitative step closer to the other one. Though he hadn't expected a particularly positive reaction, finding himself at gunpoint a second later still took him aback. It brought him to a halt, a mildly disbelieving look painting his face. He wasn't left in surprise all alone. The old man still rigid with shock flinched at the unexpected sight. He could no longer keep silent. The situation was getting out of hand.

"Naruto…", Jiraiya called out cautiously. "Don't go making mistakes you can't take back."

The blonde hardly listened. In no way did he acknowledge the old man's warning, simply continued drilling holes with a spiteful gaze into the head his weapon was aimed at. Gaara didn't dare look away. It'd been a long time since he'd last felt nervous while facing the barrel of a gun. The blue eyes staring from behind it told of actual intention, not merely empty threats. Yet it wasn't getting shot he was afraid of. It was the point of no return, and whether or not he'd already crossed it that frightened him. He would've wanted to ask, but never had to. The answer became clear before he got the chance.

"I wish you'd never come back."

The words happened so easily. They flowed into existence with such ease, not a hint of hesitation mixed in. The blonde's cold stare didn't falter, nor did he seem the least bit regretful. Not even though he could clearly see the look on Gaara's face. It was doubtful such a look had ever before crossed the man's features. The mess of hurt and disbelief washed away all the evil he usually consisted of, leaving him looking vulnerable and betrayed. As brief as the change in him was, it happened. Yet still the gun remained aimed at his head.

Gaara said nothing. Neither did the blonde. Hauntingly empty silence was all that remained. It was hard to fill it. Even harder to move on from. No sound ever came to interfere. The redhead eventually was the one to break away from it all. He took a few slow, heavy steps back, his gaze never leaving Naruto's. Finally he turned his back, leaving the blonde to aim his gun at thin air.

Naruto watched the redhead walk away. Not even by accident did he look back. As the man soon reached the car waiting a distance away, the blonde's ice cold surface finally started to crack. The arm that'd steadily aimed a gun started shaking, forcing him to lower the weapon down. His hateful eyes turned tired again and stiff shoulders fell down. The sound of a car engine starting sent a wave of sad anger to wash over him. In only a few seconds, the car was gone, as should've all the reasons behind his anger and exhaustion. Yet for some reason, he didn't feel the slightest bit better.

Naruto glanced down at the weapon in his hand. His grip on it tightened. He felt like doing something stupid, he really did. He was so very tired.

The blonde's senseless thoughts quickly turned into anger. Anger towards himself, anger towards Gaara. Anger towards the entire world. In order to get the harmful anger out, he let it build up into actual hate, before using the last of his strength to throw the gun as far away as he could. The loud, hateful scream slipping from his lips drowned the sound of the gun hitting the icy asphalt.

After that, all sound died out. Naruto's anger had disappeared along with his outburst, leaving him with nothing but an anxious form of desperation. The fingers of his healthy hand tightly tangled in blonde hair, his gaze eventually wandered to meet the old man's. Only briefly, yet long enough for Jiraiya to see the look in his eyes. It somewhat startled him. They weren't angry as he'd expected. Instead sad and tired, mostly the latter. The blonde dropped his gaze to the ground, not keen on letting his exhaustion show. Not that the proof of it was limited to his eyes alone. Yet looking away made him feel less uneasy. Closing his eyes felt even better.

Something cold and wet hit the blonde's exposed neck. He slowly reached to touch the back of his neck. Naruto couldn't help the scowl. It'd started snowing.

* * *

**As most of you probably can guess, the weekly updates ain't gonna happen anymore. Not because I'm losing interest in the story, but because the chapters are ridiculously long, and I am shorter on time than before. By no means am I abandoning the story, just taking a bit more time to give you the best I can make. I'm aiming to update at least once a month, preferably twice. Doing my best here, I promise. Hope you'll find it worth the slightly longer wait. **

**Happy holidays, everybody. Have a good one.**


	45. Us

**Where the fuck have I been, you ask? Well, long story short, I've been attempting to be more productive as a member of society, which unfortunately does not only suck sweaty balls, but has robbed me of the previous abundance of free time. The uninvited guest that goes by the name of writer's block hasn't been much of a help. But here we are, after three days short of three fucking months and a million rewrites of this chapter. If you do not enjoy this, I will literally summon a demon to drag me to hell. No pressure, loves. **

* * *

Snow. Essentially the most generally useless element of nature. Yet somehow comforting. Snowfall, it had a certain sound to it. The sound of silence. Sounded so unreasonable, yet standing there in the midst of it, it made perfect sense. Gaara liked the sound of silence. He preferred it over the car engine's hum and consistent buzz of traffic, even if dulled down by the late hour. His decision to take a walk seemed to pay off. The cold, it didn't bother him.

Darkness had fully fallen by then. The dim streetlights couldn't reach the alley he'd chosen to take, but he didn't mind that. His eyes adjusted easily. Hadn't them, he wouldn't have cared. The darkness helped his thoughts flow more effortlessly. They flowed, yet seemed to end nowhere. As if they looped around, endlessly returning to where they'd started. He'd created perpetual movement, but it seemed to fuel nothing. Only frustration, and even barely that. He was too tired to feel even that. His thoughts had worn him out. He'd gone through his choices multiple times. He'd tried to think selfishly, he'd attempted to be selfless. Either way, he ended up with the same question, but no answer.

To leave or to stay? He didn't know. But neither would anyone else.

He felt unneeded. Somewhat even useless. It was an entirely new form of emotional burden to him. Naruto had made his views quite clear. And none of them had highlighted a need for Gaara anymore. He'd come to accept that. That wasn't what troubled him. What troubled him was the emotional cage he'd found himself stuck inside. The one making sure he couldn't leave the blonde. He wanted to, if entirely honest. He felt trapped and borderline enslaved. None of it appealed to him. Yet an unexplained force somewhere within him persistently fought the need to flee. He was yet to identify what it was.

As a concept, fleeing from inevitable trouble was easy to understand and desire. But it was the consequences of it that made him so unsure. The possible regret, inescapable guilt and a probable lifelong term of loneliness. Stubbornness might've played a part as well. Naruto had confidently predicted the situation would once again come to this. To Gaara contemplating leaving. It didn't sit well with him. He would've hated to aid the self-fulfilling prophecy. Especially when he himself had become one. He was starting to realize that it was best to never say never, and always avoid claiming anything to be indisputable. That revelation itself made it just that much harder for Gaara to decide where to go from there. Or if to go anywhere at all.

The layer of snow beneath his feet creaked as he walked down the dim alley. Embedded deep in his thoughts, he missed the shadowy figure leaning against the brick wall a small distance ahead. It wasn't until a soft, almost feminine voice spoke, startling him.

"Feelin' lonely?"

The redhead flinched. Cursing his carelessness, he pulled out his gun and aimed it at the one now standing only a few feet away. Surprisingly, the stranger flinched as well, as if frightened by the weapon. As Gaara finally realized what he was looking at, he understood why. He let his tense shoulders relax, but the gun remained raised. He narrowed his eyes curiously and studied the one in his aim. They seemed strangely familiar.

A young man with long, brown hair and hazel eyes. Fair skin, fragile frame. A pretty boy, one Gaara took worryingly long to recognize. Especially since it'd been barely a few hours since he'd last seen that face. It was hardly a mystery what the boy was there for. It seemed that waiting tables didn't pay too well. The redhead couldn't help but to chuckle.

"Hn. Look at you. Not just a lousy waiter, but a cheap whore too?"

It seemed the boy had recognized him as well. At least that's what the fearful look in his eyes indicated. Though it might've just been the gun pressed against his chest. Perhaps both. The young man swallowed nervously.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you", his shaky voice quivered. The weak sound was pathetic enough to make Gaara smirk.

"You mean now? Or before, when you had your filthy hands all over my man?"

It'd been a while since he'd seen anyone go as white as the boy did then. Barely got a word out.

"I didn't know. I'm sorry, I didn't know", the young man whimpered. The redhead huffed.

"Neither does he", he muttered.

The boy shook like a wounded animal. Gaara found it pathetic. But he said nothing of it. Instead of speaking at all, he stopped to watch the boy with suspicious eyes and wondered just what supposedly was so amazing about him. The innocent looking face? The submissive gaze? Or perhaps the soft lips that'd probably sucked more cock than the boy's slow brain could count to? Could be that. The airhead looked like the deep throating kind.

Gaara grunted. The suspicion in his eyes turned into curiosity. The boy wasn't sure what to think of it, but flinched as he felt a hand grab a fistful of his hair. The surprised sound he released drowned beneath the harsh feel of cold lips against his. Unprepared and surprised, he grew tense and squirmed to get free. But his struggles were quick to die down. Upon realizing that these lips were incredibly hard to resist, he melted into it. Despite the snow and cold, he suddenly felt hot.

He let a moan slip. It might've been a mistake. In a flash the lips were gone and the grip on his hair had moved to hold him by the throat. The air to his avail turned thin.

The redhead scowled. The grip he had on the boy's fragile throat tightened, but not enough to suffocate him. Just enough to keep him still. Gaara stopped to watch the boy with a disgusted gaze. His degrading stare looked away only briefly, as he turned to spit on the ground. He almost regretted having kissed him. It'd been exactly as pointless as he'd expected. It'd tasted wrong. Bad, even. Nothing like the blonde. Gaara couldn't help but to feel repulsed. Despite letting his curiosity take the better of him, he still could not understand what supposedly was so exceptional about the dirty little thing. Probably nothing. At least nothing good enough to keep him alive. Very few things would've. Just as the redhead tightened his hold on the boy's neck, a thought crossed his mind.

He had himself established that nothing about the boy was exceptional. Yet even then Naruto seemed to have found the worthless thing more interesting than him. As if better than him.

Though a displeasing thought, it aided Gaara to finally make a decision. Most of him still wanted to snap the boy's neck in two, but he knew he could make use of him. So he let the boy go. The young man rushed to hold his sore throat, breath wheezing between violent coughs. The look in his eyes could only be called terror. As expected, the boy wasted no time to attempt an escape. Gaara was quick to catch him. A tight hold around his wrist was all it took to stop him from leaving. The redhead waited patiently in silence until the boy finally turned to face him. The hazel eyes watered, obviously on the verge of tears.

"I don't wanna die", he whispered weakly.

Gaara grunted. "Do as I say and you won't."

A look of relief took over the boy's features. Relief strong enough to force him on his knees in front of the redhead. The way he clung to the other's hand made Gaara scowl.

"Anything, okay? I'll do anything", the boy assured with a broken voice.

The redhead didn't want to give him a chance to offer services he had no interest in and made his intentions clear right away.

"You can keep your diseases to yourself", he stated. "I need you to drive me to the harbor."

The boy's fearful shivering mellowed. He turned to look up in confusion.

"What?"

Gaara couldn't bother repeating himself, but instead forcefully lifted the boy onto his feet. Wordlessly letting go of him, the redhead turned the other way and began walking away. It took a short while for the other one to realize he was supposed to follow, but quickly enough hurried to catch up with him.

"I don't have a car", the boy told cautiously, struggling to keep up with the much taller redhead. Gaara glanced at the other one.

"You'll have soon", he told. "I'll let you keep it."

The boy nearly fell over. "W-what?"

"I won't need it anymore", Gaara said.

The other one fell silent. What could he possibly have said to that?

"There's one stop we gotta make on the way", the redhead informed shortly.

"Where?" the boy pried.

"A bar. You know which one. Attracts your kind."

The boy's steps came to a halt. Gaara frowned and glanced over his shoulder. He could've asked, but didn't bother.

"I…I can't go there", the boy soon muttered. "Bad blood. I'll get killed."

The redhead rolled his eyes. He couldn't help but to sigh. He continued walking before replying.

"I'll keep you safe", he promised reluctantly. "Consider growin' a fucking pair."

It was good enough. The boy got himself on the move again. After a while of walking in silence, the redhead felt a weak touch on his arm. Glancing down, he found the boy's hands holding onto his arm. He considered shaking the touch off, but in the end, couldn't bother. Thus the touch stayed and silence fell.

* * *

It fit his hand so well. Worryingly well. The cold glass, now rounded shapes of melted ice floating inside it in liquid that smelled like sin. It did to him, anyway. But that made it just that much better. Just the right amount of wrong to make it exciting. Could be considered self-harmful, perhaps.

Naruto let out a spiteful kind of huff. Though directed at himself, it didn't stop him from bringing the glass up to his lips. The slight tilt of the glass, the tangy flavor his tongue had grown numb to and determined rejection of a displeasing aftertaste. So easy was the step closer to a morning of ache and misery. Why he did this to himself, he could not say. Self-pity wasn't a bad guess.

Naruto took a subtle glance around. The place wasn't too busy, surprisingly enough. He preferred it that way. Though he felt happy within a lesser crowd, a certain someone he'd hoped to see still hadn't come around. Should appear in an hour or two, had the lady behind the counter said. An hour and forty-five minutes in, there'd still been no trace of Sai. The blonde could hardly feel bitter about it. He hadn't informed of his visit, after all. But with the world collapsing down on him from every direction and an obvious alcohol problem literally in hand, he could've gone without the waiting. Staring through the now nearly empty third glass full of problems, he decided to give it another hour. After that…well, he wasn't sure. He'd worry about it in an hour.

Naruto glanced at the file he'd placed on the counter. With a lazy movement he went to open it again for what must've been the hundredth time. Just like before, a more than familiar check placed on top of the first page stared back at him. The check he'd written to Jiraiya. He'd never noticed him slip it in between the pages. As stubborn as ever that old man was. Though less overbearing than most times. As a shocking surprise, the man hadn't asked a single question of what'd happened. Only forced useless small talk and dropped Naruto off at the bar. It'd been strange. Worrying even.

He'd decided to give it a few days. If the man didn't call to yell at him, only then he'd let himself worry.

The blonde sighed. Setting the check aside, he flicked through the file's pages once more. Having spent the past couple of hours with his face glued to the thing, there wasn't a single line left he hadn't read over at least twice. The fact that he'd succeeded in going through the file twice in such a short amount of time gave an insight to the quality of it. It was useless. A disappointment on a grand scale.

Though he'd expected disappointment of some kind, the obviously cleaned up reports went far beyond that. The entire case was a joke. A text book example of bribery and corruption. Not having had high expectations to begin with, he refused to dwell in disappointment too long. It wasn't really the content's sincerity he was interested in, but in fact the lack of it. Naruto's personal favorite was the court reporter's transcript. The amount of dishonest statements reached numbers he couldn't count to and the basis of the final verdict could barely be taken seriously. Long story short, the assholes of the people involved must've been envious of the bullshit their mouths had projectile vomited all over the court room.

If forced to pick the winner of this crap factory contest, Naruto would've had to admit that Hyuuga outshone everybody else by a million lightyears. That incompetent bastard's supposed professionalism had nothing to do with yakuza winning the case. The man had made an outrageous number of rookie mistakes, asked all the wrong questions and given nothing but faulty answers. Even the guy's closing speech had been a devastating disaster, from start to end. Naruto had practiced a full twenty minutes of cringing while reading it in its entirety.

Though reading the transcript had been quite the experience on its own, it was the conclusion he'd come to at the end of it that excited Naruto the most. While he refrained from feeling positively confident of it, the suspicions he'd had since the very beginning finally seemed to be getting solid proof to back them up. In case he actually ended up being correct, it could potentially narrow down the candidates suitable to lead Akatsuki. Perhaps even enough to make tracking them down a real possibility. Now all he needed was the smallest of support for his suspicions. Sai was the one he hoped to get it from. If only the man had the decency to show up.

"Cutie?"

Speak of the devil, it seemed. Naruto lifted his downcast gaze. Turning to look over his shoulder, the sight of a familiar face came to view. A quite well dressed, sight pleasing man met his eye. The surprise on the man's face forced the blonde's lips into a weak smile.

"Hey, handsome."

The words came out softer than he'd intended. But it seemed his friend preferred it that way. Sai's dark eyes lightened up in a way he'd never witnessed before. Faster than he could realize, he was being held by arms that truly told of the worry they'd carried. How could he have turned such sincerity down?

"I missed you", the long lost voice spoke.

Naruto smiled against the crevice of a soft neck.

"I missed you too."

"I almost fuckin' swore", Sai muttered into the blonde's messy hair.

Naruto wanted to snort. He felt underestimated. He wasn't that easy to take down.

"As fuckin' if."

It could be called consolation. With those words of comfort, Sai let go of his friend. A smile staying to linger, he glanced around curiously.

"You alone?"

Naruto forced himself not to flinch. Though aware whom his friend specifically meant, he dodged the meaning.

"Yeah", he told. "A friend's on his way though."

Sai tilted his head curiously. "Sasuke, eh?"

The blonde nodded. He'd told Sai about him. It'd been a while already since he'd given Sasuke the address. He should've been there already.

"Yup. Should be here soon", he informed.

Sai simply nodded. In reality, he couldn't have cared less about that. Though Naruto might've believed he was being subtle, Sai was well aware something was up. And every last nosy inch of his existence was dying to figure out what. A suspicious look took control of his features, a sly smirk arriving to accompany it. Without hesitation, he went straight to the point.

"Cut the shit, love. Where's your man?"

Naruto, who'd been in the middle of getting yet another gulp of toxins down his throat, suffered a violent coughing fit. Loud and ugly, involving spitting out a mouthful of booze. One of his lungs positively filled with either drool or whiskey. Perhaps both.

"Don't choke. Not on that anyway", Sai said, obviously giving it a double meaning. Hardly helped the issue at hand. At lung, more accurately.

It took a good thirty seconds of loud chocking, before the blonde could calm himself down. He felt stupid for having reacted such a way. Not only did he give it all away in an instant, but it was an outrageous form of exaggeration. A few weak coughs still escaping, he glanced at his friend askance. The smug look on Sai's face made Naruto scowl.

"How'd you know?" he eventually muttered. The other one laughed quite wholeheartedly.

"I ain't a fucking idiot, sweetie", Sai reasoned. The blonde shut his eyes and sighed.

"Seems like I am then", he mumbled. The other one couldn't help but to roll his eyes.

"You do drool after him like one", he told. The blonde scowled, as if disappointed in himself.

"That obvious?" he huffed under his breath. The paler chuckled.

"Oh, honey. Your imagination rides dick every time you look at him."

Well used to Sai's vulgar nature, Naruto couldn't bother replying. He felt dumb enough as it was. Silence fell. Sai's eyes softened as he watched the blonde's gaze drop down. A sort of sadness was prominent to him.

"What'd he do?" Sai asked eventually.

The blonde remained silent, his expression turning darker. It spoke for itself.

"What'd you do?" Sai asked instead.

Naruto could've tried to dodge it. He wanted to. But no matter how much he would've wanted, the wave of emotional exhaustion washing over him forced him to give up the façade. A desperate groan escaping his lips, he hid his face behind his hands.

"I fucked up. I fucked up so bad", he admitted.

Though his voice was but a whisper, Sai heard him just a fine. He felt exceptionally sympathetic.

"Wanna talk about it?" he offered to help.

The blonde's face remained hidden for a while longer. Eventually he dropped his hands onto his lap and turned to face his friend. Forming words suddenly became much harder.

"We fought. He pissed me off", he told, his voice growing lower. "And I…I told him I wished he'd never come back."

Sai experienced a sudden need to slap the blonde. It took quite the willpower not to.

"Hn. You were right", he grunted. "You are an idiot."

Naruto could hardly deny it. So he didn't. Sai shook his head and sighed. Feeling like there was nothing productive he could've said, he skipped the speaking and made his way to the other side of the counter. Though he attempted to come up with words of comfort, the blonde's stupidity stopped it from happening. He found it to be such a shame. All the potential they were so carelessly letting go to waste, as if worth nothing. He found it ridiculous, the way the two let a million in a one chance simply dissolve into nothingness. He felt he might as well have been watching money burn. Yet he still knew better than to get too involved. Silent interference could be the most efficient of ways to impact. Thus a change of subject was in place.

"I heard 'bout Suna, y'know", he revealed. "Heard you got shot."

Naruto did his best not to show the relief he felt for the change of topic. He nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I did. Hit me hard", he muttered. "Dunno if I'll ever shoot a rifle again."

"Can't say I'm sorry, blondie", Sai told honestly. "You bein' a hitman. Never liked it."

It sounded rude, but the blonde couldn't blame his friend for the worry. He settled on simply nodding again, not sure what to say. His reluctance to speak resulted in yet another moment of silence. Sai quietly watched his friend stare at the bottom of his glass. A question he knew would've gone better unasked was dancing on the tip of his tongue. It took its while, but eventually he could no longer stop himself from voicing it. Mistake or not, he spoke.

"You love him, don't you?"

Naruto flinched. He didn't know what to say. He felt slightly startled. Startled by just how little he liked the feeling that one, simple word stirred in him. The dreaded four letter word he'd done his best to avoid acknowledging, only to end up coming a full circle back to it, time after time.

Love, a concept far too complicated for its supposed greatness. He'd once thought he knew what being in love was like. The thought was barely worth a bitter laugh anymore. He'd been naïve, pitifully so. He'd thought love was about finding the girl whom he couldn't help but to stare at, whose smile was captivating like the sunset and whose kisses tasted like strawberry bubblegum. The girl who made small moments of happiness feel like an ode to life itself. But he'd been wrong. That wasn't what love was about.

Though he'd found and married the girl who'd fit his image of everlasting love, he'd failed to realize just how faulty that image of his had been to begin with. It'd barely taken a few months for his supposed love to falter. The girl's captivating smiles gradually started to fade quicker, until they barely visited anymore. The taste of her kisses turned stale and flat, on the rare occasions they happened at all. He stopped staring at her, finding the mere sight of her the epitome of empty promises and disappointment. Needless to say, he'd felt let down not only by her, but the entire idea of love. He'd realized no true love ever happened between them, and stopped believing such a thing even existed. It'd been easy enough to accept.

Then that guy happened. Then Gaara happened. There hardly was any rational way of fitting him into the concept of love, let alone imagine anyone falling for him. For the majority of time, his smiles weren't the least bit captivating, but in fact terrifying. His kisses couldn't have tasted any less like strawberry bubblegum and staring at him usually resulted in fatalities of some kind. Nothing about him fit the idea of love, even less a true form of it. After all, who would love a monster?

Thinking back at it, Naruto somewhat wished he'd been more skeptical of what'd seemed obvious. That way he might've not forgotten that behind every cruel monster, there was a broken man. And while he'd tried to destroy the monster, he'd dug deep for its weaknesses, only to find one for himself. He'd never expected to find anything humane beneath all that evil. Maybe that'd been where he'd slipped. Made his grand mistake. Had expectations of the wrong kind, and not expected the unexpected. It wasn't the first time he'd made the same mistake. Only this time he'd expected nothing instead of too much, and ended up with far more than he'd been prepared for. And now it'd left him feeling absolutely petrified.

Love wasn't about everlasting happiness and nothing but sunny days. It wasn't about sweet nothings and halted moments in time one wished would never end. Love was so much more than just that. He understood that now. He understood that it was a little bit about happiness and laughter, sweet nothings and calmness. But it also was about pain, about fear, about sadness and hate. Love was everything one could and couldn't think of. Love was everything the one in love was, everything the one they loved was. Two people feeling what the other felt, seeing what the other saw, and finding the best in each other when they themselves couldn't. Love was the condensed version of everything life had to offer.

It was ironic in a way. Naruto now was fully aware of the true concept of love, yet he still failed to act it out. It'd lead him to wonder, was it possible to love wrong? Or had he simply fallen in love with the wrong man? In a way it seemed unlikely. Even in all his learned bitterness, he still wanted to believe no love could be wrong. He hated how naïve the belief made him feel. Yet he knew there was only one honest answer to the question asked.

"Yeah. I do."

Short silence followed. Naruto avoided the other's gaze. Sai stopped waiting to catch it.

"He doesn't know, does he?"

The blonde shook his head. "No."

There was only one logical question that could've followed. And it was that one Sai decided to go with.

"Why?"

Simple, yet reasonable. Naruto wished so badly he could've simply shrugged and claimed he had no reason. But it would've been too big of a lie even for him. He knew exactly why.

"Cause I don't want to love him", he told quietly.

Something unpleasant burned behind his eyes. He decided to blame it on the whiskey.

"I don't want to, because I'll lose him", he continued, his voice slightly cracking. "I'd rather push him away than watch him die."

The uncomfortable burn was still there. And dangerously close to becoming something that whiskey couldn't be blamed for anymore. He could feel his composure slowly crumble away. Hadn't it been for the distraction of a lifetime, he would've made a fool out of himself. But the wildly unexpected, yet outrageously painful openhand slap on the side of his face was baffling enough to make him forget about the mental breakdown he'd planned on reaching. Stunned by the sudden impact, he brought a hand on his now sore cheek and turned to look at Sai in shock. The man looked angry.

"That's the dumbest fuckin' thing I've ever heard", he hissed through gritted teeth.

Naruto was at a loss of words. His mouth opening and closing, he attempted to speak, but no sound came out. Sai gave him a look the blonde had never imagined he could even pull off.

"You stupid fuck. Have you any idea how lucky you are?" the pale man grunted. "You've found someone who's prepared to die to save your sorry ass."

Naruto remained too shocked to speak. Eyes wide as a pair of plates, he could only stare at his friend, who took a moment to just take a few deep breaths. Once a little calmer, Sai turned to face him once more and sternly but kindly told him words that hit home unlike anything else before.

"We all live and die. Most of us alone. But you…you've been blessed with the chance to say goodbye."

The blonde felt his heart twist painfully. His lips parted in surprise. Sai's eyes softened.

"Don't rob him of the chance to do the same", he told softly. "Don't waste the chance you two have."

Naruto realized he'd stopped breathing. But though he inhaled, he still couldn't speak. He had no words to say. Somebody else did.

"Waste what?"

The unexpected voice caused him to flinch. Startled, he turned to face the one speaking. Sasuke stood behind him, looking curious. Naruto forced out a nervous laugh.

"Nothing", he assured. "When'd you get here?"

"Literally a second ago", Sasuke told and took a seat next to the blonde.

He then glanced to his right. Sai returned the look given to him, his signature smile spreading across his lips.

"Sasuke, eh?" he guessed. "I've heard a lot 'bout you."

Sasuke nodded stiffly. "As well."

The slightest bit of tension could be picked up between them. Naruto decided it was best not to point it out. Fortunately, it disappeared quickly enough. Only for another kind to replace it.

"What were you talkin' about?" Sasuke pried.

Naruto glanced at Sai. Aware that the man was about to open his mouth and slip something he hadn't intended for Sasuke to hear yet, he rushed to speak first.

"Nothin' special", he told, though with an oddly high-pitched voice. "Just…catching up."

He ignored the look of suspicion Sai slowly turned towards him. Sasuke's didn't look much more convinced, but he let it slide.

"Hn. Right. Are we here for a reason?" the latter one asked.

"Yeah", the blonde told, turning back towards Sai. The man raised a brow.

"What's it this time?" he asked, just mildly bored. Naruto ignored it.

"Yakuza versus the state. Ya heard of it?" he asked instead. The man nodded.

"Sure. It's related to Suna ain't it?" he questioned, his voice turning lower.

It wasn't a conversation outsiders needed to get in on. Naruto couldn't say he disagreed. The place was just a tad too involved with the mob for his liking.

"Hn. Yeah. There's someone I'm lookin' for", the blonde continued. Sai's interest seemed to perk up.

"Who?" he asked curiously.

"Hyuuga", Naruto revealed. "Hyuuga Neji."

The other man smirked. "The lawyer? Fancy. Rumor has it he's workin' for yakuza."

"He is", the blonde assured.

"Shouldn't be hard to find him, y'know. Everybody knows the guy. Biggest dick in town. Every way imaginable, I've heard", Sai told, snorting at the end. Naruto decided to let the remark go without gagging.

"I don't need his home address", he told, glancing at his friend askance. "Cause this ain't ending well for him."

Sai's face reflected realization. "Oh. That kinda business."

"Yeah. That kinda business", Naruto confirmed.

"Huh. Dunno how much I can help you out then", Sai admitted. "He's pretty well protected by yakuza these days."

"Just gimme somethin'. There's gotta be a place where he ain't got his filthy dogs with him", the blonde said.

Sai took a moment to think in silence. It took its while, but eventually an idea crossed his mind.

"There's a clubhouse downtown he's usually seen at durin' weekends. For the dirty rich and their corrupted money. My old man's favorite", he then told. The other two frowned in confusion.

"Walkin' into that shitfest would be a suicide mission", Sasuke pointed out. Sai smirked.

"It's a gangster's haven", he said, only adding to the confusion. "But these guys are so full of themselves, they just assume no one'd be dumb enough to start shit there."

The blonde raised a brow in interest. Sai chuckled.

"They'd never see it coming."

Suddenly, it stopped sounding like a bad idea. The reality being that no place truly would be free of potential conflict, running straight into the center of it might actually be their best chance at succeeding. Sai was right, they wouldn't see it coming. It was an idea worth serious consideration. Naruto smirked.

"Hn. Not bad, pretty boy."

Sai smiled. "If you die, don't come hauntin'."

"I won't have time for that. I have a long damn vacation waitin' in hell", the blonde assured.

While Naruto and Sai continued a conversation of irrelevance, Sasuke took the liberty to snatch the case file placed on the counter. Feeling curious, he opened it. First thing that caught his eye was a check, written for someone he was somewhat familiar with. Sasuke frowned.

"Jiraiya?" he muttered out loud.

Naruto took notice of the other's muffled speech and turned to glance at the man.

"Yeah. That's where I got the file from", he revealed. Sasuke raised a brow.

"You mean this is the entire file?" he asked, mildly impressed. Naruto sighed.

"Yeah. But might as well be a pile of shit", he grunted. "Complete waste of paper."

Sasuke frowned, his fingers moving to turn the page. For a few silent moments he went roughly through the text, his frown slowly deepening into a scowl. Eventually he looked annoyed. Just to make sure, he took another glance of the file's cover, only to find himself further irritated.

"Seriously?" he questioned. "This piece of shit is the entire _classified_ file?"

Naruto hated that he had to nod in agreement. "Yeah. That piece of shit."

"That don't make sense. Why would they bother?" Sasuke wondered. The blonde shrugged.

"Dunno. Too much free time?" he guessed, though only jokingly.

Sasuke hardly found it funny. Before the two could continue throwing out groundless guessed, Sai butted in.

"Hold on", he commented. "You don't know what happened?"

The other two turned to frown at him, before glancing at each other. They seemed confused.

"Huh?" Naruto asked. The look on Sasuke's face mimicked the other's quite well.

"I'll take that as a no", Sai sighed. "I would've figured you knew about the trial."

The blonde narrowed his eyes. "Knew what?"

Sai smirked. "That the whole shitshow was just a paid performance."

Naruto wasn't sure why felt like falling off his chair. In that situation, the other's claim didn't sound at all far-fetched. Perhaps it was the little bit of lawyer still in him suffering a cardiac arrest.

"Care to elaborate?" Sasuke requested, as the blonde seemed too thoughtful to speak.

Sai sighed once more. The look on his face quite clearly told he found it to be an uncomfortable subject. Naruto didn't blame him. The surroundings weren't the best for a discussion of that kind, and a few ghosts from the past might've still held the man back. But there was nothing a glass of booze couldn't cure. So regardless of working the shift, Sai poured himself one.

"You didn't hear this from me, get it?" the man muttered, taking a sip.

The other two nodded, their curious looks somewhat interfering with the sincerity. Sai decided to ignore it. A smirk spread across his lips.

"Yakuza didn't win", he told. "The charges were dropped."

It could be considered shocking. Naruto no longer found a reason not to fall off his chair. Only barely he succeeded to stay seated, while Sasuke lifted his jaw off the floor.

"What?" the blonde asked in honest confusion. Sai nodded.

The simple nod wasn't enough to convince Naruto. With a disbelieving look on his face, he went to grab the file he without a doubt had read through twice, and flicked through to the last page. Though he then went through the closing summary for the third time, he felt no less confused.

"There ain't a word of that in here", he muttered thoughtfully. "The file concludes that yakuza won."

Sai shook his head as if amused by the other's naïve perspective.

"Of course there ain't, honey", he said. "You saw the evidence they had. You honestly think they would've won?"

Naruto scowled. No, he didn't think that. At no point had he, really. Especially after reading through the transcript. From a lawyer's point of view, it was astonishing nobody had gone to jail. Though somewhat confused, he could at last quite confidently say he'd been right all along.

"Hn. Fuckin' knew it. Yakuza's balls deep in the system", he thought out loud. The remark made Sai chuckle.

"Balls deep don't come even close", he told.

The blonde gave him a curious, questioning look. "Didn't know there's deeper than that."

"You have no idea, cutie", the other one purred, entirely losing the actual point.

"How 'bout you try and be serious for a second?" Naruto requested. Sai rolled his eyes, but sighed in defeat.

"Fine. Like I said, it goes _deeper_ than that", the man said, persistently hanging on to that specific word.

Naruto let it slide and gave him a chance to tell something actually useful. The man didn't disappoint him.

"All of them – the judge, the defense, the security – all homegrown criminals since mama's tit. Not like those you fight. But bred to slither into the system and work from the inside. Parasites."

The blonde took a moment to feel honestly shocked. Sasuke followed his lead, but was quicker to recover.

"You mean the whole case was handled by fuckin' mobsters?" he asked in disbelief.

"Nu-uh. But mostly", Sai revealed. "For there to be a case at all, the prosecution's gotta be keen on winning. That side started off the legal way."

Naruto narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And after the start?"

Sai frowned, as if confused why he was being asked the question.

"The original prosecutor died", he told, as if it'd been obvious. "I thought you knew."

The blonde sighed, followed it with a groan and turned to lay an icy glare on the case file before him. He wanted to light the damn thing on fire. It was even more useless than he'd been lead to believe.

"I'm gon' shred this piece of shit", he mumbled in annoyance. Sai huffed.

"Well, the guy died. Got sick unexpectedly, dropped dead in days. Natural causes, they said. But we all know what that means", he said knowingly and glanced at the other two. The reply came in perfect unison.

"Polonium."

A radioactive chemical element. Harmless if outside the body, positively lethal if ingested or inhaled. Also known as 'the perfect murder weapon'.

"Probably", Sai agreed. "Once the guy was out the way, they conveniently got a prosecutor who just "happened" to be a lousy one. Forced to drop the charges, case closed."

It all sounded like a lie, an exaggeration. But the look on Sai's face told of no lies. It made Naruto thoughtful. Though he'd toyed around with the thought of corruption and inside infiltration, he'd never imagined it to spread out on such a large scale. Perhaps it'd been naïve of him. But in his defense, anything more would've, and should've, been considered megalomania. This was government scale conspiracy they were talking about. His naivety was justifiable.

"This don't make sense", he muttered. "The jury. They couldn't have handpicked 'em."

Sai snorted. "Right. Cause a handful of average idiots is obviously gon' make a difference in a show run by corruption."

Though oozing with sarcasm, the man's words held truth to them. Naruto supposed that dragging the average citizen on a mental leash couldn't have been difficult. Merely a nuisance. Yet that still did not explain the time wasted on constructing an artificial win.

"But why make a phony report? Why fake a win?"

"Double jeopardy. Keeps 'em safe", Sai reasoned. Naruto wasn't quite happy with the answer.

"Don't a fake report risk gettin' caught? And what about the press?" he questioned. The other one smirked.

"Honey, I don't know how you got your hands on that thing, but you gotta know some powerful people. Once something's classified, there ain't but a few who get to know it anymore."

Naruto felt mildly surprised. It seemed the old man possessed power far more impressive he'd ever realized. But he couldn't say he minded it in the least.

"And what comes to the press", Sai continued. "All medias were banned from the court room. All they have are the scraps of lies they were given. It seems unimaginable, but yakuza honestly pulled off the biggest hoax since religion."

The man's comparison might've been a slight exaggeration, but didn't fall much short of the truth. If the underworld truly had slithered their way this deep into the system, it'd bare long-term consequences. Nationwide, perhaps even grander. That depended entirely on what they were planning on doing with such power. But as of then, the speculation stood on too fragile ground. Naruto found no reason to worry about it too much. He had worries outside the nation's general well-being.

"Hn. Can't say this is bad news for us", the blonde muttered thoughtfully. "Sorta narrows down our candidates."

Sai smiled. "Happy to help, sweetie."

Naruto returned the smile, but soon fell silent and thoughtful again. A few thoughts of importance crossed his mind, making him wonder. But before he could speak, Sasuke seemed to have learned to read minds.

"But how we gon' link this to Akatsuki?" the man questioned. The blonde nodded slowly, still thinking.

"Just what I thought", he admitted. "There's a logic to this, I'm sure."

"Doesn't matter much. We still can't figure out who's leadin' them", Sasuke pointed out. Naruto couldn't say he disagreed, but neither could he entirely concur.

"No, but we know where to look", he spoke thoughtfully and turned to face Sasuke. "Remember the dead girls in Suna?"

The man wanted to gag. "How could I not? They turned me gayer than I already was."

Somewhat funny in a brutal sense, but not enough for Naruto to have the heart to laugh at innocent dead girls. So he simply settled on rolling his eyes.

"Shut up and listen", he demanded. "I found the logic."

Sasuke raised a brow, as if disbelieving of the other's confidence, but still did as told. The blonde lowered his voice, just in case.

"Think about it. Killin' a thousand girls is risky. And Akatsuki ain't forced to do shit for yakuza if they don't feel like it. Sure the money helps, but only so far. Yet they still took the job, didn't they?" he began. Sasuke frowned.

"Well…they were there", he stated the obvious. The blonde nodded.

"Exactly. Yakuza hired them, cause they don't have enough power to pull it off on their own. You realize what that means?" he asked and glanced at the other two.

Both shook their heads. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yakuza's got power enough to get the charges dropped. But not enough to kill a thousand girls and not get caught", he explained. "It means that Akatsuki's got power even higher than yakuza, system wise."

Sasuke stopped to think about it. It made sense, he couldn't deny that. But exactly how far would that knowledge take them, he did not quite understand.

"Exceptionally smart of you, not gon' be an asshole about that", he admitted. "But what we gon' do 'bout it?"

Naruto smirked knowingly. "Powerful people in law. We gonna look for the biggest of 'em and narrow down to those who got the balls to lead a high-end criminal organization."

Two gazes turned to look at him in mild surprise. He knew he'd been exceptionally smart. It all added up, it all made sense. And for once, nobody could claim otherwise. Sasuke snorted.

"So off to chase people of law, instead of mobsters?" he chuckled. "Sure, why not. Variety's good."

"Well, they're both. That makes 'em twice as fuckin' annoying", Naruto muttered.

Sasuke smirked briefly, a slightly more serious look soon taking over. Thoughtful, mostly.

"Do we have the resources for that though?" he came to wonder. The blonde sighed and shook his head.

"Not right now", he admitted. "We need someone with inquiry skills. A hacker."

Naruto hadn't thought they'd reach a point where outside help would become a necessity. But to gather sensitive information otherwise off limits, someone with inquiry and data searching skills would be a big help. None of them really possessed the means for such.

"Leave it to me", Sasuke said unexpectedly. "I know a guy."

Naruto raised a brow. "Yeah?"

The slightly suspicious tone of his voice made the other one scowl.

"Hn. Yeah…an old friend", Sasuke muttered.

Sounded vague, but good enough. Getting the vibe that no further questions were desired, he didn't bother to even try. If Sasuke had the means to get the help they needed, he wouldn't question it. He trusted the man enough not to violate his privacy.

"Okay. Works for me", the blonde assured.

Sasuke was content enough with the answer. But it lead him to a question he couldn't help but to voice.

"What 'bout the maniac?" he wondered. "Where is he anyway?"

The instant he finished his sentence, he could see the flash of darkness in the blonde's eyes. It seemed that the topic was more than just volatile. Something must've happened while he'd been away.

"Dunno", Naruto mumbled. "Gone, probably."

Just as he finished his sentence, Sai turned to glance over the blonde's shoulder, a confused look forming on his face. Naruto never saw the direction of his stare, but Sasuke followed it towards the entrance. The two stopped to watch that way for a short, silent while. Eventually Sai had to point his notion out.

"Wouldn't be so sure of that, darlin'."

The blonde frowned. He lifted his downcast gaze up to glance at Sai, who still stared past him. Somewhat confused, he slowly turned to look over his shoulder. He wished he could've claimed his heart didn't skip a beat. But that would've been a lie. He hadn't expected it. He hadn't expected him. Only a few feet away, next to the entrance, stood the redhead. Honestly shocked to see him, Naruto turned in his seat to properly face him. He faced him, but said nothing. The other one returned the look given, as well as the silence. For a while, neither spoke. The silence wasn't tense, only uncertain. On both parts.

Naruto briefly glanced at the ones in his company, before abandoning his seat and cautiously walking towards the redhead. He stopped to stand a short distance away, an unsure look to his posture. Not entirely sure how the man felt about him, he was nervous to be that close. It might've been intrusive. Gaara's gaze felt oppressive. It made him uncomfortable. But silence wasn't a long-term solution. After a while, he forced himself to speak.

"How'd you know I was here?"

The redhead didn't reply right away. He took his time, staring and scowling.

"I didn't. I'm not here for you."

Naruto flinched. He wasn't sure if he felt embarrassed for having expected to be the man's reason to be there, or insulted for not. He had no chance to really decide, as yet another voice spoke beside him.

"What's that thing doin' here?"

The blonde glanced to his right. Unnoticed by him, Sai had appeared to stand next to them. Somewhat confused by the almost angry look on the man's face, he followed the other's gaze back towards the redhead. Only then did he notice the person standing mostly hidden behind Gaara, a deeply distressed look on their face. On a face that Naruto soon realized was far too familiar to go unrecognized. One that made him question if he could really trust his sight.

Long brown hair, fair skin and hazel eyes. Built like Bambi. The waiter from before.

The blonde's face turned confused. His gaze traveled between the three men in his vicinity, attempting to find an answer to a question that hadn't been asked yet. He didn't understand.

"You know him?" he finally asked Sai. The man's face turned sour.

"Yeah", he mumbled. "Long story."

Naruto said nothing. Only remained confused, his eyes traveling back to glance at the redhead. The man's features told nothing. Might as well have been dead. The hollow look directed at him forced the blonde to pry his stare away, moving lower in uncertainty. But it was through that uncertainty he came to discover the softest of touches on the redhead's arm. Soft, yet desperate. A pair of petite hands wrapped around a strong arm, holding on as if belonging there. The sight was quick to rock Naruto's mood slightly on the tenser side. His gaze rushed back up to meet the redhead's, the blue color filled with questions. Yet none were answered. Only a vapid look confronted his wonderment, immediately forbidding all questions. The blonde considered obeying. The result of his attempt was easily settled.

"What's he doing with you?"

His tone wasn't accusing, not the slightest bit apprehensive. Only calm, ready to give a chance. Gaara glanced at the one hiding behind him.

"He's giving me a ride", he told honestly.

Naruto should've, but couldn't stop the heaviness from infiltrating with his calmness. His voice turned borderline judgmental.

"What kinda ride?" he asked, just the slightest bit sneering. The redhead narrowed his eyes, obviously instantly annoyed.

"Does it fuckin' matter?"

The innuendo being painfully obvious, it would've been easy to take it a step further. Naruto decided it was better not to.

"Where are you goin'?" he asked instead. The redhead smirked.

"That don't matter either."

The answer left the blonde disbelieving of the other's obnoxiousness. But before he had a chance to build up a fight, the redhead moved past him, dragging the all too familiar young man behind him. Making his way to the counter, Gaara sat down on a stool, the boy staying glued to him like shit to the sole of a shoe. Naruto found it annoying. More than just that. He found it brash. Yet he said nothing of it. Instead of starting a scene when he already was walking on eggshells, he sucked his bitterness up and took a seat between Gaara and Sasuke. Sai made his way back to the other side of the counter, his suspicious gaze never leaving the one he considered to be an unwanted outsider. But he too made no remark of what was feeding his suspicions. Instead he pulled on his signature smile of fakery and turned to address the redhead.

"What you want, love?"

Gaara grunted. "Advice."

Sai's smile dropped out of sincere surprise. He wasn't the only one left taken aback. Both Sasuke and Naruto turned to look at the redhead in shock. The know-it-all asking for advice? Absolutely unheard of.

"Advice?" Sai questioned. "About what?"

The answer was simple. "Yakuza. Tell me where they're heading."

Nobody said anything. For a while, it was silent. Mostly because of the overall confusion. But for Sai, the silence was a way to figure out the demand's real meaning. Though it didn't take long, he felt apprehensive to speak of it in front of Naruto. He had his reasons, valid ones. In the end, he couldn't find a way to circle around the unavoidable.

"They're stayin' inside the boarders", he told.

The redhead frowned. "For how long?"

"For now", Sai replied, shrugging.

Gaara scowled. It was vaguer than he'd hoped for, but still better than nothing. It'd buy him time, if nothing else. Time to hide, in case that was something he'd end up needing. But that wasn't up to him. Subtly glancing at the blonde intently staring at him, Gaara fought the need to feel guilty. He'd always taken pride in never having lied to Naruto. But now he felt like he had no choice.

He'd claimed he wasn't there for him. That wasn't true. Of course he was. It hadn't been much of stretch to figure out where to find him. There were only so many places the blonde could be found in that town. But Gaara hadn't gone there to find reconciliation. He was past that. Past the empty promises and endless dead ends. There was only one thing he was looking for, and that was finality. The lie rid him of the responsibility of what would become of them. He'd spent his time being needy, now it was time for Naruto to live up to his part of the equation. There was a chance he'd refuse it and Gaara knew that. Which way it'd end up going, was entirely up to the blonde.

Naruto wasn't sure whether or not he was annoyed. Neither could he say by what. But he knew it had something to do with the leech stuck to the redhead's side. Something about it was unsettling. Maybe the overall presence of the uninvited boy, maybe the all too familiar interaction he practiced with the redhead. Naruto could hardly deny it. He was bothered by the hands still on a man they shouldn't have been, and the way they seemed to get more comfortable with the touch as time went by. It irked him. Yet he tried not to mind.

"Who the fuck is he?" the blonde eventually whispered to Sai.

He spoke quietly enough for nobody else to hear, but felt just enough brutal to keep his gaze focused on the boy. It easily gave away the topic. But that'd been the intention. Sai was no more considerate. He kept his voice down, but wasn't shy to lay a glare on the boy.

"Haku", he told with a whisper. "Fucked with the wrong people."

Naruto smirked. "I'm listening."

"Zabuza was a guy who caused a lot of trouble here", Sai told. "The man's dead now. But this one was his bitch. And we don't forget easy."

Sounded fair enough. Stigmas wore off badly in places like that. But it wasn't really past feuds Naruto was interested in. The longer the boy's touch stayed on the redhead, the more tempted he was to start a feud of his own. But he knew he was in no place to do such. Despite the urge to claw the pretty boy's eyes out, he couldn't give in to hypocritical actions like that. He had declared himself to be nobody's property. And though he probably should've, he hadn't taken into count that neither was Gaara. Only now did it actually dawn on him, and only now did he realize what that would result in. In fact, already had.

Jealousy. It'd resulted in jealousy. And it made Naruto angry with himself. It'd been a long while since he'd last had to deal with the feeling. Long enough for him to have forgotten exactly how unpleasant it could be.

The longer he stared, the less okay he was with it, and with himself. The boy, Haku, seemed quite comfortable. Annoyingly so. He seemed to have no problem practically hanging off the redhead's arm. And disturbingly enough, only seemed to grow more comfortable, eventually clinging around the other's waist. Naruto had the screaming need to punch the thing square in the face, no matter how pretty it might've been. Not the boy, but Gaara. Solely because he didn't seem to mind the close contact in the least. The man who normally would've murdered anybody who stepped anywhere too close to his comfort, willingly let this needy thing stay stuck like an insect on flypaper. The stranger's hands had traveled way too low for Naruto's comfort.

Just how was Gaara not bothered by it? _How was he not bothered_?

Whether it was the mild intoxication, the touch lowering yet another inch lower, or just eventual disregard of hypocrisy, the blonde finally reached the limit of his patience. Without a warning and encouraged by built-up anger, he unexpectedly abandoned his seat, grabbed the boy harshly by his wrist and gave him the dirtiest of looks. Ignoring the glare Gaara directed at him, he hissed his thoughts through gritted teeth.

"That hand goes anywhere near that cock and I swear to god I'll fuckin' end you."

In response he got a flinch and the most frightened look one could imagine. That, and a tight grip around his own wrist.

"Let go. Now."

Naruto's shoulders tensed. Slowly turning to look to his right, his cold glare met a mildly angered one. The grip on his wrist tightened, adding to the demand. The blonde felt disbelieving of the redhead's actions. It fed his need to rebel against the demand. But as the redhead's glare slowly grew honestly hostile, he let the boy go. Gaara didn't, he held on. Naruto watched him with angered disbelief in his eyes.

"You honestly takin' his side?" he growled, low and quiet.

He felt the gazes on him, but ignored them. Privacy obviously not being an option, the best he could do was keep his voice down. The redhead's stare turned even harsher.

"I promised to keep him safe."

It might as well have been a shot to the gut. For a split second, Naruto let himself feel a sense of hurt. But that form of weakness was quickly overcome by pure spite. It took real work to keep his voice on a level of privacy.

"You promised to keep _me_ safe, fucker", he hissed as a reminder. Gaara couldn't have looked any more condescending.

"And you made it clear that I ain't fuckin' needed."

Naruto could've tried to deny the claim. But that would've been childish. After all, he'd more than just brushed the subject of being perfectly independent. In hindsight, it probably was a mistake. Yet he didn't possess the humility to admit such. Even if his pride had given way to it, his anger still would've brought the intention down. With a voice of both anger and disappointment, he went straight to the point.

"You're leavin', aren't you?"

The grip on his wrist loosened, as if as a result of mild surprise. Gaara hadn't expected the blonde to take such an honest turn in the conversation. It baffled him for its while, but he never found a reason not to let it take the lead. The anger in his eyes lessened just enough to let a hint of sincerity to accompany it.

"Only if you want me to."

Honesty seemed to be an unexpected element for both sides. Naruto couldn't stop his surprise from showing. His features calmed down, the anger no longer as strong. He felt a vague sense of confusion. It hadn't been the reply he'd expected. And as a surprise to himself, he found he had no direct reply to give. Though his initial reaction was to say he wanted the man to stay, sense and reason stopped him from speaking.

Did he really want him to stay? Would that be any good on the long run? Or would it only be a disaster waiting to reoccur?

It was hardly a challenge to pick the correct answer. He couldn't sincerely say he wanted the man to leave. But neither could he claim that asking him to stay would've resulted in anything but yet another war between them. Naruto felt lost. He suddenly no longer knew at all what he wanted. Even the vaguest ideas of what he desired splintered into nothing but pieces of an unfinished puzzle. Standing there, his mind unexpectedly scattered around as incompatible particles, the blonde ended up saying nothing at all. The uncertainty and confusion dominating his face lead Gaara to sigh in defeat and allow the other one a hint of mercy. Finally letting go of the blonde, he chose his words carefully.

"There's a cargo ship docking here. Triad uses it to smuggle drugs", he stated. "It leaves port at dawn. That gives you six hours."

For a split second, the vaguest glint of hurt visited his gaze. It was barely there, but Naruto caught it. A knot tied in his throat. He wished he could've said something, told something reassuring. His failure to do so obviously helped Gaara to regain his determination. With a stern, yet quiet voice, he released the last words he had to say to the blonde. Perhaps the last he'd ever have.

"Unless your done bein' ashamed of what we could've been, don't show up."

The words had been chosen well. They definitely strived for finality, leaving no room for questions. While Naruto tried to comprehend with the sudden burden to make the choice of his lifetime, he was left to watch the redhead turn his back at him and walk away. The boy, Haku, trailed behind him, his somewhat relieved gaze turning to glance back one more time. There was an attempted apology embedded somewhere between the relief, perhaps even a hint of sympathy. The blonde found no comfort in it. Not when he was once again hanging onto the edge of something that seemed as fragile as glass.

Gaara was gone by the time Naruto finally realized what truly waited ahead. Under the weight of pressure he could barely carry, he found walking back to his seat a struggle. Seating himself down helped next to nothing. The weight remained, the pressure only grew. Aware that he had only a few hours to decide the outcome of his future, he felt lost and helpless. Sasuke was watching him with a gaze of confusion and curiosity. He couldn't bring himself to face the man. There was nothing he could've told him. So he turned to face Sai instead. The pale man met his gaze with a sympathetically sad one. As the blonde's blue eyes silently screamed for help, Sai wished he could've been of real use. But it wasn't his choice to make. It wasn't his burden to carry, not his crossroads to pick a path from. The best he could offer was advice his gut told him to tell.

"One chance, cutie." He refused to sugarcoat the truth. "One shot. Aim carefully."

Naruto lowered his gaze. The wooden top of the counter met him with its dull color. For the silent hours to come, it was all he had the confidence to face.

* * *

The time was 6:55 am. The faintest rays of dawning daylight had started to stretch from behind the city's skyline. The cold breeze from the sea made the temperature feel much colder than it really was. The rising sun would soon come to aid. That's what Gaara thought as he watched it rise, anyway.

There it was, in all its glory. The massive, floating structure of iron that'd take him away, if that was what it would come to. Judging by the time, yet lack of a familiar blonde, it truly might. The possibility of that made Gaara more uneasy than he would've liked to admit. Though unusually optimistic of him, he found vague comfort in the five minutes there was left for Naruto to still show up. Aware that he more likely than not was only lying to himself, he still wanted to believe the man would appear. He felt far stronger about it than he'd anticipated. Perhaps he'd truly gone insane.

A heavy sigh escaped the redhead's lips. He found it difficult to stand still. Somewhat restlessly fidgeting and pacing around, he had mostly forgotten about the company he had. The boy was still there, still quiet and still as nervous as before. But the more visibly anxious the redhead grew to be, the stronger of an obligation Haku felt he had to say something comforting. Even under the risk of it agitating the redhead, he forced himself to stutter out a few words.

"He'll come. I'm sure."

Despite his voice being barely a whisper, the redhead heard it just fine. And as the pacing man came to a sudden halt, Haku found himself flinching. Opening his mouth might've been a mistake after all. The cold glare that slowly turned to face him added credibility to that assumption. Taking an instinctive step back, he was ready to regret ever having said anything at all. In the fear of getting hit, he pursed his lips tightly to refrain from even accidentally whimpering. Starting to feel anxious under the oppressive glare, he even considered running away. But just as the temptation nearly became an intention, the redhead shocked him with something unexpected.

Without a word, the tall man tore his gaze away, dropped to sit on the ground and hid his face behind the arms he rested against his knees. And that's how he stayed. Down on the ground, seemingly attempting to collapse in on himself. Haku was left to stand there in silent shock, lips parted in surprise and confusion restricting his breath. For a split second he questioned if the redhead was crying. The poor posture and hidden face somewhat indicated it. But the perfectly still shoulders and steady breath opposed the thought. That, and the generally heartless nature of the man. Abandoning the thought of tears, Haku concluded this was the closest the redhead probably would ever come to them. And that left him paralyzed with uncertainty.

There was a strange, quite positively lethal man he'd only met once before sitting on the cold ground, curled into a ball of desperation. What on earth was he supposed to do about that?

There was only so long he could stand there wondering about it. He could've decided not to do anything at all. But as a sympathetic man, he didn't have the heart to simply stand and watch such desperation happen. Once again pushing the boundaries of safety, he cautiously took the few steps separating them, lowered himself down to sit next to the redhead, yet made sure not to touch him. Defying all expectations, he didn't get told off nor violently attacked. It was as if the man hadn't even noticed him move. Or perhaps he just didn't care. Either way, Haku stayed. For a while, it was silent. Perhaps only for the danger of it, he eventually dared to speak.

"He's important, isn't he?"

There was no reply. Only more silent anxiety, curled into a passive lump of psychopath. He couldn't claim he'd expected much more, really. But he also didn't let it bother.

"I had someone like that once. Someone important. But they're gone now", he continued talking.

Still, no change. The redhead remained still and silent, his face hidden and posture hunched over. Honestly none of it could be called encouraging for further speech. But Haku decided not to care. A small smile lifted up the corners of his lips.

"It hurts, once they're gone", he admitted. "But that's okay. As long as it hurts, you can't forget them."

Something shifted. Something about his words stirred small movement in the redhead. Though hesitant, Gaara eventually turned to glance at the younger one.

"Did they die?"

The redhead's sudden interest surprised Haku. But it didn't bother him. He ended up shrugging.

"I don't know. That's what they told me", he told quietly. "There was no body. No nothing. Just the night he never came home."

There was sadness to his voice, that was undeniable. But somewhere laced between the melancholy, Gaara could hear a hint of happiness too. It confused him. What sort of happiness could the boy have found in losing someone important? The young man in question seemed to notice the look on his face, as well as read the question on his mind.

"I miss him. I do. And it still hurts", the other one admitted. "But I'd rather think of the good we once had. They robbed me of him, but my memories aren't for anybody to take. And that makes me happy."

Gaara didn't have much to say to that. He wasn't one to relate to such optimism. But good for this guy, he supposed. The other one seemed to notice his difficulty to understand.

"What I'm trying to say is that the bad doesn't kill the good that once was", he clarified.

The redhead frowned. He supposed it made sense. A brutal kind, but did. That still didn't stop the metaphorical knife in his chest from twisting yet another round. He'd learned to truly hate it. That stabbing pain only the blonde seemed capable of causing. It was ironic, in a way. While Naruto had salvaged a part of him that'd shattered into a state he'd believed to have been beyond repair, the man had simultaneously torn down another one. One he'd spent years to build and strengthen, only to have it all go to waste. The walls that kept his humanity restrained. It was unfair. It was so unfair. He doubted he'd ever find the strength to rebuild them back to their old glory. That was what he was the most scared of.

"What time is it?" Gaara asked after a while.

The other one glanced at him, before taking out his phone to check the time. A subtle look of caution visited the boy's features. Though subtle, Gaara noticed it. He hardly even needed the time anymore.

"A minute past seven", the boy told anyway, sounding apologetic.

A soon as he'd said it, the engines of the bulky cargo ship came to life. The sound forced Gaara to face reality. An unplanned, shaky breath escaped his lips. Pushing aside the urge to once again press his head down, he used the remains of his willpower to get on his feet. The other one followed his example and rose from the ground as well. A short moment of uncertainty went by. The redhead stopped to stare at the ship docked next to them. Though he wished he could've fought it, he had to turn to glance in the direction of the city just once more. The area around them was still as deserted as it'd been five minutes ago.

He'd tried. It hadn't paid off. Naruto wasn't coming.

By some miracle Gaara avoided yet another twist of the metaphorical knife in his chest. Having no intention of showing weakness of any kind in front of the stranger, he created a distraction out of the car parked a small distance away. The one he'd promised to give to the boy.

"The car's stolen", he revealed. "Change the plates and sell it."

Haku nodded. The look of sympathy on the young man's face irked Gaara, but he found no real reason to point it out. Knowing it was time to leave the dust of yet another dead end behind him, he picked up the bag containing the little he had and glanced at the other man one last time.

"Thanks for the ride."

"You're welcome."

In all its simplicity, it was just fine. Refusing to give hope another chance anymore, Gaara decided a glance over his shoulder wasn't worth it. Determined to get away as fast as possible, he turned his back to everything he now regretted having given a chance to in the first place, and started walking towards what he could only call the unknown.

* * *

It was a maze. The harbor was a mess of endless corners and dead ends, determined to kill the attempts of anyone who might've had the desire to catch their only chance of happiness before it was gone for good. A mess constructed solely to destroy one's faith in life.

That's how Naruto felt while running down the narrow paths between industrial halls and cargo containers. His rushed steps echoed between the metal structures, the sound of another runner struggling to keep up behind him. Sasuke had always been a faster runner than him. The reversed placement gave an insight of the panic that fueled the blonde's will to push himself further than he really could reach. The fact that he was late didn't matter to him. The probability that Gaara was already gone held no relevance. Only the desperation to find him counted.

One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Eventually four minutes. He was four minutes late, when he finally discovered a glimpse of the sea between the buildings and containers. Sprinting to reach the open area of the dock's edge, he poured all his willpower to run even faster. He reached the edge of the dock. He stopped running. And his heart sunk.

A black cargo ship, bold letters spelling 'China' on the back of it, rammed through the waves in the distance. The panic he'd felt so far was nothing compared to what got hold of him in that instance. Feeling himself nearing the point of losing all sense, the blonde pushed himself to get a grip. There had to be something he could do. Anything. Aware that time was not on his side, he acted on the first idea that came to mind. He took out his gun, aimed it towards the sea and fired. He wasn't sure what exactly he was supposed to accomplish with such rash behavior, but knew it'd attract attention, if nothing else. Only the chances of attracting the attention he was seeking for were slim to none.

He was quick to run out of bullets. As the trigger no longer shot out anything but hollow clicks, his panic turned into frustration. An angry growl flooding from his throat, Naruto threw the useless gun over the edge of the dock, leaving it to sink into the freezing cold sea. Heavy and hasty breaths moving in and out his abused lungs, he found himself at a loss of what to do. The ship was a good three hundred yards out on the open water by then. There was no realistic way to catch it anymore. But he was well beyond reason and realism. Realism could go fuck itself as far as he was concerned.

Naruto walked over to the edge that separated him and the sea. Placing his feet partly over the quite considerable drop down, he clenched his hands into fists. His gaze lowered to face the deep blue water beneath him. The temperature of it, it must've been only barely short of literally freezing. A somewhat manic laughter escaped his lips. He couldn't believe the lengths he was prepared to go to. He must've lost his mind. He must've. But despite knowing that, he lacked no determination. What he was intending to do meant certain death. He'd never make it. Yet he'd rather have died trying, than not have tried at all. That was the logic he came only a simple fall forward from literally drowning in. But it was a voice from above that stopped him not a second too late.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?"

Naruto froze. Confused by the unexpected voice, he glanced around. But saw no one. Even Sasuke hadn't made it there yet. Only a car parked in the distance was in sight. Seeing nobody there, he had to question if he'd perhaps gone insane. He was sure he'd heard someone speak. God, perhaps? The second that thought crossed his mind, he understood how flawed his logic had become. Just to make sure, he took a look around again. Only then did he realize that there was in fact another cargo ship docked next to him.

The blonde lifted his gaze up, all the way to the second floor level of the ship. His baffled stare was met by several curious ones of the crew members'. Of people he didn't know, looking at him quite strangely. Somewhat threatening even. But one of the stares directed at him he did recognize. And it caused his heart to sink once more. Only in a way much better than the first time.

Standing on the open isle on the side of the ship, leaning against the railing, stood the redhead. Words could not describe the relief that washed over the blonde as he realized he'd made it in time after all. But the look on Gaara's face did create slight doubt to that assumption. As did what he eventually decided to say.

"You're late."

His voice held no particular tone to it. It was a simple statement. Yet Naruto still felt apprehensive to ask his question.

"Am I too late?"

The redhead said nothing. Only stared down at the blonde, a look of indifference on his face. The longer the man remained silent, the less relieved Naruto felt anymore. It was then it dawned on him that only because he'd miraculously made it in time, it didn't mean Gaara would forgive him for being late. Had the ship not been off schedule, he would've missed his chance. In other words, he'd done nothing to deserve a second chance. As the silence only continued, Naruto came to realize he truly had fucked up. The man wasn't going to forgive him. And as the redhead eventually tore his gaze away and walked away from the railing with a look of disappointment on his face, the blonde knew he'd missed his chance.

The feelings of loss and depression were quick to reach him again. The heaviness returning to weigh him down, Naruto took the few steps to the edge and stopped to stand there again. Empty gaze staring at the cold water once more, he honestly fought the urge to just step into the nothingness above it. He managed to stay on dry land. Instead of acting suicidal, he sat himself down. Legs dangling off the edge, he stopped to wonder just why life loved mistreating him. That he spent wondering for a good two minutes, yet no answer seemed to ever occur to him.

"Almost."

The blonde flinched. The unexpected voice behind his back invited him to glance over his shoulder. As soon as he did, he rushed to get on his feet. Only a few feet away, stood the redhead. On land, and out of his own free will. Behind him stood Sasuke. And next to Sasuke, stood Haku. But it wasn't them Naruto was interested in. His interests went without saying.

"Will you stay?" he asked, embarrassed for how weak his voice was. The redhead tilted his head and frowned.

"Depends." The man raised a brow. "What is there to stay for?"

Naruto had no need to think of an answer. He'd had it ready for a long while.

"Us."

Gaara huffed, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"But there ain't an us, now is there?"

It was a challenge. Naruto knew that. But just like the answer he'd had prepared, the courage he needed for tackling this challenge was ready and waiting. He didn't hesitate to walk over to the other man, didn't hesitate to look him in the eyes with sincerity. Gaara looked curious, borderline obnoxious even. The blonde huffed.

"There's always been, dumbass."

And for the first time that openly, he didn't hesitate to grab the obnoxious bastard and kill the smug smirk on his face with perhaps the most embarrassingly desperate kiss in all of history. For such a desperate one, it was well received.

Two men stood an appropriate distance away, watching the sight before them. One looked pleased and calm, the other as if he'd been seated in the audience of a freak show. Eyes narrowed into thin streaks and mouth hanging more or less open, Sasuke struggled to remember how the process of forming words functioned. The complete stranger standing beside him turned to look at his horrified face.

"You didn't know?"

For such a simple question, it stirred an unexpected amount of strange noises and confused whining.

"You mean you did?" Sasuke eventually managed to question. "Who the hell even are you?"

Haku smiled. "Just a stranger."

The look on Sasuke's face could be called sour. Not even bothering to understand, he turned his gaze back towards the two morons still sucking each other's faces as if attempting to extract souls. Though somewhat weirded out, the confusion on his face mellowed. For several of the long hours he'd spent with Naruto that night, the blonde hadn't spoken a single word. Hadn't given an explanation of any kind. Only sat by the bar's counter with a tortured look on his face, posture hunched over as if all the worries of the world had been laid upon him. All the way till closing time, and even after it. He'd held onto the silence, and Sasuke had let him. Barely an hour before sunrise, he'd finally lifted the consistently downcast gaze, turned to face Sasuke and asked if he believed that happiness outshone the importance of rationality. Sasuke had taken his confused while to wonder if this simplistic question could truly be what his friend had spent five consistent hours contemplating. And though left bewildered by it, he'd given an honest answer. Yes, he did believe that happiness outshone rationality.

It'd taken Naruto a solid second to get up and start running without a single word of explanation. Unexpected, one could say. But now in hindsight, Sasuke could see the reason behind it. He could also see that it wasn't the first time this primal tongue wrestling had taken place. He supposed it could've been worse. He could've waltzed in on the two horny bastards at a time much more awkward for all participants. In the most obtrusive way possible, he preferred this by a long shot. Though not entirely sure how he felt about the strangeness before him, he couldn't bring himself to feel too surprised. In all honesty, he probably should've seen it coming. It seemed he'd stood too close to see the forest for the trees.

"Explains a whole lot of strange shit though", he mumbled to himself.

The man beside him merely smiled. Sasuke frowned. A slightly disgruntled look formed on his face. After a while of pondering, he did find an aspect of this he wasn't too fond of.

"The straight guy gets more dick than I do." The disgruntlement grew deeper. "Nice one, life."

* * *

**You people happy now? They are all loved up and shit. Perhaps I'll finally be able to proceed with the rest of the plot.**

**Honestly, I do apologize for the long wait. Compared to my previous pace of updating, a three month wait is quite unfair. I dislike the fact that this website has no practical system that'd help keep the readers updated. Since such a thing doesn't fucking exist, I've decided to write all relevant updates and messages on my profile page. So in case I for one reason or another happen to disappear again in the future, and you find yourself wondering if I have dropped dead, go check out my profile. An explanation of some kind will appear on it, in case I'm forced to disappear again. Some other messages of relevance might be found on it as well. **

**After having rewritten this chapter literally eight times (not a fucking joke), with major changes in every single version, I am entirely oblivious to the quality of it anymore. Which is why reviews would be exceptionally appreciated. Now imma go reward myself with a stick of lung cancer and hope I didn't fuck the shit up. **

**Also, still in love with ya'll. *kisses***


	46. Shameless

**I really need to thank you all for all the overwhelmingly flattering reviews. Honestly, you people make my day, every day. I hope this one tickles your fancy as well.**

* * *

A few days went by and Friday rolled around, finally bringing the long awaited weekend to their avail. An exceptionally beautiful morning it was. The sun was properly shining for the first time in weeks, not a cloud in sight. Only the bright blue sky hovering above blankets of powdery snow, allowing the city a glimpse of the miracles nature's inevitable forces could be capable of. Truly a breathtakingly beautiful winter day. One that easily lifted the spirits of even the most cynical individuals.

"I am going to skin you alive. With a pair of _fucking_ nail clippers."

Well, most of the most cynical. Exceptions were also an inevitable force of nature.

"I will tear you into pieces equivalent to shredded fucking cheese."

Gaara found himself swallowing nervously. It'd been a while since Naruto had seemed as homicidal.

"Have you any idea how _fucking murdered _you'd be if I could get my hands on you?!"

The blonde's borderline screaming raised a few judgmental brows in his vicinity. Naruto couldn't have cared less.

"I…I'd rather not think about that", the redhead admitted.

Naruto's eyes narrowed into thin streaks of murderous intent. He took a sudden step closer. Gaara took a reflexive leap backwards, despite it not being necessary. Nobody could blame him. Had they been alone and in an environment where separation was not included, the redhead would've been torn to atoms a long time ago.

"You honestly better hope you ain't allergic to nuts, cause I'm about to feed you yours", the blonde hissed. "How could you be this fuckin' dumb?"

Gaara wished he'd had an explanation rational enough to satisfy his homicidal better half. But he didn't, and that would most likely lead to only that half continuing to exist anymore. He was basically dead already, and knew it. If only he'd gone to China. It might've added a few months to his life expectancy. But he wasn't in China. No, he was there and only a few inches away from being brutally murdered. He was about to die for being an utter and complete idiot.

It was a beautiful Friday morning, and Gaara was in jail.

Why was Gaara in jail? Because he had the brain activity of a retarded snail, that's why. Naruto was livid. It might've not been the correct word to describe his mood, as no word came even close to being accurate enough. Despite all the times he'd wanted to mutilate the redhead unrecognizable, no occasion had demanded it as aggressively as the one at hand. Because this time, no act of violence would've been enough to satisfy his need to make the man suffer.

"Step closer, fucknut", Naruto growled.

Gaara's face went exceptionally white. The expression on his face resembled something someone in the vicinity of a rabid bear might've made. Hadn't the situation been as sincerely lethal as it was, the sight would've been hilarious. Though wishing the earth would suddenly just suck him underground, the redhead was forced to cave into the demand eventually. Nervous about the fact that his hands were cuffed behind his back and that the iron bars between them wouldn't be able to stop Naruto from eating his face off, he stepped closer with caution. He regretted it the second he came close enough for the blonde to grab the front of his shirt and more or less crush him against the metal. Gaara had never been as tempted to pray to a god he didn't believe in.

"You wanna know what I spent the entire night doin' while you vacationed here, hm?" Naruto asked, his voice a mix of a hiss and a whisper.

Gaara wished he could've declined. But he knew better than to think he was actually offered a genuine choice. So he simply nodded, the little he could while being crushed to death against the iron door. The blonde couldn't have felt any less sympathetic.

"You do, huh? Well, let me tell you, _sweetheart_", he growled. "I spent the entire fuckin' night sucking up to the piece of shit you sent to the hospital. And I'll have you know, that is _not_ my idea of fun."

Gaara had never been so sure he'd die. Never in his life. Hadn't he been in no mood for humor, the irony could've been considered hilarious.

"He made me hold his fucking hand for ten hours straight", Naruto told. "_Ten hours._ I'm a lawyer, not a fucking escort."

The redhead's fright for his life suffered slight disturbance. Keeping his piehole shut would've been the way to go, but somehow he forgot.

"He touched you?" he questioned through gritted teeth. "That fucker's mother better start plannin' an open casket funeral for his decapitated head real soon."

He barely finished the sentence before getting slammed against the iron bars all over again. It hurt twice as bad as before.

"No she fuckin' don't", Naruto growled. "That attitude is what got you arrested in the first place."

This time, Gaara decided it was wisest to remain silent. That honestly might've been the best decision he'd made in the past twenty-four hours.

"Speakin' of the bastard's mother, guess who assaulted me with a fucking handbag the instant they walked into that hospital?" the blonde continued.

Again, Gaara should've kept his mouth shut.

"An old hag with a handbag?" he muttered. "Sounds extremely dangerous."

He probably should've saved the sarcasm for another time. At least that's what the pain soon inflicted upon him indicated.

"You ever been sacked by an old hag, hm? Because I have", Naruto hissed. "And guess who ain't gettin' any for as long as I can't feel my fuckin' balls."

Gaara winced. Partly because he obviously was the one not getting any, partly for something entirely else.

"I get it. She kicked you in the nuts. Please let mine go."

Begging held far less relevance than normally, it seemed.

"You have no idea how close I came to sucking a stranger's dick for an entire night, just so you won't get sued for assault. Give me one reason not to castrate you, fucktwit", Naruto grunted.

His argument was quite valid. A difficult one to overturn.

"Cause celibacy ain't your thing?" the redhead suggested. Naruto scowled.

"It just might", he growled, yet did finally let go.

Gaara wanted to curl up into a ball and die. A lower part of him already had. He couldn't help but to send a glare to the chubby guard standing outside his cell.

"Way to do your job, fatass. The fuck do you get paid for?"

The guard turned to look at him, a spiteful smirk above his triple chin.

"To allow punishing of scum like you. A real generous lawyer you've got there."

The redhead's face fell. He slowly turned to look at Naruto, a look of unimpressed disbelief plastered across his features.

"You paid that walrus just to fuck up the only part of me that actually keeps you happy?"

The blonde huffed. "Yes. And now there's no part of you left to make me happy."

"It's still there you know. It's not fucking detachable", Gaara reminded. Probably a mistake.

"You wanna bet on that?"

As expected, it shut him up with efficiency. Pleased enough, Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"Hn. You grow a new pair while I go bail your sorry ass out", he muttered and turned to walk away.

Gaara was in the middle of a nod, when he realized what getting bailed out would mean. It'd mean no cell, no iron bars and no nothing that'd stop the blonde from quite literally castrating him. Had anybody who personally knew the redhead been there to see the horror spreading across his face, they would've gotten the laugh of a lifetime.

"Oh god no", Gaara whispered.

Eyes widening in terror and realization, he happened to meet gazes with the guard, who seemed to enjoy the expression of dread on the redhead's face quite openly.

"No. No, no, no. Don't let him bail me out", Gaara found himself frantically pleading. "I'll pay your fat ass as much as you want."

The chubby man cracked into a deep, booming laughter. Instead of even considering it, he followed the blonde into the other room, leaving the redhead to imagine the tragic future his manhood was likely to encounter. The forecast wasn't exactly good.

How exactly did they end up in a situation of testicle abuse and begging not to be freed from jail?

The deep rooted cause could be timed to have begun a couple of days before, not long after they'd gone to see Sai. Though the disaster they'd barely managed to avoid had been blessed with a happy ending, it'd been no happy ever after. No, it'd been a happy-approximately-a-day-ever-after. Nothing disastrous had instantly taken place. In fact, everything had been quite well, if referring to the bigger picture. Gaara and Naruto had stopped fighting, as no need for lying or hiding was involved anymore. Sasuke had been on a better mood as well, since the two no longer poisoned the surrounding world with useless bickering. They now poisoned it with shameless acts of public affection, but though at times overcome with second-hand embarrassment, Sasuke still preferred it over the war of two idiots.

All had been quite well in general. Gaara was especially pleased with his right to claim the blonde to be entirely his, and fairly ruthlessly used that right to its fullest potential. Naruto couldn't say he minded that. He was quite happy to be treated like something that'd fallen down from heaven. But what he did mind, was the way Gaara treated other people because of it.

If the man had been jealous before, the way he began acting only a day after could not be described with words. Naruto had imagined Gaara couldn't possibly behave any more disturbed and homicidal than he had so far. The guy had shredded a man to pieces with his bare hands. It was a challenge to top the unnecessary rudeness of that. Yet through some miracle, in the following couple of days, Naruto found himself being proven horribly wrong. For the duration of the next three days, the blonde witnessed the redhead act in unimaginable ways without a reasonable motive. And hadn't it been as intimidating and vicious as it was, Naruto could've concentrated on being merely embarrassed. At first it'd been only that, embarrassing. But then it'd become exhausting.

He hadn't thought much of it initially. It hadn't been anything worth mentioning at first. The morning they'd left the harbor, Haku had kindly given them a ride back to the city. The boy had been cheerful despite the long night, and seemed to have forgotten all of the tension he'd briefly inflicted between certain someones. That wasn't really an issue. The issue was that so had Naruto. He'd started to feel bad for having treated the man rudely, and found it appropriate to be kind instead. The short ride to the city had been enough for the two to get through proper introductions, find a common wavelength and bond over mutual interests. In the end, the blonde invited Haku to stay with them for a nap in the hotel room they found. Tired and appreciative, Haku had agreed. And somehow, he'd ended up sticking around for the days to come.

Gaara wasn't particularly annoyed by Haku's presence in itself. The man had a few days off from his job as a waiter and Naruto seemed pleased spending time with his new acquaintance. A happy Naruto usually meant a calm environment and thus, a moderately mentally stable Gaara. In theory, that was what'd happened. The redhead had seemed to be on a fairly good mood. But as most theories, this one lacked that something to make it function in practice. The redhead might've been on a good mood, but only when physically attached to Naruto like a leech. Not necessarily a problem, but it became one whenever the blonde left his side to get too comfortable near someone else. Though outrageously ridiculous, a perfect example was when Naruto made the mistake of allowing Haku to change the bandage covering the gunshot wound in his arm. A mistake, on a grand scale.

Gaara had growled. Growled, like a dog. Hadn't said a word, only stared and growled. By far the strangest thing any of them had experienced in a while. Coming from people who'd experienced the strangest of things, it held some relevance. Naruto had given the man a long, weird look. But as usual, the redhead's intent stare of approaching doom eventually won the staring contest between them. Gaara got to finish what Haku had started, and everything went back to normal. The redhead included. As if he'd never growled at all.

Haku learned his lesson and kept his distance in the range of appropriate from the blonde after that. Naruto figured the problem had been solved. His naïve assumption came to an end the following day. All four of them had agreed to meet Sai at a bar downtown. Not in the neighborhood most well-known to them. But instead literally downtown, in the vicinity of normal people and upstanding citizens. Bringing Gaara to places as such should've waved a massive red flag, yet for reasons unknown, hadn't. Naruto was yet to stop regretting that.

Contrary to the most likely belief, Sai hadn't been the problem. The man's presence had made the redhead attach himself to Naruto in the most outrageously overprotective manner, but no growling took place. The blonde mistook it for progress. It perhaps was, when it came to Sai. But Sai hadn't been the issue in the first place. No, it was the wall of silicon attached to a female human being behind the bar's counter that became the issue.

The girl serving the counter had been young and pretty, blessed with a gorgeous smile and a huge, huge rack. The latter most likely blessed by medical science. Naruto hadn't particularly paid any attention to that well-blessed attribute of hers, but once they were right in his face, it was somewhat difficult not to acknowledge their existence. The thing was that Naruto was a good-looking guy. Blonde hair, blue eyes and a smile to kill for. And whether he liked it or not, those things combined tended to attract young, pretty females. Such as the one leaning far too close to him for it to be considered professional.

Naruto hadn't been interested in her, and attempted to make that clear by keeping his face as far away as possible from the abundance of silicon bouncing before him. In his opinion, that should've been enough of a sign for both the girl, and Gaara, that he was in no way tempted to get to know her _or_ her tits any better. But as it'd turned out, it wasn't enough. For either of them.

The girl had made the mistake of calling him cute. Naruto made the mistake of politely thanking her and telling that she had a smile to match her personality. Though perfectly innocent politeness, Gaara had independently declared it unacceptable, risen to his feet, laid a murderous glare on the poor girl and then told 'the ugly whore to fuck off'. Needless to say, Naruto had nearly thrown a chair at him.

Getting kicked out of the bar probably should've been enough of a sign for Naruto to realize that jealousy of that kind was not healthy anymore. But apart from giving Gaara a major slap on the back of his head and titling him the god of all that was moronic, he'd let the matter be again. In all his naivety, he hadn't even imagined the man would be stupid enough to behave even worse. Wrong, again.

Apart from the strange growling the redhead had decided to start practicing on a regular basis, the rest of that day and the beginning of the next one went mostly fine. But as most good things, even that blissful peace came to an end by the evening. In hindsight, Naruto probably should've seen it coming from a mile away. Yet his dumb faith in the man had allowed him to believe that the redhead would control himself. And if not would, at least could. Rarely had Naruto been as wrong twice at the same time.

The blonde had never taken much notice of it, but it seemed that not only women laid their long stares on him. He'd never before had the awareness to really even notice looks men might've given him. Neither were they that common, for reasons that went without saying. But now, after events that'd widened his attention span on an interactive level, the looks he did get no longer went unnoticed. That awareness of his became topical as a tall, good-looking man happened to pass them on street.

The man's appearance hadn't much told of which team he played for. Not in a way Naruto could've guessed from. But the long, burning stare and smirk he'd received outed the man in an instant. Naruto hadn't really given him anything in return, although his gaze might've lingered just a little too long for it to be entirely casual.

Gaara noticed it, that went without saying. But oddly enough, he'd reacted in no way at all. It'd impressed the blonde. One might even say he'd felt proud of him. Even as the man had walked past them, still staring, the redhead hadn't spared him as much as a glance. Naruto had let himself hope that'd be it. That it'd go as smoothly and effortlessly as it'd appeared to have gone. It really might've. If only the staring stranger had kept his mouth shut instead of stopping and offering the blonde further acknowledgment.

"Hey. Blondie!" a low voice had hollered behind him.

Naruto had glanced behind him, with no intention of stopping. He'd then turned to see Gaara. Apart from the scowl on his face, he hadn't seemed too bothered. Yet Naruto still feared some sort of passive aggressive rage was waiting to be released. No such thing happened. Strangely enough, the only thing he'd done, was wrap his arm around the blonde's shoulders to pull him as close as possible. Naruto had been impressed by his civilized behavior. Too bad the stranger hadn't known when to stop.

"Oh, c'mon. You can do better than that. You could do me", the same voice had spoken again. Loudly. Obnoxiously. And so, so stupidly.

Naruto never got the chance to even glance at Gaara, before the man had already disappeared from his side. Instant dread washing over him, Naruto had turned to see the redhead march towards the stranger with steps that could be considered calm, yet without a doubt threatening. The calm aspect only made it that much more terrifying. Without hesitation, the redhead had grabbed the man by the throat, shoved him against a display window and thrown his fist at the guy's face. And after the first hit, he hadn't even considered stopping.

The three others left to stare at the beating in horror, it took a good while before anyone even realized something should've been done. But even with the strength of three full-grown men, Gaara had remained unrestrained. Even though the man on the receiving end of his assault most likely had dropped every last one of his teeth, the redhead had found no reason to stop. And just as Naruto thought it couldn't have gotten any worse, Gaara succeeded in smashing the guy's head through the display window. Only an honest miracle prevented anyone from being cut in half by the massive shards of glass.

One would've thought that the suddenly missing window would've finally made the redhead more aware. But rationality of no kind was on his side that day. With unimaginable strength, yet a terrifyingly expressionless face, he'd continued to bash the poor man's face in, the crowd gathering around not bothering him in the least. Not even the sound of sirens approaching made a difference. It wasn't until a pair of patrol officers appeared to pry him off the man, when Gaara finally was forced to stop. And even then only with the help of the blonde. Even in cuffs and held down by two officers, the redhead had still attempted to get free. The lawyer in Naruto had cringed horrifically. Resistance of arrest would not look good. Not that the assault did either.

Forcefully hauled onto his feet, hands cuffed behind his back and still resisting absolutely everything, the redhead had been shoved against the hood of the police car. The search for anything illegal could've ended very badly. It was only by chance he hadn't been armed. In all honesty, he hadn't deserved such luck. Not even in Naruto's opinion. Gaara had become painfully aware of just how disappointed the blonde was in him once their gazes happened to meet. In an instant, all rage had disappeared from the redhead's eyes, only a horrified look remaining. It seemed he'd woken back to reality.

Gaara had never seen Naruto look as devastatingly disappointed as then. And without a chance to even attempt an apology, he'd been taken away. The rest of them were left to feel embarrassed in the middle of a curious crowd and paramedics attempting to hold the beaten up man's face together. Seeing it, Naruto doubted the thing could be stapled back together anymore. Never in his life had he felt as mortified. Perfectly aware of what it'd take to get Gaara out of the mess he'd made, Naruto wished he could've dropped dead then and there. It was times such as these when he hated his law degree and the responsibilities that came with it.

Sasuke and Haku left the scene together. The one with connections to crime investigating spent the next hours pulling strings he'd never had to before. Naruto had gone to the hospital along with the mutilated man and stayed in the ER the entire night, all the while making calls and bribing people off. He impoverished more overnight than he usually did in six months. Through some godly power, he persuaded the hospitalized man to sign an out-of-court settlement. That made him a whole year's worth poorer. He couldn't believe the lengths he went to, only to help Gaara out of the consequences of his own bad decisions.

The assaulted man ended up being lucky. After the blood was washed away from his face, only a single gash ended up needing stitches. A gash that would ruin the once pretty face, yet he at least still had one. The guy must've had a guardian angel stuck to his arrogant ass. That same exact arrogant ass Naruto was forced to suck up to for the rest of the night. Halfway through he'd almost begun wishing the man's face would've been entirely ripped off by Gaara. But if being realistic, they'd been in luck for the injuries to have been minor. Otherwise it would've been doubtful a settlement would've taken place at all.

That was the story of how Gaara ended up punching a pretty boy's face to shit. Also the story of how Naruto lost money like a lousy gambler, even more so when bailing the violent maniac out of jail. He'd had better days. They'd all had better days.

Standing inside the iron-barred cell and watching the door slide open, Gaara felt the need to flee. Naruto stood on the other side waiting, arms folded across his chest and a hostile look permanently stuck to his face. Once the door was open, the redhead wasn't asked to exit, but instead was forcefully pulled out by a guard. The same chubby man who'd by then had the time of his life on the redhead's expense. And it seemed he wasn't all done just yet. Instead of freeing Gaara from the cuffs, he turned to give the blonde a smile.

"Go ahead, sir."

And boy did he go ahead. The redhead barely had a chance to frown in confusion, before the harshest of openhand slaps in the history of all face slapping came to contact with him. The sound it made was somewhat impressive. Might've broken the sound barrier. It seemed to entertain a few of the other cell inhabitants. Someone went as far as applauding. Though not too happy about it, Gaara was hardly in a place to complain.

"Okay. I deserved that one", he admitted.

It could've been worse. Had it been a fist, he would've been in the ER lying next to his latest victim.

"That ain't even a fraction of what you deserve, shithead", Naruto pointed out. The redhead sighed heavily.

"I know. I fucked up", he muttered and took a step closer. "C'mon, angelface. Don't be like that."

His attempts to receive forgiveness merely made the blonde angrier.

"Don't you fucking 'angelface' me. I'm so close to clawing your eyes out", Naruto hissed.

Gaara fought not to smirk. Though wildly unhealthy, he found the other's anger somewhat adorable. But he also should've known better than to point it out.

"You're cute."

A look of murderous intent flashed in the blonde's eyes. But only briefly, before looking perfectly calm and composed again. Gaara probably should've realized how bad of a sign that was. Yet he didn't, and never saw the lowest of blows a man could give another coming. And it wasn't the good kind of low blow. It was the kind that forced the redhead to drop to his knees, an unusually sincere look of pain on his face. Naruto laid a cold, unsympathetic glare on him.

"Cute, ain't I?"

Without another word, the blonde turned on his heels and walked away. Gaara was left to kneel on the isle between a dozen cells, while the chubby guard let out a long whistle.

"Oh boy. That oughta hurt", the man noted as he finally went to open the cuffs.

The walk away from the police station could be called tense, if in the mood for severe underestimation. Silent, as well. Naruto hadn't as much as glanced at Gaara, and Gaara had been too focused on trying not to walk funny to even consider speaking. They'd walked for a mile by then and still had two to go. It was no exaggeration to claim that the tension grew stronger every step they took. Mostly on the blonde's side. He had his reasons for it. Valid ones.

For the entire duration of their walk so far, Gaara hadn't even attempted to apologize. Though the man's inconsideration was no news, Naruto was slowly but surely growing tired of his ungrateful attitude. He doubted the man truly understood how much effort it'd demanded to get him essentially off the hook. By law, he could've stayed detained for twenty-three days, no charges necessary. Getting him out in twenty-four hours was nothing short of a miracle. One the man didn't seem to appreciate in the least. And there was only so much longer the blonde was prepared to withstand it. Soon enough, he reached his limit.

"Are you being fucking serious?"

Deep in his thoughts, Gaara hadn't noticed the blonde stop walking. He turned to look at the indignant man, and being the inconsiderate prick that he was, could only be confused.

"Huh?"

Naruto didn't know why he bothered being surprised by the redhead's dumb reply. But it did fuel his need to make his point as clear as he could, without circling around the issue. Stomping over to him with angry steps, he gave him a glare that demanded to be acknowledged.

"Have you any idea how close you came to prison again?" he hissed.

The redhead frowned, as if not in the least bit concerned. It brought Naruto's annoyance to levels unheard of.

"Not only did you fuck up for no reason at all, but I was the one to clean up this pile of shit", he pointed out.

Gaara remained confused. "Okay…What am I supposed to say?"

Even for such an obviously dumb question, it was miraculous he did not find the stupidity in it himself. Naruto did. He very much did, and couldn't stop his jaw from dropping in the disbelief of having been forced to even hear it. He couldn't believe he honestly had to answer, that he actually had to explain. The thought of it made him grit his teeth till they created sound.

"I stayed up the entire _fucking_ night calling people I didn't wanna call and bribing bastards I can't stand existing. And cause I refused to suck the wanker off, I took me _hours_ to persuade the creepy piece of shit to sign the settlement."

The frown on Gaara's face began to lift. But Naruto was far from done.

"Had I just sucked a cock, I would've been out in five minutes."

Gaara could've lied and said the thought didn't bother him, but it would've been a lie. For once though, he was smart enough to keep his opinions to himself.

"And have you any damn clue how much it cost me to make them 'forget' to fingerprint you?" Naruto questioned.

So far, every question the blonde had asked, Gaara had answered incorrectly. He'd learned it was better to not reply anything at all.

"More than you'd be worth if I sold you on the black market, bitch", Naruto growled. "I lost four and a half fucking million in twenty-four fucking hours."

That revelation certainly did its job. The redhead's lips parted in surprise. He couldn't find the words to match his thoughts. But neither did he have to, as the blonde still had a piece of his mind to give.

"If I bust my ass off to get you off the hook, is an apology really that fucking hard of a concept to understand?"

It was then and there Gaara finally realized what his biggest mistake had been. Whereas Naruto undoubtedly felt humiliated and disappointed for what he'd done, the lack of shame and guilt for his actions outshone the actions themselves. For the first time in his life, the redhead felt a real need to show humility. He even went as far as lowering his gaze in shame.

"I'm sorry", he told sincerely.

Naruto said nothing. Gaara figured his humility might've been too little, too late. The attempt to take the blonde's hand into his was denied.

"Don't touch me."

He didn't. Didn't even try. Not sure what to say, the redhead closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. He wasn't sure how to make up for his mistake.

"I'll pay you back. I swear I'll pay you back", was all he could think of saying.

Naruto shook his head and huffed with disinterest.

"I don't want your fuckin' money", he assured. "I just want you to behave. Jealousy like that…it ain't okay."

The redhead shut his eyes once more and let out a frustrated grunt. He felt angry. Angry at himself. He felt disappointed in his lack of control over himself. He found it to be a form of weakness, if entirely honest. And weaknesses had never sat well with him. But though well aware of this flaw in his mostly functioning system, he hadn't found a way to correct it. His software simply had no room for an update of this kind.

"I know that", he soon muttered. "I just…I can't control it."

The blonde sighed, somewhat frustrated, mostly just exhausted.

"This ain't a debate. You have to learn to keep your shit together."

The silence he got in return quite frankly told what the eventual answer would be. Gaara didn't disappoint him when it came to expectations, but he did disappoint when it came to hopes.

"I can't", he repeated.

Naruto scowled. Once again, he looked so deeply disappointed. It made Gaara feel oddly anxious. He had begun to realize just how much he hated disappointing the blonde. Whenever such happened, the broken, mistreated look in the man's eyes caused him to feel like a failure. He despised the feeling not only for the weakness it brought out in him, but for the hurt he knew it caused the other one. Just like every other disappointment, this too drove the blonde to eventually sigh and shake his head tiredly.

"You have no real reason to act the way you do", he tried to reason. "Who cares about other people? Shouldn't you trust me enough not to give a shit about 'em?"

"I trust you", the redhead assured. "It's the horny rest of the world I don't trust. Have you fuckin' seen yourself?"

Naruto's harsh eyes softened the slightest bit. It was impossible not to find the other's words flattering, but neither was it possible to let them justify any of his behavior.

"Listen", the blonde sighed. "I need you to promise me you'll stop doin' this shit."

Gaara remained silent. Naruto hoped he was looking for an even remotely intellectual answer, but the instant the man dropped his gaze down in shame, he knew his hopes were in vain.

"I can't."

The repetition of that same excuse had quickly grown old and dull. Naruto had no intention of staying to listen to it again. Obviously demanding the man to stop behaving like a wild animal wasn't going to work. Why he'd expected words to tame a wild tiger into a domesticated house cat, he couldn't say. Though unfortunate, reality left him with only the option of blackmail.

"You know what? I don't actually give a shit if you can't", he stated. "You either find a way, or I'll never walk with you in public again. There's your choices. Fucking pick one."

Not much there was Gaara could've said to that. Neither was he given the chance. Before he could even consider replying, the blonde had already turned his back and begun walking away. The redhead was left to ponder whether or not he was supposed to follow. As the blonde never stopped to wait, he had to conclude he most likely wasn't. Since his company obviously wasn't desired, he turned his course back towards downtown instead. The grim look on his face cleared his path quite efficiently, fellow pedestrians gladly stepping away from his vicinity. His unintended intimidation went unnoticed by him, while intently focusing on how to fix the issue he obviously had at hand.

Naruto's opinion of his behavior was quite clear. Gaara couldn't say he blamed him. His rash actions were risky when the intention was not to attract unneeded attention. Getting arrested hardly was appropriate in their situation, he knew that. Hadn't Naruto gone through all the trouble he had, it would've ended in a disaster. Not just for him, but all of them. The more he thought of it, the better he understood how vital it was for him to solve the problem he had. Fast. Gaara combusting in demonic hellfire every time anybody as much as glanced at the blonde, would inevitably end badly for all of them.

He supposed the first step was to figure out why such combustion happened in the first place. It wasn't that he feared the blonde would take off with an idiot drooling after him. Talking from personal experience, Gaara knew exactly how difficult it was to get into that man's pants. Lack of trust wasn't his issue. His issue was that he lacked a proper way of showing potential competition that the blonde already had someone drooling after him. He couldn't go around his tongue constantly shoved down the other's throat. That was both impractical and absolutely wouldn't be approved by the blonde. And without his approval, it would even less practical.

The redhead grunted in frustration. He could not think of a single way to make himself less homicidal. It'd never been an issue before. So far his incredibly murderous nature had been perfectly desirable. Now suddenly in need to tone it down, he was at a loss of what to do. The situation could be called tricky.

After half a mile of walking, Gaara had reached downtown again. Though no destination in mind, he continued wandering the crowded streets. Sunken deep into his frustrated thoughts, he'd become mostly oblivious to the surrounding world. But as he passed an exceptionally well maintained display window, something told him to stop and take a few steps back. He stopped to stare through the glass, though not entirely sure what about it had attracted his attention in the first place. But as the idea his subconscious had attempted to present came through, it started to seem more sensible.

Gaara tilted his head curiously. For a moment he stopped to frown and wonder if he'd lost his mind. Quickly enough, he concluded that'd happened ages ago. Nothing could rob him of his sanity anymore. Deciding he'd blame it all on his madness, the redhead shrugged and made his way inside. He finally had a plan of some sort.

* * *

Naruto lay on the hotel bed and stared at the ceiling with weary eyes. He was tired. Very much so. Yet he failed to fall asleep. Despite not having slept the previous night, some sort of worry fueled energy kept him awake. That, and Haku's continuous questioning.

"What'd you do once he got out?"

Naruto couldn't say he minded it, really. The man's chatter beat heavy silence.

"Kneed him in the nuts."

Sasuke's company was present as well, yet had been somewhat absent and silent so far. But funnily enough, this information seemed to put life into him.

"That's cruel", he commented. "I wish I'd been there."

The blonde cracked a crooked smile. "Not gonna lie, it was glorious."

"You gonna forgive him?" Sasuke questioned, as he took a seat on the bed to join the other two.

"Hn. I have to eventually, don't I?" Naruto figured.

He reached into the pocket of his jeans to take out a pack of cigarettes. Opening it, he realized he'd ran out. The night had been rough. A pack of cigarettes rough.

"Depends", Sasuke said as he aided the blonde by tossing him a full pack. "Can you stay forever mad at what's essentially sex on legs? I wouldn't."

The blonde postponed his reply long enough to light a cigarette. Taking a long drag, he then let the smoke slip out laced between speech.

"Probably not", he admitted. "And fuck you. That sex on legs is mine."

Sasuke smirked in an amused manner and laid himself down next to the blonde. All three lying there on the bed, it felt oddly comfortable. As did the silence that briefly fell upon them. But it was Sasuke's curiosity that eventually brought it to an end.

"So you two the real shit now?" he asked, somewhat cautiously. "Y'know. Like…a couple?"

No instant reply followed. Naruto found himself having to stop and really think about it. Hearing it spelled out loud like that, it felt strange. Not bad, but strange. Never in a million years had he thought he'd be asked such a question. And after the fiasco his marriage had turned out to be, neither had he thought he'd ever bother with a serious relationship again. He supposed that answered the question quite directly. Yet he found it odd to mold it into actual words.

"Hn. I guess so."

Haku frowned. "You guess? How can you not know?"

Naruto snorted. "Ain't there shit I know when it comes to him."

Taking yet another drag from his cigarette, he stopped to wonder just why he had such difficulty to be sure. Sure of them, sure of himself. Sure of either one. Partly he blamed it on the overall situation, the situation it'd all begun in. But that blame could only go so far. Because in the end, hadn't the situation once been what it had, they most likely would never have met at all. Though an unlikely outcome, in hindsight it could be thought of as a blessing in disguise.

"Hn. You two together. It's weird", Sasuke suddenly stated. "How does shit like that even happen?"

Naruto glanced at his friend briefly, before turning back to stare at the ceiling. He wondered why Sasuke imagined he had an actual answer to give. He had no explanation for it, as it wasn't rational. He doubted such things ever were. They always involved too many moments lost in time, too many blurred lines and far too many shades of grey. Whenever Naruto had attempted to distinguish the exact moment he'd begun to fall for Gaara, he'd failed miserably every time. For no such moment existed.

For so long, he'd tried to fight it. Fight the way he needed and wanted him. Only to realize, it'd been inevitable since the very beginning. He hadn't stood a chance. The man had gotten a hold of him the instant they'd locked gazes. Perhaps even before. Naruto had acted quite irrationally even before meeting him, after all. Just the mere thought of him had changed something, shifted something. There was something about that man. Something that'd trapped him in an instant, and refused to let go ever since.

It'd been instant. Walking into that prison, seeing him for the first time. Nothing had been the same after. The entire meaning of his existence had been replaced by that man. Gaara had become his thoughts, his dreams, his every waking hour. He'd hated the man with a fiery passion, yet for no real reason. He'd wanted to think of it as hate at first sight. But in hindsight, he'd been forced to question if it'd perhaps been something entirely else at first sight. Might've been. He'd never know. That line had been born blurred and only turned messier as time had passed. By now, it was gone.

"Dunno", the blonde admitted. "One second I wanted to behead him, the next I was ripping his clothes off. Shit happens."

Sasuke accepted the scraps of an answer as the best he would get. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd asked. Naruto passed the remains of his cigarette to Sasuke. He accepted those scraps as well.

"I cheated on Sakura, y'know", the blonde suddenly revealed. "I cheated on her with him."

Short silence followed. Soon both men lying next to him propped themselves up on an elbow, both with questions on their lips.

"You what?"

"Who's Sakura?"

Naruto chuckled. The two were far too curious for their own good.

"Sakura. My ex-wife", he explained. Haku gasped subtly.

"You were married?" he questioned, seeming honestly surprised. The blonde grunted.

"Yeah. If you ever wanna waste your time, try it out", he mumbled.

There was no denying he'd grown cynical of the institution known as marriage. He found it to be the small scale equivalent of religion. An equation of idiots with a common goal, yet such different ways of reaching it. Only war, corruption and eventual destruction could be birthed of such components. As Naruto took the briefest of whiles to think back to what he'd once had with Sakura, he felt a sense of bitterness. It wasn't really the past he found worth scowling for, but the bitterness he still seemed to waste his energy on. He knew it wasn't worth the effort. It was poisonous. But so was that woman, which was what he justified his feelings with. It was yet another moment at which he felt relieved she hadn't tried to contact him anymore. He was beginning to feel wishful. Wishful she never would again.

"Hold the fuck on", Sasuke suddenly demanded. "Are you tellin' me you two been goin' at it since the start?"

Naruto glanced at his friend and frowned. He'd though the man would've figured it out on his own by now.

"Hn. Pretty much", he admitted, finding no reason to hide it any longer.

Though he - as well as all of the surrounding world - had found it near obvious, Sasuke looked honestly shocked. A thoughtful frown landed upon that shock shortly.

"Is that why you left her? For him?"

It was the blonde's turn to feel surprised. He hadn't expected Sasuke to ask such personal questions. It wasn't his style, rarely was he interested enough.

"No", Naruto told, but then frowned. "I don't know. Maybe."

Haku sighed. "Again, how can you not know?"

The blonde grunted, annoyed by the fact that he truly had no explanations to give. And even more it annoyed him that the world seemed to demand them. He supposed that in a way it was understandable. He had gone from a heterosexual, well-payed lawyer with the required picture perfect wife and plans of starting a family, to an unstable mess of a god-knows-what, who no longer knew what to sexually label himself as, nor found the need for such. Not to dismiss the strangest of all, he'd chosen an emotionally void mass murderer to fall in love with, and perfectly happily so. It could be considered strange. That he could not deny.

"I don't give a shit. I don't need to know", Naruto eventually said. Sasuke huffed.

"Wow, romantic as fuck", he mumbled sarcastically. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"I don't give a shit, cause I ended up exactly where I wanted", he argued. Sasuke raised a very questioning eyebrow.

"This is where you wanted to end up? Runnin' from the law with a cock up your ass?"

Naruto tried, but failed not to snort. For such a rude and condensed description, it was quite accurate.

"Yeah. That's one way to put it."

"Hn. Again, romantic as fuck", Sasuke sarcastically mumbled. The blonde chuckled.

"Like you know shit 'bout romance", he pointed out. "Besides, ain't there shit that's romantic about me and him. Have you fuckin' met us?"

There was a valid point to that, Sasuke could hardly argue. But the somewhat naïve Haku refused to believe it could be as aggressively dull as Naruto made it sound.

"C'mon. That's just boring", he complained.

The blonde glanced his way, raising a brow. If truly stopping to think about it, he supposed there had been moments one could interpret as somewhat sentimental. As many as two crossed his mind.

"Hn. We once watched the sunset together. Before he left me for six fuckin' months", he muttered. "And disemboweled a dude with his bare hands. That was kinda sweet."

The looks the other two gave him indicated he'd misunderstood the concept of sentimentality. Naruto flipped them off.

"Fuck you. I said we ain't romantic", he reminded.

Before anybody could call him out on his obviously deranged relationship, a knock on the door cut all discussion short. Naruto glanced the door's way with a frown on his face. It couldn't be Gaara. He had a key. Mildly confused, the blonde lifted himself off the bed and went to answer the demanding knock. He found no reason to feel suspicious, as he'd by then learned that yakuza wasn't one to politely knock on doors. But the one standing behind it still left him surprised.

"Hey, cutie. Lookin' handsome."

Confused and pushed aside by a happily grinning Sai, Naruto watched the man strut right in.

"Uhm…hey. How'd you find here?" he questioned as he closed the door. Sai took a seat on the bed and raised a brow.

"You told me where you were staying. Literally a day ago", he assured.

Naruto frowned, but decided not to question it. He was too tired to trust his own memory.

"Huh. Whatever. I had a long night", he muttered, squeezing himself back onto the bed. It was starting to get crowded.

"Long night, huh?" Sai smirked. "Somebody's got a case of happy dick."

Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically, Sasuke joined him. Haku looked as innocent as ever.

"The subject of dicks is suffocating me. Not in a good way", Sasuke sighed. "Don't you ever think about anything else?"

"Nope", Sai assured, making a questionable gesture involving his tongue and the inside of his cheek. Naruto shook his head.

"Figures", he muttered. "But I'll assure you, my dick's far from happy. And unless Gaara found a real good friend in the _cell_ he spent his night in, his ain't any happier."

"Well, after you kneed it, it ain't", Sasuke pointed out.

Naruto snorted. Point made, point well received. Sai narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Cell? He got arrested?" the man questioned. "That's…dumb."

"You tellin' me?" Naruto huffed. "I spent the night sucking up to the piece of shit he beat up and lost four and a half million yen saving his sorry ass from assault charges. I'm aware of how dumb it fucking is."

It would've been impossible to miss the bitter tone of his voice. Sai sighed.

"For someone who got away with murder, he sure is simple. Just, why?" he questioned, and understandably so.

"Cause he thinks everything's out to fuck me, that's why", the blonde mumbled. Sai gave him a sympathetic look.

"Ah, I know the type", he stated. "Lighten up. I got you somethin'."

Naruto propped himself on his elbows to face the other man. Tilting his head curiously, he took notice of an unidentifiable bundle of folded black cloth on his lap.

"What's that?" the blonde asked with a frown. Sai smirked.

"You're supposed to go stalkin' Hyuuga tonight, right?"

Naruto nodded. "That's the plan."

"Thought so", Sai mumbled, as he went to unfold whatever it was in his hand. "Now, gettin' into that place might be tricky. So I brought you this. Should make it easier."

Sai threw the lump of cloth over to the blonde. Naruto caught it, but became taken aback by the unexpected heaviness of it. Frowning at what now lay in his lap, he picked up something he had to take a double look at.

"A bulletproof vest? The fuck?"

"They've got high security. Guards and shit," Sai told. "And now one of them is missin' their uniform."

Naruto raised a brow. "You stole a uniform?"

The man smirked. "Nah. It's amazing what you can get for suckin' a dick."

"Back at it again with the dicks", Sasuke sighed dramatically. Sai made a face.

"Bitch, go sit on one. You look like you could use it."

Sasuke's jaw dropped, his eyes narrowing. The drama queen buried somewhere deep within was quick to act up.

"Twink, go choke on a pair of sweaty ba-"

"Yeah, that's about enough, twinks and bitches", Naruto declared, before they could go any further.

There was too much gay going on in the room. To avoid unnecessary drama, the blonde laid a warning look on both men. Though they kept their mouths shut, attitude fueled glaring still followed. Keen on remaining unbiased, Haku settled on staying silent, an awkward look on his face.

"Both of ya, shut up. You're scaring the cute one", Naruto mumbled. "Now what the fuck am I supposed to do with this uniform?"

Sai gasped. "First of all, I am the cute one."

An unnecessary comment, on so many levels. It earned a round of rolling eyeballs.

"Secondly, why's that thing here again?" Sai asked, narrowing his eyes at Haku.

The boy lowered his gaze uncomfortably. Naruto sighed, having only one thing to say.

"Behave."

Though reluctant, Sai tore his cold stare away and let the poor boy be. With a sigh, he went back to the point.

"Thirdly, you're supposed to put it on and waltz in unnoticed. They know ya'll faces. A disguise won't hurt."

It made sense, Naruto had to admit that much. But as he stopped to study the uniform, then turning to glance at the ones in his company, a problem occurred.

"Hn. We're all too short or skinny to wear this", he pointed out. Sasuke frowned.

"What kinda six foot lump of muscle did you rip this off of?" he questioned.

Sai shrugged. "That exactly."

They all fell silent for a while, thoughtful looks dominating the faces there. Eventually one of them voiced the question at hand.

"Where we gonna find one of those?"

Before anybody had the chance to even consider answering, the sound of a door unlocking reached their awareness. All four turned to see Gaara open the door and then stop to stare back at them in confusion. Short silence followed, before a hum of realization slipped all four men sitting on the bed in unison. The redhead's confusion turned into an expression of sincere concern. For his own well-being, mostly.

"What?"

Without a word of explanation, Naruto grabbed the uniform and made his way to Gaara. Shoving the pile of clothing against his chest, he voiced his demand.

"Put it on."

The redhead's frown grew deeper, gaze dropping down to glance at what'd been forcefully offered to him. Not really grasping the meaning of it, he turned to look at Naruto once more, a somewhat reluctant expression on his features. His reluctance wasn't exactly well received. As the other's stare grew only more demanding, Gaara realized it'd be easier to simply do as told. It didn't mean he had to enjoy it.

"Hn. Fine."

Though a rebellious attitude was there to be seen, the man moved to take his jacket off, making Naruto pleased enough. He patiently waited as the other one rid himself of his shirt and shoes, but once he got around to opening his belt, the blonde felt a strange sensation of being watched. Slowly turning to glance over his shoulder, he was greeted by the rudest, most shameless stares of three outrageously needy men. Naruto's look of disbelief went perfectly unnoticed by them. Not believing he honestly called these horny bastards his friends, he turned back towards the redhead and rushed to point in the direction of the bathroom.

"In there. Before they rape you."

Gaara, who'd been in the middle of emptying his pockets, lifted his unimpressed gaze to meet the blonde's yet again demanding one. The redhead wasn't the least bit shy to show his disinterest in the entire situation, but did as told. Jaw clenched in an attempt to not voice any opinions, he grabbed the clothes from Naruto and marched to where he'd been directed. Though he voiced no opinions, slamming the door loudly shut might've counted as one.

Left to deal with the pack of shameless creeps, Naruto turned to glare at them.

"Anybody gets a boner and I swear I'll punch it."

Sasuke chuckled. "Now who's jealous?"

Realizing the hypocrisy of his actions, yet too proud to admit it, the blonde refused to reply anything at all. Instead he sat himself down on the bed again, and let silence fall as they waited for the redhead to return. For a while, nobody spoke. Eventually Haku's gentle voice broke the still air.

"Uhm…question?"

Three gazes turned his way, silently allowing the other's curiosity. The young man seemed oddly hesitant to continue.

"What…what is it you guys really do?" he eventually asked.

The other three remained silent. Naruto turned to glance at both Sasuke and Sai, neither giving him more than a shrug. To tell or not to tell? And exactly how specifically, if he did tell? Based on what Sai had initially told him about Haku, it was unlikely the man would find the truth too disturbing. He seemed to be somewhat familiar with affiliations to questionable career choices. In the end, Naruto decided it'd be rude not to answer anything at all.

"We…dispose…of society's filth", he mumbled in a vague manner.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the ridiculous reply, while Sai snorted.

"And voilá, you're the good guy", Sasuke chuckled sarcastically. Naruto flipped him off.

"You kill people?" Haku questioned. "You all kill people?"

"I don't", Sai rushed to clarify. Sasuke was quick to follow. "Me neither."

All three turned to look at Naruto, who now was stuck in the exact position he'd tried to avoid. The position of being the only guy in the room who killed people.

"Fuck ya'll. At least I'm an attorney", he huffed in his defense. Sasuke snorted.

"I've heard Satan's got a thing for them, y'know."

Instead of arguing any further, Naruto decided to sulk in silence. Haku had a hard time comprehending exactly how did one turn from a respectable professional of law into a murderer, and quickly enough stopped even trying to understand.

"I'm not even gonna ask", he mumbled, shaking his head.

The decision was appreciated, for it would've been yet another question Naruto wouldn't have known the answer to. Keen on moving the focus away from his career choices, the blonde voiced a thought he viewed as relevant.

"I was thinking…", he muttered thoughtfully. "We should probably get someone to raid the bastard's house."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Hn. Why?"

"Cause there's a small chance we can't get Hyuuga to talk", Naruto admitted. "We need to get our hands on anything useful. The guy's computer, papers, fuckin' diary. Just in case."

A round of exchanged glances went around. Nobody could claim the blonde wasn't right. Perhaps it'd been naïve of them, but they'd blindly trusted that Hyuuga would talk, one way or another. Though slim, the chance of it not happening still was real. But since it was probable the man had been in contact with Akatsuki, traces of it had to exist. Well hidden perhaps, yet still very much there. It would've been dumb to let such a risk go unacknowledged.

"We ain't suitable for that though", Sasuke pointed out. "We ain't raiders."

The notion was equally as true as the negative effect of it. Naruto scowled.

"True", he muttered, glancing at the time. "Five hours. How we gon' find one in five hours?"

A voice that'd so far remained silent on the subject came to interfere.

"Hn. Here's your chance to be more than just a pretty face, princess", Sai spoke bitterly, turning to look at Haku.

The boy's face turned awkward, gaze avoiding contact with others. Naruto's blue eyes shifted between the two men, a frown appearing between his brows.

"Huh?" was all he could think of saying. Sai grunted, sounding spiteful.

"Ain't got the balls to tell them, eh?" he questioned the youngest of them, mercilessly harsh.

Haku suddenly became visibly nervous, his fingers fidgeting anxiously. As silence was all he could muster, Sai took the liberty to tell a story. The smirk spreading across his lips told he very much enjoyed the chance at sadistic spite.

"Once upon a time, there was a bad man and his little bitch goin' around raiding drug warehouses and rich bastards' homes. One day, they raided the wrong warehouse. The bad man paid the price, the little bitch got off the hook. The fucking end."

Tense silence ensued. All eyes on the poor boy curled up into a ball on the bed, the atmosphere could be considered one of surprise. Feeling the pressure to offer an explanation, Haku eventually stuttered out a sentence or two.

"I'm not a raider", he mumbled. "I was just a right hand man."

Sai snorted. "Bullshit. He wouldn't have kept you around for nothin'. No whore feels good enough to be worth the nuisance."

Haku's so far anxious gaze darkened. It seemed Sai's words had cut deeper than just the surface. Haku watched the other man with a cold gaze.

"He loved me."

Sai narrowed his eyes. "He used you. And you let him."

The other's usually soft features turned harsh.

"Take it back", Haku hissed. Sai grunted.

"Go fuck yourself."

The tension in the air quickly turned freezing. Naruto and Sasuke felt too detached from the subject to voice comments of any kind. But as the unthinkable happened, and the two normally composed men unexpectedly lunged at each other, they were forced to do something. Considering the participants, one would've imagined the fight to be a mild form of slapping and face scratching, but the two certainly surprised the men watching with unexpectedly violent and manly wrestling that eventually caused them to fall to the floor. Somewhat taken aback, both Naruto and Sasuke had to take a moment to simply marvel at the sight, before interfering. It was trickier than they'd imagined, to separate those two. And even when they did, the situation still required for the blonde to hold back Sai, and the other one Haku. To an onlooker, it might've been amusing.

"What the hell?" Naruto growled, his arms wrapped around Sai's squirming form. "You're two grown men. Act like it."

The blonde's demanding tone forced the two to calm down, slowly but surely. As their aggression dulled into mere spiteful glaring, it seemed safe to let them go. Though risky, at least the two refrained from further acting out emotions that the expressing of was obviously overdue. Haku impressed by being the bigger person and bringing up the real subject at hand once more, leaving Sai and his provocative glaring be.

"I'm not a raider", the young man repeated. "Not enough to pass the kinda security that guy must have installed."

Sai scoffed. "You got your hands on my old man's most guarder drug stash. You can break into a fucking house just fine."

Haku fell silent, a grim look in his eyes. Naruto wasn't entirely sure what the boy's refusal to reply meant. Curiously, yet cautiously, he gave the man a questioning look.

"Can you?"

Haku remained silent, until a soft sigh of defeat slipped his lips.

"Yeah. I can", he admitted. "I just…I haven't done it since…"

His voice trailed off, but the message was well clear. Before Sai could even consider building up another fight, Naruto rushed to tell words of comfort.

"It's fine, dude. You don't have to, if you ain't up for it", he assured.

Haku gave him a sideways glance, but said nothing. Slumping down to sit on the bed again, he sighed. His hesitation was obvious. Though Naruto felt bad for pressuring, he couldn't help but to guide the boy towards a light negotiation.

"How much do you make in six months?" he asked, earning a confused look in return.

"Uhm…not very much", Haku told, visibly baffled. Naruto smiled crookedly.

"Whatever it is, I'll match it. Take the job and I'll pay you six months' worth of cash."

The boy flinched, obviously taken aback. His surprise was understandable. The offer was unusually generous. Naruto knew that, but didn't mind. Not only was he not particularly fond of his excess wealth, but the situation truly cried out for generosity. Taking into count the honest need to retrieve Hyuuga's most protected belongings, and the minimal timespan they had to find someone suitable for the job, saving money couldn't be considered a priority. Though the blonde's offer did reflect slight desperation, it seemed to be of use. After a short while of thoughtful frowning, Haku sighed yet again.

"Six months?" he questioned, mildly suspicious.

Naruto smirked. "Upfront."

The other's eyes widened subtly. To pay upfront, without a guarantee of any kind…it was an offer born out of desperation, no doubt. Yet dumb to let slip. Almost seemed too good to be true. Being the fairly positive man that he was, Haku decided to seize the opportunity.

"Okay. I'll do it."

A relieved smile briefly spread across the blonde's lips, before a more thoughtful look took over his features again.

"Somebody's gonna have to go with you", he realized. "It's too risky of a job to do alone."

Laying meaningful looks on the other two once again seated on the bed, he was met by a pair of stares ready to argue.

"Fuck you, no way", Sasuke declared right away. "I work for the government. I can't get arrested."

Completely ignoring the fact that by just being in that room with those people he already risked getting arrested, Sasuke decided to firmly stand behind his decision. Aware that he couldn't possibly ask the man to take such a risk, Naruto couldn't even bother arguing. Though it was good news for Sasuke, it left a certain someone in an unfortunate situation. A curtain of utter disbelief falling on his face, Sai scowled.

"Don't even think about it", he told the blonde. "Even you ain't hot enough to make me work with this bitch."

In the urgent need to persuade the man to agree, Naruto let the other's nasty remark slide. Well aware of his uniquely effective puppy eyes, the blonde made an effort to sway Sai's stand.

"Please?" he begged, going as far as pouting. "I'll pay you too."

Sai shook his head. "Nu-uh, love. You ain't got the money to buy me this time."

Naruto narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. It was time for truly desperate measures. He kneeled before his seated friend and wrapped his arms around the man's waist, clinging to him like a lost child.

"C'mon, beautiful. Help me out", he pleaded free of all shame. His submission earned a mere huff and a case of crossed arms.

"No. I might rebel against my family, but there's a line, cutie", Sai told, confident of his decision.

The blonde scowled. He couldn't claim he didn't understand where the man was coming from. Sai had been influenced by yakuza his entire life, his family embedded deep into that web of crime. He was asking too much and knew it. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Accepting of that fact, Naruto turned his gaze up to meet the other's and decided to risk his very own well-being for the greater good.

"I'll take you on a date", he unexpectedly offered. "A very, very platonic date."

Sai's so far determined expression suffered a dent in the form of temptation. Narrowing is eyes suspiciously, he couldn't help but to show the slightest of interest.

"Hn. Haven't been on one of those in five years", he muttered.

It was no lie. He might've visited beds around the town like an STD, but hadn't been on a sincere date in years.

"Where?" he questioned curiously, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips.

Naruto grinned. "Anywhere you want, gorgeous."

It was ridiculous, really. Ridiculous just how easy it was to bring Sai's determination crumbling down.

"Fine", the man surrendered. "For this, you better treat me like a god."

The blonde squeezed his friend tighter. "I'm declaring you one right now."

Sai seemed content enough. Naruto had no complaints. Though he did slightly worry how exactly he'd tell Gaara he'd promised to take another man on a date, he still considered the profit of it worth a mild assault. It was no small bets they were playing with, after all. Sasuke and Haku exchanged glances topped with a raised brow. A silent agreement happened between them. With a face like that, Naruto had no need for a brain.

Before either one had the chance to point out the unfairness of it, the sound of mildly aggressive door opening brought the intention to a halt. All four turned to look in the direction of the bathroom. There in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms folded across his chest, stood Gaara. He seemed deeply displeased.

"Why am I wearing this?" he questioned.

The pissed off look plastered across his face couldn't have been more prominent. But not a soul there was interested in his face. All four men sitting on the bed stopped to stare at the redhead dressed in a jet black uniform of an undoubtedly overpaid guard. The kind who'd dreamed of joining a SWAT team, but ended up guarding rich bastards as the next best thing. The uniform, it fit like a glove. And Naruto, he discovered he now had a thing for uniforms.

"Damn my man is fine."

The row of tilted heads and dazed gazes hummed in agreement.

"You lucky piece of shit", Sasuke muttered to the blonde. "Weren't you supposed to be mad at him though?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. But this makes me feel kinda forgiving."

"I…can see why", Sai was forced to admit.

"Just so you know, you won't be gettin' that thing back until approximately thirty minutes after I'm done being mad", Naruto informed the man.

Sasuke slowly turned to face blonde, with the most bitter look imaginable.

"Thirty minutes?" he hissed. "Oh my god I hate you."

It earned him a smirk. "If that thing's involved, make it forty-five."

Escaping from his friend's painfully obvious envy, Naruto lifted himself off the bed and walked over to the redhead. Gaara gave him an unimpressed glare.

"Again, why am I wearing this?"

"Cause we'll find Hyuuga easier if you blend in with the security. Ain't nobody gonna glance twice", the blonde explained.

The redhead seemed unimpressed. He extended a finger to point at his own face.

"You see this? Cause they sure as hell will", he reasoned.

"That's what the fuckin' hat is for", Naruto argued.

Gaara turned to glance at the article of the uniform he'd refused to put on. Not only because he felt unreasonable, deep rooted hatred towards all sorts of headgear, but because he strongly believed that the design of peaked caps was perhaps the most impractical in all of hat history.

"I'm not wearing that", the redhead declared. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Yes you are", he demanded.

"Am fuckin' not."

The look on the blonde's face, it went beyond demanding. It wasn't about the stupid hat, it was about getting his way and only that. As Gaara dedicated an entire second exclusively for grinding his teeth, he couldn't help but to deeply regret he'd had himself arrested. With that, he'd lost all the leverage he would've needed to argue with the other one. Doing his very best not to seem as annoyed as he was, he eventually did as told and put on the "dumbass fucking hat", as he would've referred to it. With a glare matching his mood, he turned to face the blonde again.

"Happy?"

Naruto said nothing. Only stared, and for reasons unknown, nibbled on his lower lip. Gaara gave him a questioning look. The blonde remained silent, for there wasn't a shot in hell he would've admitted just how close he was to forgiving. It was worthy of noting that in the future he'd have to make sure the man wouldn't wear uniforms of any sort while he was attempting to remain angry.

"Yes. Now excuse me, I have a cold shower to take. So get the fuck out", he mumbled, shoving the redhead out of the bathroom.

Somewhat baffled, Gaara was close to having the door slammed in his face. Just fast enough to stop the blonde from shutting the door, he took a hold of the other's arm. Naruto frowned, glancing down at the hand holding him, before meeting the gaze laid on him. The slight look of hesitation in the redhead's eyes caused him to frown. He seemed nervous, even as he spoke.

"I wanna talk."

The frown on Naruto's features lifted, but was replaced by a look of reluctance. He found no reason to even attempt courtesy.

"Not now."

No further words spared, he pried himself free of the other's hold and shut the door. Gaara was left to exhale a frustrated sigh. He was aware of the gazes on him, but couldn't bother acknowledging them. Sasuke's indifferent voice assured the blonde would eventually come around and forgive. The redhead said nothing in return, as it wasn't his worry to begin with. How he'd convince Naruto it wouldn't happen again, that he worried about.

Five hours, tactical avoidance of issues and a powernap later, Naruto sat behind the wheel of an inconspicuous rental car, blankly staring through the windshield and into nothingness. His hands tightly gripping the steering wheel and posture awkwardly hunched over, his mission to avoid acknowledging the man sitting to his left was becoming impossible. He knew he should've said something, but the complete lack of desire to do so made it somewhat difficult. Gaara's equally as determined silence hardly helped. Thus the quiet continued.

Only a street crossing, yet an appropriate distance away, stood the building Sai had directed them to. The vainglorious design of it was worth mentioning. It was astonishing what people decided to spend their earthly wealth on. Billions wasted on needless details and decorative pillars carved of solid marble. The vanity of it easily met the requirements of delusional grandeur. It could be called despicable, even. As if such waste of money wasn't enough, what Sai had told of the numbers put into the security made it only that much worse. This excessively designed building had been blessed with a government funded tactical force unit. Though it did explain why the security staff's uniforms were heavily equipped to useless extents, one couldn't help but to wonder why it was deemed necessary at all. Perhaps the abundance of corrupted, yet politically influential men wasting away their time inside those walls had something to do with it.

Naruto sighed. Though brutally unfair, crime certainly seemed to pay off on the long run. It would've been hypocritical of him to claim otherwise. Keen on avoiding the subject of moral inadequacy, the blonde focused on hoping their plan would work as well in practice as it did in theory. The plan itself could hardly be called complex. All it consisted of was marching inside, finding Hyuuga and with the aid of quite convincing methods, get him into the car. But even in all its simplicity, the plan was full of loopholes and risks. The fact that somewhere on the other side of the town two men were acting out a case of breaking and entering in their behalf, made it no less risky. Naruto could only hope they wouldn't get caught breaking in. Though anxious, he wanted to give them enough credit to believe they'd perform flawlessly.

It was quiet, awkwardly so. Both men inside the rental car sat still and tense, gazes staring emptily forward. As the silence and unanimous decision to not break it only continued, Gaara eventually found no reason to stay in the vehicle any longer. Though not particularly excited for it, he grabbed the uniform's headgear from the dashboard and placed it on his head. He then wordlessly moved to open the door, more than prepared to leave as silently as they'd remained, but an unexpected touch on his arm brought him to a stop. Glancing over his shoulder, he met a blue eyed gaze watching him with uncertainty. Perhaps even slight reluctance. He said nothing. Only waited. Naruto certainly took his time, but eventually voiced what he had to say.

"Be careful."

The redhead's somewhat harsh features softened. The blonde's hesitant tone of voice and wandering gaze made him seem embarrassed. It was just the slightest bit adorable. Having expected a reply of some kind, the silence that answered forced Naruto to eventually meet the other's gaze. Quiet staring ensued. The redhead never found a reason to break it, but instead reached out to grab the blonde by the back of his neck and without asking much, pulled him closer to kill the gap between them. Naruto could've fought it. Yet didn't.

The redhead pulled away, his touch staying to linger on the other's neck. Naruto found no real reason to admit he shivered as the man ran his fingers along his jawline. Judging by the smirk, Gaara figured it out on his own just fine. The smirk was quickly gone. Replaced by the usual look of solid emptiness, the redhead tore his gaze and touch away, opened the door and left. Naruto was left to watch the man walk away, a sigh he hadn't been aware of holding in finally escaping. He knew he needed to regain his focus. He couldn't let his emotions interfere with business. Yet despite knowing that, he couldn't help but to feel just the slightest bit guilty for letting the other one step into a criminal war zone all alone and with a mindset that hardly was ideal. He couldn't lie. He felt anxious.

Gaara scowled. Standing there before the grand clubhouse, he felt disgust. Well aware of what those walls built with filthy money were trapping inside, he wished he could've avoided entering at all. But his wishes were worth next to nothing. He was used to that. He was used to working against his own opinions, and never let them interfere. Equipped with that very same attitude, he subtly checked he also was equipped with firearm, before moving to open the tall glass door in front of him.

The interior didn't fall short of the exterior. If anything, it only emphasized the ridiculous amounts of money wasted on vanity. Determined on not forming opinions of any kind, the redhead ignored everything around him he deemed meaningless, only focused on figuring out where to best find the man he was after. Considering the size of the place, it wouldn't be easy. But he'd been prepared for that from the beginning. What he truly needed to make a priority, was remaining inconspicuous. In surroundings such as those, his face was just a tad too recognizable. Though he wouldn't have cared to admit it, he was somewhat grateful for the cap on his head. The visor of it hid his features well enough.

Facing down, gaze dropped to the floor, Gaara made his way down a long corridor. The word corridor didn't seem sufficient enough to honestly describe the unnecessary space, if entirely honest. But he found no reason to complain. The wide area helped him to avoid those walking past, even those standing or sitting alongside it. Those walking by seemed too busy to even glance at him, while those he himself passed were mostly distracted by conversations with each other. Gaara preferred it that way.

He reached the end of the corridor. The path available divided into two, each to one side. While trying to decide which one to take, the redhead noticed from the corner of his eye a man dressed in gear identical to what he was wearing. He had no intention of letting the man take notice of him. While the people there might've had no reason to question his presence, the legitimate security easily could've realized he wasn't one of them. If only to avoid coming to contact with the guard in the room to his right, Gaara chose to go left.

He was met by a flight of stairs. The sight instantly gave him the urge to sigh. The fact that he had no idea where Hyuuga was, if there at all, made him uncomfortable. The place itself made him feel uncomfortable. Not only did he generally despise such ridiculous conceitedness, but the slim, yet real chance of running into familiar faces certainly added to his stress. Though not at all feeling it, he began climbing up the stairs, cursing the difficulties he would have locating the man he was there for. Keeping his face hidden under the headgear's visor to hide from the ones walking by, he reached the sub-floor. As he turned to climb the next flight of stairs, the sight of a fairly tall man intending to walk down those very same steps happened to catch his attention.

Gaara fought not to smirk. It seemed luck hadn't abandoned him after all.

He discarded the idea of taking the stairs and stayed to stand still. The man now walking down the steps seemed too distracted by the screen of his phone to even notice his presence. As the man finally reached the last step and turned to walk past him, Gaara made a subtle move to grab the man's arm. Harshly enough to force a sudden halt. The man tensed up and turned to look at him, obvious intentions of voicing complaints rising to the surface. Gaara slowly lifted his downcast gaze to meet the one laid on him. No complaints ever happened.

It was worth watching. He doubted Hyuuga often looked as startled as he did then. The unexpected fright caused him to flinch and take a reflexive step back. Gaara let him. For a short while, sincere dread danced on the man's features, the urge to run painfully obvious. But Hyuuga hardly had an ego modest enough to allow such. Quickly enough the fear was gone, replaced by nervousness poorly hidden behind an obnoxious mask. The man's breath was shaky, Gaara could tell. It made him smirk.

"Hn. It's been a while", the redhead noted. Hyuuga's face reflected slight disgust.

"Could've stayed that way. I wouldn't have minded", the man grunted. Gaara huffed.

"You think this is my idea of fun?" he questioned. "I'd rather fuck a blender than be here."

The other one took a condescending glance of him from head to toes, turning his nose up at the sight.

"Then go do that."

As if Hyuuga's nerve to use such a tone wasn't rash enough, he even had the audacity to attempt walking away. Mildly impressed by the man's daring attitude, Gaara let him take a few steps, before bringing the utopian dream of escape to an aggressive end. Not the least bit hesitant, he grabbed the man's arm once more, pushed him face first against the wall and twisted the other's arm painfully against their back. Though painful, the only sound Hyuuga allowed to escape was a displeased grunt. Unsatisfied by the reaction, Gaara twisted the man's arm into an even more awkward angle, finally causing him to hiss in pain.

"Thought so", the redhead chuckled. "This brings back memories, don't it?"

Hyuuga refused to show pain and gritted his teeth tightly together to endure it in silence.

"That's what you're here for? To fucking reminisce?" the man asked, an undertone of sarcasm well present.

Gaara snorted. "Nah. I'm here to take you on a drive."

The other man fell silent. Gaara supposed he was taking his time to wonder if there was any way out of the situation. Since the answer was obvious, it must've been frustrating. Eventually Hyuuga tried to squirm himself free. Hadn't Gaara allowed him to do so, he would've remained shoved against the wall. But the redhead felt confident that the man couldn't be dumb enough to attempt running away. Thus he let go. Rubbing his now sore arm, Hyuuga gave the other one a cold glare. The gaze traveled down and happened to notice that the holster attached to the uniform was empty. A forced smirk spread across Hyuuga's thin lips.

"Hn. Not gonna lie. It takes some balls for you to come here unarmed", he admitted. "What makes you think I'll come quietly?"

Gaara refused to let the other's obnoxious confidence annoy him.

"We both know I could kill you with a fucking paper clip."

Hyuuga's smirk fell quickly enough. He could hardly argue with the obvious. Yet the reluctant look remained the same, his decision to be a pain in the ass obviously not swaying. Gaara sighed. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he lifted up the helm of his jacket to reveal the gun he had hidden.

"You honestly think I'd come here unarmed?"

Hyuuga's jaw clenched. Whether it was nervousness or annoyance, Gaara didn't know. But neither did he care. The look of defeat in the other's eyes was all he'd come looking for in the first place. In the end, he found no reason to hold on to the man as they began walking towards the exit. Though a tense look was well visible on Hyuuga's face, he remained calm and stoic. Even as they began walking down the long corridor leading to the exit, Gaara felt no need to fear the man would seek for help from others. The bastard's pride wouldn't have allowed him to sink so low.

"The fuck do you want from me?" Hyuuga spoke quietly, as they walked side by side.

"You know what I want from you", Gaara replied, making sure their pace didn't come off as too hasty.

"You'll pay for this", Hyuuga promised, the slightest hint of spite visiting his voice. Gaara fought not to chuckle.

"I already told you this once", he muttered. "You are worth nothing to them."

The other one snorted subtly. "Six months ago, maybe. Things change. I'm worth much more than before."

In a sense, the man might've been right. Gaara had no reason to doubt he was valuable to yakuza on a practical level. Otherwise his life wouldn't have been worth saving this long. But whatever value he might've now had, didn't change the one solid fact that applied to every single one alive.

"Once you're dead you ain't."

Hyuuga's shoulders tensed up. Slowly and subtly he turned to glance at Gaara, but said nothing. There was no need for further conversation. It was all quite clear. Hyuuga wouldn't see another sunrise, and knew it.

* * *

**"I am a mature adult", I say, as I write a chapter of virtually nothing but dick jokes.**

**ps. In this story, the word 'fuck' has been used 1100+ times, in one form or another. I sure do love my 'fucks'. **


	47. The Martyr

**I'm back, bitches.**

**Wow, that was unnecessarily rude. Here, have a chapter.**

* * *

Blue eyes watched from afar as what they'd hoped to see came to view. The large glass doors of the clubhouse opened, a familiar redhead stepping out. An unplanned breath of relief slipped the blonde's lips. As another familiar figure revealed themselves as well, a smirk shooed the sigh away. Naruto let the car's engine come to life.

As he soon pulled over next to the men standing on the side of the road, he felt the slightest sensation of pleasure knowing Hyuuga couldn't see through the tinted windows. That allowed the blonde the joy of seeing the man open the backdoor, seat himself down and eventually lock gazes with Naruto's amused one. An honest look of pure spite flashed in Hyuuga's eyes. He didn't even bother glancing at the redhead who took a seat next to him. Solely focused on glaring at the blonde, he was in no way shy to sound as displeased as he felt.

"Hn, Uzumaki. Figures."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, smiling an ill-intending smirk.

"Long time no see, fucker."

Hyuuga grunted. "I can't believe you're still alive."

Naruto snorted. "Ditto."

Ignoring Hyuuga's cold stare for the time being, the blonde turned his gaze forward again and pulled the car off the sidewalk. Silence filled the vehicle, alongside with cigarette smoke. Naruto glanced through the rearview mirror at the redhead poisoning his lungs. Soon enough, the man noticed the eyes watching him. A questioning brow rose. Naruto couldn't even bother fighting the smile tugging on the corners of his lips.

"Not bad, monster."

A thin trail of smoke slipped from between the redhead's smirking lips.

"Good enough to make you forgive me?" he questioned.

The blonde snorted. "Don't get ahead of yourself, love."

"How 'bout on top of you then?" the other one suggested instead.

Naruto refused to reply, but couldn't help the chuckle. Hyuuga's watchful eyes shifted between the two, a frown appearing between his brows. The grunt that followed could be described as something between disgusted and degrading.

"I see the fag's still strong in you two", he mumbled offensively. "Can't say you ain't fuckin' perfect together though. Scum goes well in pairs."

Naruto sighed tiredly. "Slap him for me, will ya?"

He barely had the chance to finish his request before Hyuuga already was in the chokehold of Gaara. The side of his face pressed harshly against the window, lungs lacking air and thick smoke eating up the little oxygen he could've inhaled, the man was forced to submit. The redhead brought his face uncomfortably close, letting a cloud of smoke get in the other's eyes.

"Fag or not, a dick like you would make a great bitch in prison", he muttered, smirking. "Too bad you ain't gonna get the chance to try it out."

Hyuuga twisted lips a forced out a dry chuckle.

"I don't mind", he assured. "I'd rather go to hell for crime than chocking on cock."

"Hn, too bad then", Gaara grunted. "Cause I'll make sure you'll choke on your own."

Knowing that the thought of that had a desired effect, he let his grip on the man's throat go. Hyuuga had nothing to say in return, though it was no surprise. Settling on rubbing his sore throat, he turned his glare away from the redhead and towards Naruto instead. Feeling the stare on him, the blonde returned the look through the mirror, as if daring Hyuuga to voice whatever insult it was he had on his mind. He hadn't expected the man to be dumb enough to truly give in to that temptation.

"It ain't gonna last, blondie. One day he'll get bored of fuckin' the back of your throat."

This time there was no need for Naruto to even ask Gaara to somehow discipline the man. Before Hyuuga had the chance to even see it coming, he could feel the right side of his face smash against the window, and a fist ram against the left. It would've been impossible for him to act like it didn't hurt. Settling on making it as unnoticeable as possible, he shut his eyes in pain and finally fell silent. Naruto extended his arm over his shoulder for a subtle low five.

"Nice one."

"I know."

For the rest of the ride, Hyuuga remained perfectly silent.

* * *

It was dark, heavily so. The location was more remote than they'd expected. That worked in their behalf, but standing there, watching the three story house constructed for nothing but showing off, it would've been easy to feel intimidated. Sai certainly was tempted to feel queasy. But since his much smaller and not to mention younger companion seemed to be free of all anxiety, he refused to give into it. Haku seemed perfectly comfortable, only the slightest hint of healthy nervousness present. They'd stood there in silence for some time already. Sai was starting to feel impatient.

"Well?"

Haku frowned. "Yeah, we can get in."

Sai's face reflected a look of mild surprise.

"We can?" he questioned. The other one nodded. "Sure."

Haku took something out of his pocket. A small electronic device, one Sai couldn't identify. Instead of explaining, the younger one turned the device on. The small screen on it lit up, a series of numbers appearing. Still leaving Sai without clarification of any kind, Haku took his time to press a few buttons, before lifting his gaze up and ahead again. A small frown appeared between his brows.

"Wait here", he suddenly demanded, and began walking closer to the house.

Sai was left to watch him take cautious steps away. Though mildly offended of the nonexistent information given to him, Sai couldn't help but to feel the slightest bit curious of the other's actions. He got to witness the boy walk first to the left, stop to stand and watch, before walking to the right, and again stop to simply stand still and watch. As if he was calculating directions and angles. Sai supposed it must've been somewhat relevant, thus he didn't dare to interrupt. Soon enough, Haku abandoned the spot he'd observed from and walked back to the other man. As he returned, Sai could no longer help his curiosity.

"Hn. The fuck did you have to stare at?" he grunted.

"Searched for a blind spot", Haku revealed. Sai raised a brow.

"Well? Is there one?" he asked. The other one chuckled, as if sincerely amused.

"There always is."

Haku turned to glance in the house's direction again, his head tilting thoughtfully to the side.

"There's nine cameras total", he declared. Sai glanced at the man from the corner of his eye.

"How can you possibly fuckin' know?" he questioned, as he knew the man hadn't circled the entire house.

"Standard stuff", Haku mumbled. "There's four in the front, two on both sides, another two in the back and one on the roof."

He sounded quite confident. Sai refused to admit it might've been borderline impressive.

"Nine cameras. How can that leave a blind spot?" he wondered.

Haku smirked. "Cause only six are functioning."

Again, how could he know?

"How do you know which don't?" Sai continued questioning.

Haku subtly smiled at the other's sudden curiosity. He was quite certain Sai himself did not realize the adorable aspect of it.

"Anything too obvious is fake. Anything excessive is fake. And everything that has a led on it these days can't be real. Ain't nobody gonna fall for that anymore."

There wasn't really much Sai could've said to that. His inadequacy on the subject made him feel like somewhat of a useless potato, but not in a million years would he have admitted it.

"Hn. Whatever."

Haku smiled yet again, but commented nothing. Instead he continued pressing buttons on the small device in his hold, until a soft sound of contentment slipped his lips.

"Okay. Let's get started", he declared, leaving Sai yet again clueless of everything that was going on.

"The hell is that thing?" he finally asked.

"It picks up radio signals", Haku revealed. "All home security systems rely on radio frequency signals. Judging by this, there's one installed here."

"You actually doubted that?" Sai questioned. Haku shook his head.

"Not really, just wanted to make sure."

Before Sai had a chance to voice any sassy comments, Haku surprised him by unexpectedly lowering himself to sit on the cold ground. The young man then reached into the bag he'd taken along, and took out something Sai hadn't really expected to see. A laptop and another device which he once again failed to identify. Glancing around, he felt somewhat relieved for the late hour and remote location. A strange boy sitting on the cold ground with a laptop would've undoubtedly attracted attention of some kind anywhere else but there.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sai asked. Occupied by the devices in his lap, Haku had no time to glance the other's way.

"This thing here", he muttered and tapped on the strange looking gadget. "It's a USRP. It sends and decrypts radio signals."

Sai blinked slowly. He questioned if it perhaps were Klingon he was listening to. Haku caught the look on his face, causing the boy to smile amused.

"The alarm system. It relies on radio frequency signals. The right wavelength can jam the signal between the alarm triggers and the monitor. That way it never goes off."

Not much clearer, but perhaps a bit more understandable.

"If we get lucky, I might be able to disable the cameras as well", the boy told.

Sai suddenly no longer wondered how exactly Haku once had broken into the warehouse his old man owned, holding drugs worth billions. It seemed that Zabuza had never been anything but muscle power. Without Haku, their actions would've lacked brains. A few silent minutes went by as Haku tapped away on the laptop. Eventually Sai had to voice his potentially volatile thoughts.

"Why?" he questioned. "Why did you let him use you?"

The fingers moving on the keyboard came to halt. The other's gaze remained downcast. The stillness continued for a short while, before he carried on typing again. Never did he turn to meet Sai's gaze.

"Love makes you do strange things."

It was the answer Sai had expected to hear. Also the answer he found insufficient.

"Sounds self-destructive."

Haku sighed. "He loved me too. I don't care what you say, he loved me."

The lack of eye contact bothered Sai to an extent, but he decided not to push it. Instead he settled on subtly rolling his eyes.

"Whatever. It still can't be worth it."

The other one paused his typing once more, another, heavier sigh escaping his lips. He finally lifted his gaze up, an almost pitying look in the hazel brown eyes. It confused Sai. Haku shook his head.

"Really? That's honestly how you feel?" he questioned. "Would you tell that to Naruto? To Gaara? That there's no reason to sacrifice themselves for their love?"

Sai flinched. He hadn't expected such reasoning. He unexpectedly found himself at a loss for words, only the most ridiculous arguments coming to mind.

"Hn. The monster can't love."

Haku snorted, dropping his gaze back to the laptop. "That's bullshit and you know it."

He did. He knew, and felt ashamed for even attempting to use such a lie to argue.

"He loves just fine. He just doesn't know it yet", the other one assured, pressing on a few more keys. "There. Done."

Sai snapped out of his silent mood, a somewhat surprised look taking over his features.

"That's it?" he wondered.

Haku nodded, picking up the laptop along with the USRP and handed it all to the other one to hold. Sai couldn't bother arguing over it.

"Yeah. The cameras are dead. And the alarm shouldn't go off once we break in."

"Shouldn't?" Sai asked with an unimpressed tone, as he followed the man now walking towards the house.

"Shouldn't", Haku repeated. "If my 'shouldn't' ain't good enough, have you got a better option?"

Since the answer was obvious, Sai refused to reply at all. Instead he silently sulked to himself, as they both stopped at the front door of the house. Though he once again hated to admit it, Haku was able to impress him by taking less than a minute to pick the lock. Smiling a mildly obnoxious smirk, the younger one went to turn the handle with a sleeve covered hand, avoiding leaving fingerprints.

"Don't touch anything barehanded, okay?" Haku reminded, as he casually stepped through the entrance. Sai rolled his eyes and huffed.

"I ain't an idiot, love."

Instead of replying, the other one merely chuckled. They both stopped to stand in the hallway and let silence fall. Though neither one had expected an audible alarm to go off in the first place, one couldn't help but to reflexively check anyway. Haku then moved to glance at the monitor attached to the wall beside him. After brief examination, he nodded contently.

"Doesn't seem to have gone off", he mumbled thoughtfully.

The man turned back around and went to grab the laptop back. Taking the USRP along as well, he then found himself a seat on a chair placed in the corner of the hallway.

"I need to keep an eye on this", he told. "You go search for whatever it is blondie needs. Just don't touch anything with your bare hands."

Well aware that Haku only repeated his advice to annoy, Sai narrowed his eyes at the boy, fighting the urge to let sassy mode take over. That fight was easily lost.

"Chew on a dick."

Leaving behind the little attitude he wasn't able to hold back, Sai disappeared from the view and left Haku to chuckle by himself. Despite their undeniable differences, they seemed to work astonishingly well together. Quite confident they'd make it out just fine and be able to deliver the items needed to Sasuke as agreed, Haku let himself relax and simply gaze at the screen before him. The signal was fine. They'd done a good job so far. It was worth a smile.

* * *

The scenery had changed quite drastically. The busy streets and tall city skyline were nowhere to be seen. Instead the surroundings consisted of dark alleys and quiet industrial areas. Naruto felt content enough with the location. The rotten looking building standing before them could hardly be called pleasing to the eye, but it would serve its purpose just fine. Leaving behind the parked rental car, Naruto walked to the entrance of the building, Gaara and a reluctant Hyuuga following his steps. In a place that remote, in darkness that prominent, the redhead had been forced to finally hold Hyuuga at gunpoint. Had the man attempted to run away and disappear into the dark alleys, finding him would've been impossible. But on the receiving end of a potential dose of lead, the man obeyed praiseworthily.

The rusty door made a high pitched, creaky sound upon opening. It was hardly an issue. There was nobody there to hear it. Staying to hold the heavy door open, Naruto let the other two step inside first. Following their steps he let the door close behind them, leaving the oppressive sound of it to echo within the iron walls. It was pitch dark. Not an inch forward was visible. But to their fortune, dim lighting was available. Flicking on the switch next to the door, a yellow tinted lamp attached to the ceiling turned on. The view was nothing short of appalling.

The building was an old, abandoned warehouse. One Sai had directed them to. Owned by yakuza and once used for more than questionable purposes. The irony of it was something Naruto found truly pleasing. It was ridiculous just how much Sai seemed to enjoy taking the piss out of his own family. But in no way was it anything worth complaining about. More than happy to have not only a suitable environment for taunting Hyuuga, they had an indirect way of flipping yakuza off. Truly a win-win situation all around.

Leaving the other two to wait by the door, Naruto made his way to the closest corner and grabbed the old, wonky chair placed there. He then carried it to the center of the room, right below the mostly useless light. Setting the seat down with a bang, he lifted his gaze up to meet Hyuuga's somewhat nervous stare. Nervous, yet topped off with his signature obnoxiousness. The blonde smirked.

"Hn. Do take a seat."

Hyuuga remained still. For a few seconds, Gaara let him stay that way. But as usual, his patience wore thin quickly. Shoving the barrel of the gun harder against the man's back, he forcefully walked him over to the chair and spared no strength pushing him down to sit. Out of options and well aware of it, Hyuuga couldn't bother fighting it. But that still didn't stop him from voicing the poisonous thoughts on his mind.

"Why do you two bother?" he questioned. "Doesn't matter what you do to me. You're gonna die."

Naruto sighed, moving to stand next to Gaara.

"We all do, don't we?"

The blonde went to grab the pair of handcuffs hanging off the equipment belt around the redhead's waist. Surprisingly enough, Hyuuga didn't resist as they then were used to cuff his hands behind his back. It was as if he'd given up already. Gaara hoped not. It would've been boring.

"We ain't dead yet. So why not have a little fun?" Naruto pointed out, satisfied with the restraints.

"Hn. You sure are one sick fuck", Hyuuga muttered, slightly squirming for the uncomfortable feeling around his wrists.

"Blame yourself", the blonde scoffed. "It's you and your kind that made me this way."

Hyuuga couldn't help the smirk. "Funny. Yet you let one of us get literally inside you."

Naruto refused to let the other's words crawl under his skin.

"He ain't one of you", he muttered, glancing at Gaara.

The redhead's normally dead eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. Hyuuga chuckled, turning to look at the tall man before him.

"But you are, aren't you?" he sneered. "Your skin, your scars, your past. Even the way you speak, the way you move. They all tell stories, y'know."

Though tempted, Gaara refused to feel anger over the other's badmouthing. He was well aware it was all said only to agitate. It worked poorly on him. Naruto was another story. Obviously annoyed by the cuffed man's words, the blonde moved to stand in front of him, jaw clenched in mild anger. Visibly struggling to keep his calm, he wasn't shy to cut with words as deep as the other one.

"You sure you wanna talk 'bout stories, huh?" he asked, a spiteful smirk on his lips. "Cause I know yours."

Hyuuga's obnoxiousness fell for a brief while.

"You don't know shit", the man hissed, suddenly angry beyond belief.

The blonde found it in no way intimidating, only amusing. Keen on seeing more of it, he hunched over to bring his face merely inches away from the other's, his smirk only growing more crooked.

"Really?" he purred tauntingly. "Daddy issues don't ring a bell, huh? Feelin' left out and disowned ain't familiar?"

Hyuuga's eyes grew cold. His anger reached a level on which it could only be passive. A forceful smile of nothing but ill intentions lifting the corners of his lips, he found no other path to take but being merciless.

"Your family life hardly is more serene than mine, now is it?"

The blonde snorted. "You think talkin' shit about my dead family is gon' affect me?"

"No. I know you've grown numb to it", Hyuuga admitted. "But he's your family now, ain't he?"

The man glanced at Gaara, obviously intending to somehow dig up dirt on the subject. Naruto merely narrowed his eyes at Hyuuga.

"You honestly believe he ain't one of us?" the seated man questioned. "Even though he's spent his life killing innocent people for them? Even though it's all he's ever known?"

Naruto gritted his teeth, beginning to feel sincere anger.

"Who gives a shit? He knows better now", he hissed. Hyuuga chuckled.

"Cause he fucks you, he knows better now? Oh please", the man snorted. "It's gon' take a lot more than just you to get yakuza out of him."

The blonde narrowed his eyes. "The fuck that's supposed to mean?"

Before Hyuuga could open his mouth to speak, Gaara assured he wouldn't get a chance to utter a single word.

"Speak, and I'll rip your fucking tongue off."

The man shut his already parted lips and remained silent, just as told, but the yet again obnoxious smirk on his lips gave Naruto an uneasy feeling. Blue eyes turned to look at the redhead, who again averted direct contact. Needless to say, it made the blonde feel no more at ease. Teeth gritted in a passive aggressive manner, he repeated his question.

"I asked, the fuck is it supposed to mean?"

Hyuuga's smirk grew wider. Gaara's cold glare became irrelevant to him.

"He's spent his life screwing those who want you dead. Fuckin' you ain't gonna change shit about him."

The simple twitch of an eye. That was all indication the blonde gave of any sort of aggression, before he lost all his existing shit and quite extravagantly kicked the seated man square in the chest. The barely intact chair obviously tipped over, that went without saying. But though Hyuuga ended up crashing on the floor, his cuffed hands painfully trapped underneath his own weight, all he did was laugh manically. As if Naruto would've needed any more reason to beat him senseless. Even the angry fists colliding with his face didn't shut Hyuuga's sadistic humor up. As it became clear that the blonde would undoubtedly beat the man dead with his bare hands, Gaara was forced to pry him off the other one. Hyuuga wouldn't be of use if dead. Though fighting and squirming to get free, Naruto eventually seemed to get a grasp on reality. Even though he calmed down from his blind aggression, Gaara refused to let go. Instead he pulled the blonde against his chest and left no questions of his determination to hold him.

"Fuck you", Naruto muffled voice muttered.

The redhead grunted. "Don't let him get inside your head."

The blonde let his tense shoulders fall in the rhythm of a sigh. Though he agreed, it didn't stop him from shoving the other one away.

"Hn. I won't."

It was somewhat of a lie, and Gaara knew that. But he made no issue out of it. Instead he walked over to the tipped over chair, and with only the strength of one arm, pulled it back up along with the man stuck to it. The redhead grunted.

"Okay, joke's over", he declared. "My turn."

Naruto knew what that meant. Aware that the redhead needed his space to do what he did best, he willingly stepped further away and went to silently observe. Hyuuga's askance stare watched as Gaara took out a knife. Even in the dim light, the blade glinted visibly. That told a story of its own. Even if he'd tried, Hyuuga wouldn't have been able to claim he didn't feel the slightest bit anxious. But even then, he met the redhead's gaze as the man crouched down before him.

"I'll give you a choice here", Gaara told. "Either we do this the clean way, or the messy way. It's up to you."

Hyuuga said nothing, only stared silently. Stared, until he simply spat on the other's face. The redhead shut his eyes and sighed. Wiping off the disgusting substance off the side of his face, he surprisingly enough showed no sign of anger. Even his voice was as calm as a summer breeze, though quite a chilly one.

"Messy it is."

Hyuuga might've let the man's calmness fool him. He didn't expect nor ever saw the stab coming. It forced all breath filling his lungs to still. The pain wasn't instant, but the surprise was. A burning sensation was quick to follow, rapidly spreading down his leg. Hyuuga dropped his gaze down to stare at the knife sticking out of his thigh. It bled, but not uncontrollably. It couldn't have hit a major vein. Yet despite that, the pain quickly grew strong enough to make him exhale sharply in agony.

"Tell me", Gaara said thoughtfully, but calmly. "Who's leading Akatsuki?"

Hyuuga felt mild surprise upon hearing the question. It seemed that the redhead had no intention of beating around the bush. The quite straight forward manner of interrogation helped him to ignore the pain in his leg, enough to even create a smirk.

"Why would I know?"

Gaara huffed. He could see that the other one still underestimated his cruelty. It was quickly getting old. To turn that assumption around, he grabbed the handle of the knife still stuck to the other's thigh and twisted it. This time, it earned him a muffled groan of pain.

"Cause the only reason you're still alive is the business you did with 'em."

Hyuuga's breath had turned irregular and heavy. Gaara found it disappointing. He'd barely gotten started yet.

"You gave them access to the industrial hall in Suna. I know you've met him."

The other man laughed a strained chuckle laced with pain.

"You sound so certain. How…adorable."

The redhead raised a brow. The corner of his mouth lifting barely noticeably, he made a sudden move to pull out the knife from the other's leg. But not forgetting to slide it vertically in the process, slicing the already wounded leg open wider. Finally, his work was praised with a strangled cry.

"Adorable? Never heard that one before", Gaara admitted, not as much as pausing to glance at the pained man.

But he was polite enough to let Hyuuga take in a few hoarse breaths. Cold sweat had begun to coat his skin. The clear droplets were small, yet visible. And best of all, impossible to hide.

"It's hard to hide, ain't it? The pain", Gaara chuckled, tilting his head.

Hyuuga said nothing. Between heavy breaths, he seemed to attempt speech of some kind, but never got the words out. Gaara grunted.

"Want advice?"

As expected, his offer received nothing but a cold glare. He didn't let that stop him.

"Don't fight it. Let it happen."

Hyuuga's cold eyes narrowed into suspicious slits.

"I'd have to be mad to take advice from the devil", he growled hatefully. The redhead merely huffed, the smirk returning.

"Trust me. When the devil tells you how to survive torture, you'd have to be mad not to listen."

He stepped closer to the man, and lowered himself enough to stop only an inch away from the other's face. Though disgusted and uncomfortable, Hyuuga refused to turn away. It could be considered mildly impressive.

"Don't talk like you're a sacred child of God", Gaara whispered. "Only one thing makes us different."

Hyuuga had never realized such could be possible, but he came to find that the redhead's breath was nothing short of ice cold. As cold as his voice and gaze. And the smirk, that couldn't be described as much more inviting.

"I've survived torture even your worst nightmares couldn't imagine. And with only a fraction of that, I will break you into pieces."

The redhead's brutal words stayed to linger in Hyuuga's awareness. Yet even then he only smiled in a manner that matched the other's.

"We'll see about that."

The voice held confidence, the kind that neared the range of stupidity. It seemed they'd begun a game of minds. Gaara had no intention of losing. His chuckle as confident as the other's smirk was proof of that.

"You seem quite fond of that smile of yours", the redhead observed.

Slowly moving to stand behind the seated man, he let his heavy steps taunt the air. Without a warning, he grabbed a fistful of long hair, harshly tilted the other man's head backwards and forced him to make eye contact. Gaara's smile grew sincerely sadistic.

"How 'bout we make it permanent?"

It was the first time true fear flashed in Hyuuga's eyes. On the other side of the room, in a dark corner where light could not reach, blue eyes watched a Glasgow smile spread its bloody wings across a once perfectly flawless face. Naruto wasn't sure whether it was caused by the sound of a familiar voice screaming in honest agony, or perhaps the unusually sadistic mindset in fault for it, but something made him feel uneasy. For the first time, he felt nauseous of what Gaara at his worst could be. For the first time, Naruto was forced to look the other way. The air felt too thick to breathe. God himself would've turned at the door. This show was run by the devil.

* * *

It was a rare luxury anymore, to have alone time. Especially out on the town. Though peaceful and somewhat relaxing, it felt surprisingly lonely as well. Sasuke was yet to decide if it were the good kind of lonely, or the kind that after a while left one feeling strangely hollow. Not that it really mattered. Alone or not, sake kept him company. That, and exceptionally delicious _kushiyaki_. While sitting there, stuffing his face with more food and alcohol than he probably should've, he couldn't help but to feel a sense of ease. It was nice, getting a break from all the murder and crime. Somewhat boring perhaps, but boredom truly was a privilege, rather than a right.

It was getting late. He'd already wasted a good two hours drinking by himself and enjoying his rare dose of peaceful boredom, somewhat scowling at the thought of having to leave soon. Though he wasn't entirely sure when exactly Sai and Haku would make it back, he would have to be at the hotel to greet them. He might've had the early night off, but the rest he'd have to work. He'd promised to take a quick glance of whatever they'd succeed in bringing back, before sending it forward to someone who actually knew their shit when it came to digging out the dirtiest of secrets. Someone he actually hadn't gotten a hold of yet, despite his best efforts. Just as he was getting comfortable silently cursing their inability to pick up the phone like normal people, Sasuke's cell began vibrating in his pocket. Borderline surprised by the timing, he took the phone out, glanced at the caller and smirked. Speak of the devil, it seemed.

"Learn to pick up the phone, douche", he chose as the opening line. The caller grunted.

"Sorry. I was working", was their explanation. Sasuke huffed.

"Another politician?" he asked.

"Nah. Cheating husband", the caller corrected. The raven chuckled.

"Well you've sunken low. Trouble findin' proper work?" he teased, not the least bit considerate. The other end of the line sighed.

"No. I just felt like something easy for a change", they argued. "You wouldn't believe how poorly these guys cover up their dirty tracks. They're dumb as fuck."

"Well, I don't think they expected anybody hacking their computers", Sasuke pointed out.

"Whatever. Easy money, that's all I care 'bout", the other one concluded.

"You lazy piece of shit", Sasuke mumbled, biting the end of a chopstick. The other end of the line chuckled.

"You know me. Can't be bothered", they admitted. "What are you up to?"

"Sitting at an izakaya, stuffin' my face with chicken", Sasuke told.

"Hmm, sounds good", the other one purred. "I wish I could be there."

Sasuke let the corners of his lips briefly lift into a small smile, before letting it fall again. Reminded that he had actual business to talk about, he brought the subject up.

"I need your help", he told honestly. The caller hummed curiously.

"Is that so?" they questioned, slightly teasingly.

Sasuke ignored the obnoxious tone. He felt bad for what he had to tell next.

"I can't pay you though. I'm broke."

The caller grunted. "You? Broke? You're never broke."

Sasuke fell silent. Nervously nibbling on his lower lip, he felt even more uncomfortable to voice his next thought.

"I quit my job."

Heavy silence followed. The dead quiet line caused Sasuke to shut his eyes and cringe silently.

"Is this about Naruto again?" the other end of the line finally asked, sounding disappointed.

It was a question Sasuke really didn't want to answer. But he knew there was no avoiding it.

"He needs me. Work was too time consuming", he muttered awkwardly. A frustrated growl replied.

"You're takin' this too far. You're being too selfless", the other one stated.

Sasuke scowled, his hold on the chopstick in his hand tightening.

"I'm not havin' this conversation again", he mumbled after a while. The other one sighed.

"I'm not trying to be an asshole", they assured. "I'm just worried about you."

Sasuke fought the urge to sigh. "Why?"

He wasn't sure why he'd bothered asking, when the answer was a given.

"Cause I love you."

Sasuke fell silent, leaving the other one hanging without a reply. For a good ten seconds, the line remained quiet, until a frustrated grunt on the other end finally shattered the tension. Only to give birth to tension of another kind.

"Seriously. You always do this. Just fuckin' say it."

The raven pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why say it when you know it already?"

"Do I?" the other one questioned, a meaningful tone to their voice. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Fuck you. I'm not havin' this conversation again either", he informed. The caller huffed.

"Whatever", they muttered, the offended tone painfully obvious. "I'll fuckin' help you. Just send me the shit."

Though feeling just the slightest bit guilty, Sasuke refused to let the other's attitude affect him.

"Thanks", he said simply.

The line went silent again. Sasuke knew the other one was waiting for him to say something actually worth listening to. Though not the slightest bit comfortable, he sighed in defeat and lowered his voice enough to keep it perfectly private.

"I miss you."

What replied, was but a rude grunt.

"Go fuck yourself."

A brief beeping sound followed. The call had ended. Sasuke shut his eyes and sighed heavily. As per usual, he'd fucked up. It wasn't a first and by no means would it be the last. He hoped, anyway. The day it'd finally be the last, he'd have to be dead. At times he hated it. Hated the way he was. There weren't much that could make him feel guilty, but this certainly did. Yet even then, he never seemed to learn. He was a hopeless case in every sense of the word. How they put up with him, he didn't know.

Sasuke took a deep breath and glanced at the time. It was late. He really should leave. Gulping down the rest of his sake, he abandoned his seat at the counter and began making his way towards the exit. As he reached the door and pushed it open, he came close to running into a couple on their way inside. Dodging them by just that much, he let the visibly tipsy people walk past him. Without realizing it, he stayed to watch them, if only briefly. Soon enough he tore his gaze away and finally stepped out. Only to stop to stand still in front of the closing door. After a while of staring into nothingness, yet another sigh escaped his lips. His hand found its way into his pocket, grabbing the phone once more. He brought it out, opened up a familiar conversation and let his thumb tap a short message. Only briefly did he stop to hesitate, before hitting send. The raven's harsh gaze softened at the words he'd written.

'_I love you too.'_

It was ridiculous, how even after all this time, this single one person still made his knees go weak along with his pride.

* * *

He didn't understand. Where could it be? After going through every drawer, every cabinet, even after checking beneath the mattress and something as ridiculous as an underwear drawer, Sai still hadn't found anything resembling a laptop. He'd found questionable documents and cash, he'd found weapons and even a porn stash, which he couldn't believe somebody in the era of the internet still could bother saving, but nothing even akin to a computer. His patience was wearing real thin, real quick. Could it be possible Hyuuga truly had no laptop hidden? It seemed unlikely. Yet lacking all trace of it, he really was beginning to lean towards that option.

It'd been a good twenty minutes he'd spent searching by then. As one would imagine, Haku had begun questioning what possibly could take so long. To get a better understanding, he'd hauled himself along with his gadgets upstairs and appeared in the office room's doorway to stare at Sai. The frustrated man was crouched down beside a large desk, mumbling offensive words to himself and looking generally displeased. He didn't notice the other's presence before they made themselves known.

"You plannin' on moving in?" Haku asked, smirking.

Startled by the unexpected voice, Sai flinched and ended up banging his head against the desk. A murderous look instantly taking over his features, he turned to glare at the younger one.

"Fuck you. That hurt."

Haku chuckled. "You can't blame it on me, sweetheart."

"Yes I fucking can, _sweetheart_", Sai argued, lifting himself up.

Taking yet another glance around, a frown appeared between his brows.

"I can't find it. It's not here", he told bitterly. Haku raised a brow.

"Did you check under the mattress?" he asked, glancing at the narrow bed placed in the corner. It must've functioned as a place for power naps when pulling all-nighters.

"For the millionth time, I ain't dumb", Sai sighed, somewhat having given up.

Haku frowned, a thoughtful look in his wandering gaze. After a while of glancing around, he stopped to stare at the wall. The boy tilted his head curiously.

"Knock on the wall", he unexpectedly demanded.

Sai turned to look at him, eyes questioning if he perhaps was the dumb one out of them. The other one merely smiled. Once done simply staring in confusion, Sai sighed and moved over to the wall to do as told. He knocked on the wall. It made the kind of sound he'd expected, solid and generally like a wall. Turning back towards the other one, he was met by a thoughtful stare.

"A bit to the right", Haku muttered.

Sai let his shoulders drop in the rhythm of yet another sigh. He did not understand the meaning of this useless knocking on the wall, but once again did as told. Surprisingly enough, the sound was different this time around. Less solid, more hollow. Somewhat taken aback, Sai raised his brows. Haku let out a pleased hum.

"I thought the panel looked loose", he told. "Try moving it."

Sai went to cautiously push the wall panel, using the sleeve of his shirt to avoid leaving fingerprints. Astonishingly enough, it moved. Sunk deeper into the wall and slid to the side. Hidden behind was a small empty space, just big enough to fit a laptop. Somewhat of a cliché to extreme extents, but surprisingly practical at the same time. Though he hated it, Sai was forced to admit he might've underestimated the other man quite severely.

"Huh. Look at that."

There wasn't much more he could think of saying. Haku chuckled.

"Good. Now grab it so we can leave."

Quite happy to comply, Sai did as advised and grabbed the device, then making sure that the loose panel was properly shut again. Once confident nobody would notice it ever having been opened, he turned to lightly shove the other one on the move.

"Okay. Out, out."

The boy rolled his eyes at the other's hurry, but began making his way back downstairs, Sai closely following. As they'd made it down the steps and found themselves back in the hallway, Haku made the decision to once more check the signal the USRP was sending. Just to make sure. The signal was quite fine. But something less assuring caught his eye, something he could declare to be worrying. Sai noticed the sudden look of distress on the younger's face, immediately feeling nervous himself. He had a bad feeling about it.

"What? What is it?" Sai questioned, sounding obviously tense.

Haku's frown grew deeper, slender fingers gripping tightly the laptop in his hold. He seemed nervous to meet the other's gaze, let alone speak.

"I'm picking up an overlapping signal", he told cautiously. "I think…there might've been a differently wired alarm trigger inside the wall."

Sai's face drained of all color. He was afraid to even ask.

"You mean…you mean the alarm went off?"

Haku said nothing, only stared. Sai stared back. Both standing still, tense and terrified, a heavy sense of panic was quick to fall upon them. Neither breathed, as if it would've made the situation worse. Sai was the first one to sincerely panic.

"Shit."

Never had anybody been as quick to evacuate a house that wasn't on fire as the two of them. Struggling to hold onto everything they were carrying, they sprinted out the door and onto the driveway. That was as far as they made it. Sai came to a sudden stop, causing Haku to run into him. He couldn't have cared less about that. His focus was entirely occupied by the set of headlights slowly closing in on the street passing by. It was fair to say his heart skipped a beat.

"How can they be here already?" he whispered, mostly to himself.

"Does it fucking matter?" Haku hissed, starting to feel as panicked as the other one.

Sai decided it was no use answering the question. Since it really did not matter how they'd made it there so fast, the only thing he could do was grab the younger one by the arm and start dragging him into hiding. Rushing to make it across the fairly sized front yard, he was aiming to reach the tall, decorative hedgerow surrounding the lot before the approaching car made it to the driveway. Barely making it in time, Sai took the liberty to boldly shove the smaller one among the surprisingly spacious flora, quickly stepping in behind him. Though somewhat cramped, they managed to hide themselves fairly well, only their feet visible to the outside. Sai could only pray it was dark enough for nobody to take notice of it.

The car finally reached the house and turned to pull onto the driveway. As subtly as possible, Sai peaked from behind the leaves and branches to get a view of the vehicle. Though no surprise, he quickly identified it as property of a home security company. The person seated behind the wheel took their sweet time to get out. Sai could feel Haku's tense body shiver against his in a nervous manner. As the car's driver's side door finally opened, the boy let out an unintended whimper. Sai rushed to place his hand over the other's mouth and pulled him tightly against his chest to keep him from moving and making noises. As the silhouette of a tall, broad man could be seen exiting from the vehicle, neither dared to breathe.

Sai was quick to realize, the worst possible scenario was about to come true. The man now standing outside the car grabbed a flashlight and switched it on. An unnecessarily bright shaft of light cast its rays across the front yard, terrifyingly close to their hide. Haku shut his eyes tightly, while Sai panicked to find a better way to stay hidden. The man and his flashlight slowly began moving closer. Sai was painfully aware that there wasn't enough space to hide both of their feet. Since he barely had a few seconds to find a solution to the problem, the outcome was as impractical as one could imagine. Silently cursing life and the way it treated him, Sai gave no warning as he suddenly grabbed the smaller one's legs, and pulled him off the ground. Fast enough to solve the initial problem, but cautiously enough to not create movement too visible.

The steps closing in came to a halt, indicating they must've heard the slight rustling of leaves. Sai turned to meet gazes with the one in his arms. Haku seemed scared. Though Sai had hardly planned on ever treating the boy even remotely kindly, he ended up having to voice words of reassurance.

"It'll be okay. Just hold on", he whispered quietly.

The boy nodded slowly, before pressing his face against the nape of the other's neck. Sai turned to glance towards the light now standing still. The rays of light moved slowly around the yard, coming closer and closer, before finally reaching their hiding spot. Sai shut his eyes, not keen on seeing the worst possible outcome unfolding, if it were to happen. It felt like an eternity, the time it took for the light to hover on them. The longer it took, the more certain Sai was they'd been caught. Once he could hear the man take a step closer, he was positive they were done for.

More than prepared to run for his life, only to inevitably get caught, Sai was shocked to realize the light eventually moved the other way, along with the heavy steps. Mildly confused, he opened his eyes and carefully glanced in the direction of the driveway. The security guard had turned the other way, now walking towards the house. Sai released a breath he hadn't been aware of holding in. It'd been a while since air had tasted as magical as it did then.

For a while longer, he continued to hold the boy in his arms. Only when he was entirely sure the guard had made it to the other side of the house, he finally lowered Haku down. Not much time there was for any sort of celebration. They both turned to look at one another, a unanimous nod following.

"Run."

And run they did. As fast as they possibly could. Their steps echoed above the empty street, one's a little faster, the other's slightly slower. As Haku began to fall behind, Sai took him by the hand and glancing nervously behind them, started dragging the boy down the road. Though afraid their rushed steps would alert the guard's attention, nobody ever followed them. No car, no guard, no searchlight. Against all odds and expectations, they made it to the car they'd parked a few streets down. But it wasn't before they were seated inside, the house and guard left behind and the city already nearing, when they finally could breathe freely again. Haku's shaky hands gripped the steering wheel, heart still racing. He cursed himself for being as big of a wreck as he was. It'd truly been too long.

Sai's dark eyes stared at the road behind them through the rearview mirror. There was nobody following them. Thus he let his gaze drop, the tension in his neck finally letting go. He soon turned to glance at Haku. The one driving turned to meet the watching eyes. Neither said a thing. After a while, Sai cracked a smirk. It was the contagious kind. Soon enough, for reasons unknown, both burst out laughing. A sound of the manic, uncontrollable kind filled the car. It made no sense. It didn't have to.

* * *

Two hours. Two whole hours of screams, inhumane hisses and torture had gone by, and Naruto no longer knew what it was he felt. Uneasiness no longer was enough to describe the clenching feeling in his chest. It'd become something more akin to actual distress, severe anxiety even. Why he felt so strongly, he could not say. Why he found it hard to stay still and watch, he didn't know. But despite the reason, the dense darkness around him was beginning to devour the little air he would've needed to stay comfortable. He felt nauseous.

Gaara clenched his jaw in annoyance. He was beginning to feel frustrated. Despite his best efforts, he hadn't succeeded in making Hyuuga talk. At first, he'd deemed it impressive. By then, he found it only irritating. Though the air was chilly and the room poorly heated, he felt hot. He'd long ridden himself of the uniform's jacket, the bulletproof vest and even the shirt beneath it, yet he still was uncomfortably warm. His bare chest was as wet with sweat as the tortured man's bloodied face, which in itself gave an insight to the frustration he was dealing with. It could be considered inconvenient, to say the least.

Hands clenched into tight fists and breath somewhat heavy and worn out, the redhead stopped to stare at the man still seated and cuffed. Hyuuga met his glare as confidently as he had so far. Despite the pain, despite what couldn't be anything short of very true mental hell, the man refused to admit defeat. And Gaara didn't know how to deal with it. He'd never expected Hyuuga to be that hard to break. He had a face too pretty for that. In hindsight, the redhead figured he might've judged him too quickly. Aware that he had only himself to blame, he couldn't begin losing his calm for nothing. He just needed a break. That's what he needed.

Tearing his cold gaze away from the badly wounded man, Gaara turned the other way and began walking towards the exit. He did take notice of the blonde crouched in the corner of the room, but too vexed to properly acknowledge the man, he barely bothered grunting out a word of advice on his way out. One he'd given already, but felt could never be repeated too many times.

"Don't let him get inside your head."

Before Naruto could even consider replying, the man was already gone. The heavy door slammed shut once more, leaving the sound of it to echo around the room again. Once it faded, only silence remained. Only it was no less heavy than the sound.

The blonde swallowed somewhat nervously. He still could not explain the anxiety he felt, but was well aware it was there to stay. Desperate to somehow tone it down, he took out a pack of cigarettes, placed one between his lips and lit up. As he drew the burning lighter further away from his face, he realized his hands were shaky. For a short while, he stopped to watch the restless flame. His hand would not stop shaking. He scowled and killed the lighter's gas flow. The flame died down. The shakiness, that didn't.

Naruto exhaled a smoky sigh. He attempted to regain his focus by pinching the bridge of his nose. He was tired. Exhausted, actually. It must've played a part in the queasy feeling he was dealing with. He'd considered taking a nap, but it hardly was the place for one. Had he tried, the screams would've kept him awake anyway. But now, since the redhead had taken the sounds of torture out for a break with him, it was easier to begin feeling sleepy. Naruto never really noticed himself starting to nod off. And hadn't it been for a hoarse voice unexpectedly speaking, he would've fallen asleep sitting up.

"Give me a drag, will ya?"

The blonde's weary eyes opened with a start. He hadn't realized they'd closed in the first place. Taking a second or two to really get a grasp on his surroundings again, he didn't instantly understand who it was speaking to him. But as he lifted his gaze up and ahead, it became clearer. Hyuuga's empty eyes watched him from afar tiredly. He looked horrible. Though taken aback by the overall gruesome sight, Naruto refused to flinch. For a while, the blonde did nor said nothing. Only stared back, eyes as weary as the other's. He was about to decline, when the strained voice spoke again.

"Please."

Naruto's lips parted in surprise. The man's voice sounded pained and exhausted. His plead was nothing short of a beg. And as much as the blonde would've liked to tell him no, he couldn't bring himself to do so. Whatever brief glitch it was his tired mind suffered, he found himself sighing in defeat and slowly stood up. As he then began making his way over, the other's gaze watched him intently.

Naruto stopped to stand in front of Hyuuga. He slowly reached out to place the cigarette between the man's bloodied lips. He let the other one breathe in a generous drag of smoke, most of it instantly escaping from the widespread cuts on his cheeks. It must've been painful.

"I didn't know you smoke", Naruto muttered.

Hyuuga let the smoke slip from between the slits in his face. As he spoke, the cuts caused his voice to sound slightly distorted.

"I don't."

The blonde didn't know what to reply, thus he said nothing at all. The cigarette's filter had been dyed red with blood. The sight made Naruto frown. Not particularly interested in sharing bodily fluids with Hyuuga, he threw the rest on the ground and put it out. For a short while, he stopped to watch the other man. The guy was in bad shape. His face severely cut, a permanent smile carved into his skin, the ends reaching towards his ears. The rest of him was doing no better. Chucks of flesh missing here and there, fingernails pulled off and the skin on his neck thinly cut several times. Not enough to slice a vein. But enough to bleed uncontrollably. How the man was even conscious anymore, Naruto had no idea.

There was only so long he felt the need to look at him. Not really finding any real purpose in continuing to do so, the blonde tore his gaze away and turned to walk back into his corner on the other side of the room. But he only made it a few steps, before the other's voice stopped him.

"What happened to you, Naruto?"

He couldn't lie, it made him flinch. Not having expected to hear the man call out to him by his first name, Naruto flinched and turned to face Hyuuga once more. Only after meeting the other's gaze again did he realize it might've not been the best of ideas, but he felt it was too late to pretend he hadn't listened. He was forced to say something.

"Nothing."

Hyuuga's askance gaze narrowed. Not threateningly, but as if it were pity he felt. The blonde felt a spike of annoyance, but left it unvoiced.

"Something did", Hyuuga argued. "You weren't always like this."

Naruto snorted. "How 'bout you take a look in the mirror, eh?"

The other one sighed. It was a tough one to shoot down, thus he didn't bother even trying.

"We never really got along, did we? You and me", he mumbled with a low voice.

The blonde could hardly claim otherwise. But neither did he find a reason to agree. He had no reason to participate in the conversation in the first place. So he remained silent. After a while, Hyuuga attempted to smile weakly, only to find it too painful. That didn't stop him from speaking, the little he could.

"Remember the fight we had back in school, years ago?" the man mumbled. "The one that sent the both of us into ER?"

Naruto huffed. He did remember, very well. It'd nearly prevented them from graduating. Hadn't it been for Jiraiya, they both would've been kicked out. The old man had always known his way around higher authorities. Good for them, he supposed.

"Hn. Yeah", the blonde admitted, though not sure why. "You started it though."

Hyuuga chuckled weakly. "True. I did."

Naruto raised a brow, mildly surprised. He hadn't expected Hyuuga to agree. But he hardly found any reason to complain. Thus he didn't. Instead he let silence fall, a more serious expression soon creeping in to replace the small smirk. Slightly hesitant to voice his thoughts, he took his time to do so.

"He won't stop, y'know", he muttered. "You should just talk."

Hyuuga's gaze fell darker, then dropping to the floor. He shook his head slowly.

"When you get involved in this shit…there's a line you cross and don't come back from", he mumbled bitterly.

Naruto could hear the oddly familiar tone in the voice that spoke. A tone he himself often ended up using. One known only to those who'd crossed that said line, who'd lost their way and had no means to turn back anymore. The sound of it never failed to be haunting.

"You know the line", Hyuuga stated, quite confidently. "You wouldn't talk either."

The blonde clenched his jaw. He hated it. He hated how right the man was. But more than anything, he hated how it always meant one thing and one thing only. Somebody had to die. Somebody always had to die. Judging by the words that followed, Hyuuga must've caught the look on his face.

"It ain't any use cryin' over spilled milk, Uzumaki."

Naruto gave the other one a sideways glance. He wished he could've disagreed.

"Hn. It ain't fair, y'know. I never chose to play this game."

Hyuuga grunted. "None of us ever did."

The blonde sighed. He supposed that was true. It was doubtful anybody's masochism would've desired such intense form of self-torture. Yet that made it no easier to accept the cards he'd been dealt. Nor the share the house always took for itself. More often than not, the players were left with a hand too poor to keep them playing for long. Even the winner could hardly be called one. Though standing, they always were the last one. Everybody around them would fall and they'd be forced to watch it happen. The game wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair. In the end, they all were losers. And without a winner, what was the point of the game? The game itself? Hardly worth it. Naruto couldn't help but to let out a strained chuckle.

"The game's flawed. It don't fuckin' work", he mumbled. "You know what I hate the most 'bout it?"

Hyuuga tilted his head curiously. "What?"

Naruto scowled, turning to meet the other's gaze. His voice came out as bitter as the expression on his face promised.

"These ain't cards we can fold. There ain't a way out."

A distant sound of heavy steps flooded through the door. Gaara must've been on his way back in. Hyuuga glanced in the direction of the door, before once more meeting the blue eyes laid on him. A sudden flash of something unfamiliar visited the tortured man's gaze. Something akin to determination.

"There's always a way out."

Naruto frowned, confused by the man's words. The sound of a door opening cut his wonderment short. He turned around to see the redhead step back inside and intending to speak, he opened his mouth. The words never made it out. Brought to a sudden halt by something he hadn't expected, Naruto froze. He barely had the time to register the noise behind his back, before a strong arm wrapped itself around his throat, the uncomfortably familiar sound of a gun's safety measures being released clicking right beside his head. Not entirely grasping what'd happened, Naruto searched for Gaara's gaze to find answers. He was met by a look of horror, shock mixed in with the green color of usually dead eyes. Only then did it really hit him. The reality of it.

Hyuuga had freed himself. Naruto was trapped in the chokehold of the tortured man, a loaded gun pressed against his temple. His own gun. Held by a hand that shook in pain, but possessed a grip that lacked no determination. He couldn't breathe, he didn't dare to move. His back pressed tightly against Hyuuga's chest and the man's bloodied arm threatening to crush his airways, Naruto was unable to even flinch. Far too shocked to wonder how the man had escaped from his restraints and snatched the gun without him ever noticing, the blonde started to feel a sense of panic. And rightfully so, as Hyuuga was quick to prove.

"Step closer and watch him die."

Gaara had frozen still. Whatever miracle it must've taken to happen, all evil in his eyes had been replaced by sheer shock. Naruto had never seen him look as horrified. For several seconds, nothing happened. The blonde's breath grew heavier with mild fear, Hyuuga's grip grew stronger with confidence, and Gaara's exceptionally terrified eyes could only watch it happen. The redhead brushed his fingers against the belt loop the keys for the cuffs they'd used to restrain Hyuuga with should've been hanging off of. He failed to find them. The keys were gone. Somehow, Hyuuga had managed to steal them.

Gaara let himself start to grow distressed. He didn't know what to do. The longer he had to think about it, the better he realized there was nothing he could've done. An inch in the wrong direction, and the blonde would have a bullet pierce his head. Beginning to sincerely panic, Gaara instinctively brought a hand forward, as if trying to reach him. Hyuuga's demanding voice was quick to tell him otherwise.

"Hands behind your head and on your fuckin' knees. Now."

The movement of Gaara's hand came to a halt. For a brief while, it stopped to hover in midair, before slowly falling back down. Cautious of every small move he made, the redhead slowly lowered himself on his knees and brought his hands up to rest against the back of his head. Never breaking eye contact with Hyuuga, he let out a shaky breath. For the first time in his entire life, Gaara did something he'd never resorted to before. He begged.

"Don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him."

His voice sounded broken in a way it never had before. Even Naruto was taken aback by it, enough to forget the danger he was in. Even if it were for only a second. Hyuuga narrowed his eyes at the kneeling man.

"Do not move a fucking inch", he commanded.

The redhead's gaze moved to meet Naruto's. The second they connected, Gaara's cold surface suffered a severe crack. He was forced to shut his eyes.

"Do whatever the fuck you want to me", he promised through gritted teeth. "Just don't hurt him."

Though neither of the two ever saw it happen, a hint of surprised curiosity visited Hyuuga's narrowed gaze. The man felt compelled to smirk.

"I guess I was wrong", he muttered to the blonde. "He does seem to care."

Though tense with terror, Naruto frowned in mild confusion. Hyuuga's voice didn't sound sinister or spiteful. Quite casual, if entirely honest. But it seemed this tone of voice was exclusive only for the blonde. As the man went back to addressing the redhead, his voice turned much harsher again. Topped off with a hint of sadism, it sounded nothing short of vengeful.

"Tell me, what does a sick fuck like you fear the most in this cruel world?"

Gaara opened his eyes. The panicked look was yet to leave them. An element of hesitance came to disturb it. It seemed he wasn't too comfortable revealing such secrets. Hyuuga grunted, pushing the barrel of the gun harder against the blonde's temple. Naruto fought not to flinch.

"Yo. You ain't really in the position to be difficult here", Hyuuga reminded.

Gaara's askance stare turned colder. The coldness passed as he turned to look at Naruto, a far gentler expression replacing it. Perfectly aware that he had no way around it, the redhead caved in to the demand.

"Losing him. It's the only fear I have."

Naruto's lips parted in surprise. No matter how close to death he might've been, he couldn't ignore the sincere tone in the man's voice. But that sentiment lasted for only so long. Hyuuga's sneer was quick to bring it to an end.

"Is that so?"

Hyuuga's attempt to smirk fell through because of the intense pain. But his cut up face hardly needed another smile. The bloody slashes smiled a smirk far more sinister than any effort ever could've achieved.

"And if I were to blast off his pretty head?" Hyuuga questioned, sliding the gun's muzzle down the blonde's cheek. "Then what?"

Gaara's eyes flashed with murderous intent. Forced down on his knees, forced to watch Hyuuga hold the blonde at gunpoint, it made his furious. But it also made him terrified. If imagining himself in Hyuuga's place, tortured and humiliated, he hardly would've thought twice about murdering all that was dear to the one at fault. Gaara was in no place to show anger. All left for him to show, was honesty and forced humility.

"I'd kill you", he told sincerely. "And then myself."

Hyuuga's face reflected mild surprise. He'd never heard a death threat be spoken with such calm confidence. Neither had he heard any man ever so calmly state they'd take their own life. He wasn't sure whether to find it courageous or not.

"Hn. You and suicide?" he mumbled, mostly to himself. "An unlikely friendship."

Silence followed after that. Gaara kept his gaze on Hyuuga, observing every last one of his movements. Every small twitch, down to every last breath the man took, he saw it happen. Using the silence to his benefit, the redhead attempted to figure a way out of the situation. But no matter how many different scenarios he went through, they all ended badly. Reaching for a gun would've been stupid and too obvious. The blonde would be shot dead in the split of a second. He also was too far away to reach Naruto in time. He wouldn't be able to outrun a bullet. And Naruto, he might've had a slim chance in disarming the man holding him hostage. Hyuuga was wounded, after all. But so was Naruto. The risk was too big to be worth taking. The blonde must've agreed. Otherwise he would've attempted it already. The situation was as brutally unfair as it seemed. There was nothing they could do.

"Turn around."

The sudden demand snapped Gaara out of his thoughts. Turning to look at Hyuuga, it took him a while to truly comprehend what he'd been told. But once it hit him, so did dread.

"What?" he asked, without even realizing it.

"Turn around", Hyuuga repeated.

The redhead's breath hitched. There was only one reason why Hyuuga would've asked him to turn around. The awareness of that forced him to panic.

"No", he declined, shaking his head.

Naruto felt the gun press yet again harder against his temple. It seemed Hyuuga's patience was wearing quite thin.

"Turn the fuck around, or I'll blast his fucking head off right before your eyes", the man growled through gritted teeth.

Gaara couldn't breathe. He had never felt as lost as he did then. He didn't know what to do. If he didn't turn, Naruto would die. If he did turn, he'd still die. If he tried to get up and run to him, he'd definitely die. No matter what he did, the blonde would collapse to the ground dead and cold. His worst nightmare had become reality. He couldn't save him. He had failed.

"Turn."

The redhead flinched. Something about the command sounded off. The tone used was as confident as before, but the voice, it wasn't the same. Gaara lifted his downcast gaze up. He met a pair of blue eyes and a smile more than familiar, but far too calm to fit the occasion. He came to realize, it wasn't Hyuuga demanding him to turn. Naruto was.

"It's okay", the blonde assured, smiling gently. "Just turn."

The redhead's heart sank. An inexplicable coldness spread through his body, reaching the very tips of his fingers and toes. Unable to speak, he failed to voice the objection fighting to get out. The best he could do was shake his head weakly, face drained of the little color it'd ever had. When he finally could spit out the most pathetic of sounds, it took true strength to build words with that whimper.

"Don't do this to me."

Naruto said nothing. His fear seemed to have vanished altogether, not a hint of terror present anymore. For a while, Gaara felt confused by the other's silence, but the longer he watched him, the better he understood. He was being offered the lesser of two evils. He was offered the option of not having to watch the blonde die. Though the thought of it made him physically hurt, nothing had ever been as painful as speaking the words he forced himself to say.

"I'm coming with you."

The other one smiled.

"I know."

It hurt. It physically hurt to return the smile, yet he did. He could've stopped to watch the blonde till the end of time. The smile on his lips fell eventually. Though every single inch of his existence screamed against it, Gaara eventually tore his gaze away and slowly turned around. The seconds that followed were the longest he'd ever had to endure.

Naruto took a deep breath. Once the redhead had turned away, he let his smile fade as well. Slowly he shut his eyes, finding that all he could do was wait. He felt oddly calm. Whatever the reason, he couldn't say he minded it. He supposed he truly had stopped fearing death. When standing on the threshold of it, he held a certain appreciation for that.

Hyuuga seemed to be taking his sweet time. Just as Naruto began questioning exactly what could take so long, the man leaned close enough for Naruto to feel him smile against the side of his face. Not a smile formed by the cuts, but a smile very genuine. Though it made the blonde flinch in surprise, he found no reason to open his eyes. Soon he could feel the other's lips move, forming a whisper. A whisper so quiet, he nearly missed it. What a shame it would've been for last words to go unheard.

"There's always a way out."

A second of silence, the breathy sound of a sharp inhale and the blast of a gun firing, followed by the sickening crack of lead crushing bone. Gaara flinched violently, twice. Once when the gun went off, once when hearing the heavy sound of a body hitting the floor behind him. The shot stayed to echo within the iron walls, taking its time to die down. When it finally did, so had something else.

The redhead never stopped to hesitate, not even for a second. As soon as he'd released the breath stuck in his throat, his shaky hand reached behind his back to grab the gun tucked under his waistline. With well accustomed hands he checked the bullet case, took off the safety and placed his finger on the trigger. Only a second did he waste, while forcing away the shakiness. A second was good, it was tolerable.

Content with his once again steady aim, he brought the gun up and pressed the muzzle against his lips. For reasons he could not really pinpoint, the feel of it made him smile. That was the last thing he did, before parting his lips, pushing the barrel against the roof of his mouth and tweaking the angle. It would only take a second. A single second for him to see the blonde again. Though an ambitious assumption, he wasn't wrong.

"Gaara."

The finger already about to pull the trigger came to a halt, not a second too early. Eyes shooting open and the barrel of a gun shoved inside his mouth, the redhead froze perfectly still. He blinked slowly, twice, before finally turning to glance over his shoulder, the gun still very much pressed against the roof of his mouth. Bad idea, considering he nearly pulled the trigger by accident, only for the sheer shock he was overcome by.

Behind him, collapsed to his knees, was Naruto. Shaken and surprised, but very much alive. Behind the blonde lay Hyuuga, nothing short of dead. His long hair sticky with blood, a pool of it growing around his head, he lay lifeless and still. His limp hand still held onto the gun, finger still loosely lain on the trigger. He had shot himself. He had committed suicide.

Never in his life had Gaara been as fast to move. Pulling the gun out of his mouth, he threw it away and rushed to get on his feet. In too much of a hurry to even manage proper footing, he partly stumbled, partly crawled over to the blonde staring at his own hands in awe. Even as the redhead grabbed him with all he got and pulled him tightly into his arms, Naruto couldn't stop staring at his own shaky hands as if something from another world.

"I'm alive."

The words slipped out as a breathy whisper, the reality of it finally sinking in. Realizing he could breathe, understanding he could speak, and most of all feel the arms around him, he let out a strangled sound of utter amazement. He didn't mind the nearly painful grip on his hair, nor the lips that soon smashed against his mouth in desperation. Finally confident he truly was alive, Naruto gripped the other man to the point of near suffocation. Gaara didn't seem disturbed by it in the least. A disbelieving laughter slipped the blonde's grinning lips.

"I'm alive", he repeated, much more confidently than the first time.

The redhead pressed his forehead against the other's, letting out a chuckle similarly disbelieving to the blonde's. His voice came out trembling.

"Yeah. You're alive."

Naruto let his eyes close, hands moving to rest on the redhead's shoulders. A smile lifted the corners of his lips.

"You're shaking", he whispered.

The man really was shaking, quite violently so. Gaara found it hard to exhale steadily.

"I can't stop", he admitted. The blonde pressed his weakly smiling lips against the man's forehead.

"It's okay. I'm okay", he assured.

His attempts of soothing worked no wonders. The man shook the same, held on as hard as before. His skin was covered in cold sweat. It caused the man's lips to taste salty, when Naruto pressed his own against them. But he didn't mind it. Not at all. For as long as it took for Gaara to stop shaking, he continued to gently press his lips against the redhead's, patiently waiting for him to calm down. Slowly but surely, he eventually did. The shaking stopped, his breath evened out. Even his nearly painful hold loosened to be only comfortable. Finally he let his tense shoulders fall down and lifted his gaze to meet the blonde's. Pleased enough, Naruto smiled. But it only stayed for so long. The realization of exactly why he still was alive reached his awareness. Slightly hesitantly, he turned to glance over his shoulder. The sight caused him uneasiness.

A strangled breath escaped the blonde's lips. A sad expression tainting his features, he let go of Gaara, turned around and cautiously moved to kneel beside the lifeless man. For a while, he only watched. An unexpected sensation of grief washed over him. Though not sure why he felt compelled to do so, Naruto reached out and gently turned the man onto his back. His skin had begun losing its warmth already.

Naruto brushed aside the long hair draped over the man's face. What lay beneath forced the blonde to turn his gaze away. It took a generous breath of air to get rid of the knot forming in his throat. Feeling like it would've been less than respectful not to look at the gruesome sight, Naruto pushed himself to do so. His gaze was met by a set of dead eyes left open. Ignoring the blood, the cuts, the gaping hole in the man's temple, he gently closed the other's eyes. It was a moment Naruto had never thought he'd have to experience. The loss of a nemesis. It had a bittersweet taste to it. He felt there was something he needed to say.

"I'm sorry…Neji."

The name flowed out easier than he'd expected. A weak smile tugging on the corners of his lips, Naruto carefully placed the dead man's hands to rest on the chest that'd never rise with breath again. It was then he decided on something important.

"I want to bury him. Properly."

Gaara frowned, somewhat confused, mostly just displeased. It was amazing how quickly he reverted back to his usual self.

"Hn. Why?" the redhead grunted.

The man's tone of voice struck a nerve with Naruto, but he decided not to mention it.

"We owe it to him", he reasoned. Needless to say, Gaara hardly felt the same way.

"Are you insane?" he spat out with disgrace. "There ain't shit I owe to him."

An undertone of reluctance Naruto could've understood and accepted. But bold disgust and disrespect, that he could not. Keen on making that clear, he stood up, turned around and narrowed his eyes at the man still seated on the floor.

"Do you even understand what he did for us?" he asked honestly curious, but mildly annoyed as well. Gaara frowned and shrugged.

"What? He fuckin' shot himself. Big deal", the man grunted. "He would've done it anyway."

That was true, he probably would've. But that'd been Naruto's point in the first place.

"Exactly. He had nothing to lose. Yet he chose not to take revenge on us", he explained. "That should fuckin' matter something."

Gaara seemed no less disagreeing, but at least refrained from saying anything further. The blonde still wanted to wipe away the reluctant look off the other's face.

"Could you for once be a little less of a fuckin' cunt, dude? It wouldn't be the e-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Gaara had stood up and shut him up using the technique that'd proven to be the most efficient. Somewhat surprised, Naruto didn't even bother resisting. The redhead smirked against the other's lips.

"Fine. I'll be less of a fuckin' cunt, just this once. We'll do it your way", he complied.

Not having expected such weak convincing to actually work, Naruto could only look mildly taken aback. Grunting, the redhead pulled the other's head against his shoulder.

"You're okay. That's all I care 'bout."

The blonde let his tense shoulders relax and melted into the man's hold. He huffed against the redhead's cool skin.

"It's cold. You should put a shirt on."

Gaara chuckled. "No longer like what you see? Disappointing."

The blonde rolled his eyes and gently slapped the back of Gaara's head.

"You'll get a fever, dumbass", he mumbled, but let a sarcastic smirk appear. "And you know I do. Why else would I put up with you?"

The redhead had crouched down to grab Hyuuga's cooling body by the legs. Naruto went to lift the upper part. Though his wounded arm slowed down the process, together they began moving towards the exit.

"Am I being objectified here?" Gaara questioned, though humorously.

Hyuuga was heavier than he looked. Full of surprises he was, even when dead.

"You got a problem with that?" Naruto snorted.

How they'd fit the body into the car in any way respectfully positioned was anybody's guess. Let alone avoid staining the rented vehicle with clotting blood. Perhaps they'd find some sort of plastic lying around. It was an industrial area after all.

"Nah. But good to know you'll leave me once I turn ugly", Gaara muttered, taking a better hold around Hyuuga's legs. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Once? You actually plannin' on that?" he questioned, glancing over his shoulder at the door. Only a few more steps.

"Y'know, you could've said you won't leave me even if I turn ugly, but sure, that works just fine", Gaara pointed out.

They came to a stop in front of the door. Naruto smirked.

"As if a face like that is ever gonna turn ugly. Which is annoying as fuck", he chuckled, reaching for the door handle. The redhead gave an agreeing shrug.

"True. It's a work of art. Damn you're lucky to have me", he joked, waiting for the blonde to properly open the door. Naruto snorted loudly.

"How 'bout you shut your pretty face the fuck up?" he suggested, as they finally could step outside.

As usual, Gaara wasn't one to listen. If ugly ended up not working out for him, he had a backup plan.

"I can always get fat."

Naruto rolled his eyes. This was the moron he was stuck with. Somewhere in the deepest pits of hell, Hyuuga positively was laughing at his expense.

It took the rest of the night to finish what the blonde had wished to do. It required unnecessary work, but as promised, Gaara helped him do it his way. For the grave, Naruto picked a spot he felt Hyuuga could've appreciated. A spot quiet and secluded, one just for him. Because of Naruto's wounded arm, the carving of Hyuuga's final resting space was left for Gaara to do. It was their luck the ground wasn't frozen solid. The two whole hours it took, the blonde spent cleaning his former foe's face and body of blood, the best he could. He even spoke to him. Casually, as if conversing. No matter how useless it might've been, he felt like the man was there to listen. He wanted to believe he was.

In the end, Naruto no longer felt as sad. Once he was confident he'd given the man the best burial he could offer, a sense of peace filled the air. He'd paid his respect, he'd tied the loose ends and shown gratitude for the man's sacrifice. Hyuuga had always been a firm believer in fate, that he could vividly remember. Though perhaps unnecessary, he'd wanted to add an element of dignity to the fate the man had faced. Even if it were only a form of sugarcoating. Hyuuga would've appreciated it nonetheless. That's how the Neji he'd known and hated had always been. Out of respect, that also was how Naruto always would remember him.

* * *

**I sincerely dread the day this finally ends. Hope you guys won't mind if it just goes on forever. That's so big of a possibility, it ain't even funny. I have issues.**

**On another note, I wanna thank you all for the reviews. They make me smile like a moron.**


	48. The L-Word

**I spent TWO HOURS attempting to upload this piece of shit, only for the site to crash every time. In the depths of despair, I eventually converted the document into a 1997-2003 version of MSWord. And voilá, only a fifteen year old version was compatible with the site. The fuck, internet? The fuck.**

* * *

It was the dawn of a cloudy day, by the looks of it. The clock was barely past seven, the sunrise was still yet to really begin. Naruto sat at the hotel bar, weary eyes staring at the bottom of an empty cup. The taste of bitter coffee still lingering on his tongue and tired mind craving for seconds, he continuously questioned why he was awake in the first place. Despite the long night and sleep barely worth mentioning, he'd woken up with a start in the early hours of the morning, only to find himself unable to fall asleep anew.

As expected, he'd found Gaara beside him, fast asleep. Still dressed in yesterday's clothes, still bloody and muddy from the night before, but so peacefully asleep. As always, he'd slept on his back, head turned to the side and one hand placed under the pillow, holding the loaded gun hidden beneath it. Prepared for the worst even in the deepest of sleep, the way he always was. Despite the urge to reach out and wake him, Naruto had decided against it. It was rare Gaara slept at all and after the rough night, he needed the sleep he could get. Thus he'd left the man to rest, and quietly exited the room to avoid disturbing his sleep.

For a good thirty minutes by then, Naruto had sat at the hotel bar, which to his luck remained open around the clock. Due to the early hour he had the place to himself. Enjoying the quiet and solitude, he'd spent his time thinking about the night before, and more than anything, Hyuuga. Not as much about his death, as about his life. About what kind of man he'd truly been, behind the carefully designed public persona and provocative behavior. And exactly what it was that'd driven him to walk the path he'd met the end of only a few hours before. The longer and harder Naruto thought about it, the more certain he became of never really having known Neji at all. He'd barely scratched the surface, only seen what he'd been shown. To an extent, it had to be deemed impressive. Even at the very lowest of lows, that man had possessed impeccable self-discipline. He'd been what one might've called the embodiment of admirable persistence.

Naruto was fairly certain he'd figured out how Hyuuga had pulled off his grand exit. How he'd freed himself, how he'd turned the tables around. It was likely he'd been planning his own death for some time. Beneath all the attitude and consistent rudeness, he must've been a very lonely man. Emotionally tortured and misunderstood, his entire existence constantly hanging by a thread. Much like Naruto, weren't it for one drastic exception. Unlike him, Neji had been all alone. As far as Naruto's knowledge went, the man hadn't been on good terms with his family, had very few friends and nobody who could've exceeded mere friendship. The loneliness, the uncertainty, the lack of control over his own life and very being, it all must've slowly eaten away his will to continue living. Aware of that, Naruto found no reason to blame himself for the man's death. Regardless of his involvement, Hyuuga would eventually have taken his own life anyway. In hindsight, Naruto felt confident that Neji had preferred the final outcome over other potential ones. Having saved a shred of dignity by becoming a martyr for a cause greater than himself suited Hyuuga far better than dying alone and angry.

But though an admirable man to certain extents, he'd also been quite the clever bastard. After putting some thought into it, Naruto had come to a conclusion of how the man had been able to escape his restrains and act out the plan of becoming a martyr, rather than just another victim. Using the impressive determination and stamina he'd obviously possessed, Hyuuga had been able to push Gaara to the verge of anger and frustration. Gaara notoriously did not work well with emotions of any kind, and became easily distracted by them. Assuring that the redhead had been pushed to the brink of desperation, it'd been child's play for Hyuuga to steal the keys for his cuffs. How he'd been so confident Gaara would eventually leave the room was anybody's guess. Might've been foolish trust in luck, might've been rigorous calculation of probabilities. Either way, his risk-taking had paid off.

Though clever and impressively planned, none of Hyuuga's intentions would've come true, hadn't it been for Naruto. While the blonde had found himself nodding off in exhaustion, Hyuuga must've used the opportunity to subtly uncuff himself. By acting outside his usually obnoxious nature, he'd then been able to lure Naruto closer and create a distraction by conversing casually. Once Gaara finally returned, Hyuuga had had them exactly where he'd wanted, and himself barely a step away from choosing his own fate. Melodramatic, yet genius enough not to cross the line of vanity.

Hyuuga had never intended to kill either one of them. Scare and take the piss out of, most definitely, but the only true objective had been to fold his cards and end the game. Unlike for others, it'd never been fear that eventually drove him to choose such a fate, but instead courage. And that was what'd made him a true game changer, in the words most literal meaning. After all, no invention of mankind could ever be as big of a gamble as life itself.

Embedded deep in his thoughts, Naruto had quite successfully shut out everything around him. Not that much was happening that early in the morning in the first place. But had he been just slightly more alert, he might've not suffered a near cardiac arrest upon feeling someone lay a hand on his shoulder. Startled out of his mind and only barely able to stop a high-pitched squeal from happening, he turned to glance over his shoulder. A smirking redhead fought not to snort.

"Mornin', angel."

Naruto shot him a dirty glare, if only to hide the fact that his heart was about to burst through his rib cage.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, dickhead", he grunted, watching the redhead take a seat across him. Gaara gave him an unimpressed look.

"I fuckin' had one, waking up without you next to me", he muttered.

"Hn. I didn't wanna wake you up", Naruto said in his defense, grabbing his coffee cup, only to remember it was empty. Gaara tilted his head curiously.

"Why are you up this early anyway?" he wondered. The blonde merely shrugged. He really wasn't sure. The redhead frowned.

"Because of last night?" he suggested. Naruto could only shrug again.

"Could be", he mumbled.

Silence fell. Slightly of the tired kind. Naruto found himself once again staring at the bottom of his empty cup, the idea of seconds becoming gradually more tempting. But before he could bother leaving the table to fulfill that craving, a thought crossed his mind. The smallest of smirks lifted the corner of his lips.

"You surprised me yesterday", he told unexpectedly.

The redhead tilted his head curiously. "How so?"

Naruto frowned, wondering if there really was any need to discuss what'd happened the night before. After all, it could've ended much worse than it had. But he supposed it would've been ridiculous to pretend it'd never happened at all.

"When the gun went off…you didn't turn around", he finally muttered. "You said you'd kill him, but never even turned to look."

The redhead dropped his gaze, his jaw clenching in slight annoyance. As if he'd hoped Naruto wouldn't have taken notice of it.

"Yeah. I know", he grunted after a while. "I thought I could."

"But?" the blonde asked. Gaara sighed.

"But I made a mistake", he admitted. "I hesitated, just for a second. And I realized that if turned around, I'd see your dead body."

Naruto's lips parted in mild surprise. It wasn't the answer he'd expected. The redhead seemed almost ashamed to admit having felt such weakness. Gaara grunted.

"I didn't wanna see that. I couldn't turn around."

The blonde said nothing. Slightly confused by the silence, the redhead eventually lifted his gaze to meet the other's. He was greeted by an amused smirk. Naruto didn't have to say anything for Gaara to know what he was thinking, which again caused the man to scowl.

"Shut up."

The blonde snorted, getting up from his seat.

"I didn't say anything", he chuckled in defense, though was well aware that wasn't the point. "Does softy want a cup of coffee?"

Gaara stared at him askance. Despite the stiff smile forced across his lips, he still succeeded in looking absolutely unimpressed.

"I will murder you in your sleep."

Naruto flashed him a wide grin.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Gaara was left there to roll his eyes at the blonde's turned back, and reminded himself to never again admit to being even the slightest bit humane. As it'd been proven one too many times, Naruto never let him live those moments down. A sigh escaping, he leaned back in his seat. He glanced down at his clothes. Scowling at the dried blood on the black fabric, he figured he probably should have changed, but had been in too much of hurry to find the missing blonde to have even considered it. He supposed he was in luck, as the blood was barely visible against the dark clothing.

Distracted by his thoughts, he happened to put his hands down his pockets. In one of them, he found something he'd nearly forgotten all about. Fist clenching around the small item, he cringed at the thought of having to address his fieldtrip to jail again. It made him nervous. He doubted anything good could come of it. But well aware of having no other choice, he decided he'd get it over with as soon as the blonde returned. As he did, and Gaara found himself staring at the cup placed in front of him, he could only wish it'd contained something far stronger than coffee. Once Naruto had seated himself down again, the redhead cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Hey…about yesterday morning", he mumbled uncomfortably. Naruto turned to look at the other one, a tired sigh escaping.

"Hn. What about it?" he asked, not rudely, but not particularly excited either. Gaara noticed the look in his eyes.

"You're disappointed in me", he observed. The blonde scoffed.

"You don't think?" he muttered sarcastically.

The redhead lowered his gaze in shame. It wasn't often he felt ashamed, but he'd come to find that the blonde's disappointment in him was the one thing that truly made him feel like the smallest, most insignificant being in existence. For that reason alone, he knew he had to somehow correct his mistake.

"I solved my problem. Kinda. Maybe."

Naruto raised a brow. Not a particularly impressed one, but a vaguely curious. For a while, he said nothing, only stared quietly. The longer he remained silent, the more uncomfortable Gaara felt. But he hardly was in the position to complain, and thus didn't even dare to try.

"Is that so?" the blonde finally asked.

Gaara nodded. "Yeah."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, but yet again, said nothing. He obviously was waiting for the redhead to clarify himself, to present his potential solution. The problem was, Gaara didn't know how to explain it. So instead of telling, he showed him. Reaching into his pocket once more, he took something out and placed it on the table. Avoiding eye contact, he then pushed it across the space between them. The blonde dropped his gaze down to glance at it. And then lifted it up, to glance at Gaara. For a while, his gaze shifted between the two. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to think.

On the table, placed in front of him, was a box. A small, black box, probably made out of some sort of cardboard. It had four sides, a top and a bottom, and all in all looked like the most generic box in the history of boxes. Naruto couldn't say he was too impressed, and was in no way shy to let his face reflect that. Gaara rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Open it, moron."

The blonde made a face at the tone used, but picked the box up. He took one last sip of coffee, before opening it. It turned out he might as well have not taken said sip, as upon opening the box, most of it filled his lungs and caused him to violently choke. In the midst of coughing and gagging, he attempted to produce words, only to find himself suffocating on them too. As he eventually was able to breathe again, he still didn't know what to say. He could only stare at the contents of the box in sheer horror.

Inside the seemingly irrelevant, boring box was a round piece of metal. A strip of shiny material, the ends of it attached to one another. Known to the general public as a ring. All Naruto could do was stare at it. Stare until he no longer knew if it really was there or not. His breath knotted tightly in his throat and confused terror in his eyes, he wondered what he was supposed to think. Let alone say. In the end, what he did say was just as intellect as one would've expected.

"The fuck is that?"

Gaara said nothing. Naruto turned to look at him. Eventually the redhead grunted.

"Am I really supposed to answer that?"

The blonde dropped his gaze back to the ring.

"What's it doing there?" he questioned, glaring at the piece of metal with suspicious eyes.

"It's for you."

Naruto said nothing. Only turned to stare at the redhead in absolute horror, suddenly looking somewhat lightheaded and nauseous. The box in his hand suddenly felt as heavy and dense as a neutron star. As if burned by its touch, he rushed to drop it down on the table, pushed his chair further away, and stopped to glare at it as if something vile.

"If you're doing what I think you're doing, I _will_ shoot you."

Gaara frowned in honest confusion.

"Doing what?" he asked.

Naruto gave him an askance look, silently questioning if the man truly could be this incapable of reading social situations. For the longest while, Gaara stared back at him, looking sincerely clueless. After what could have also been described as forever, the confusion on his face finally lifted, a look of horrified realization replacing it and gaze turning to stare into distant nothingness. It took him a while to get the words out.

"I did not think this through."

There they sat, both looking as if someone had slapped them unimaginably hard. To an onlooker, it might've come across as amusing. To them, not so much. It might've continued forever, hadn't Gaara eventually moved on to correct himself.

"It don't mean shit", he assured. "I just want you to wear it. If people think you're married, I'll have less horny pieces of shit to beat up."

Naruto rolled his eyes and sighed, partly amazed how dumb this supposedly intelligent man could be at times, but mostly relieved beyond words. After a while, he was able to find the situation amusing enough to chuckle.

"This is your solution? To slap an imaginary marriage on me?" he questioned, smirking. Gaara shrugged.

"Yeah. Pretty much."

Naruto chuckled yet again, reaching to pick the box up. Though he found the gesture fascinating, he knew he'd have to decline.

"Thanks, but no thanks", he told right off the bat. The redhead tilted his head curiously.

"Why?" he asked. Naruto snorted.

"First of all, no horny piece of shit is gon' care if I'm married. This issue ain't about them, it's about you", he explained, studying the piece of jewelry.

He was slightly tempted to pick it up, but decided against it. Settling on simply watching it, he scoffed.

"Secondly, ain't there a shot in hell I'm ever gonna wear a ring again", he mumbled, somewhat bitterly. "There's no way I'd as much as pretend to be stuck in that hell again. Ever."

Unnoticed by the blonde, Gaara couldn't help but to smirk. Whatever it was always driving him to find the most inappropriate things amusing and worth teasing the blonde for, was anybody's guess. Yet he never failed to give in to the temptation.

"Ever, huh?" he smirked and leaned forward in his seat. "So if I were to ask you to marry me, you'd say no?"

The blonde's face fell. Silence followed, the dumbfounded kind. For a long while, he remained silent, staring at the other one as if he'd descended from another galaxy.

"We can't get married", was the only thing he finally was able to state. The redhead snorted.

"Don't be so fuckin' boring. Just play along", he chuckled. "If I went down on one knee and asked you to marry me, would you tell me no?"

Naruto found himself at a loss of words. He also found himself wondering if his face was turning as red as he thought it was. As it seemed he had suddenly subsided into a vegetative state, Gaara reached out to take the other's hand into his, if only to perplex him even further. The annoying smirk on his face was still very much prominent.

"Hn? Would you turn me down?"

The blonde let out a sound that had no real meaning to it. He suddenly felt outrageously conflicted. He was very sure of how he felt about the subject of marriage. But then again, this man supposedly was the love of his life, and not to mention attractive as holy hell, so exactly what was he supposed to say? After a while of the blonde opening and closing his mouth in utter confusion, Gaara no longer could keep a straight face.

"You should fuckin' see your face, dude", he chuckled, letting the blonde's hand go. "Relax, blondie. I promise I'll never ask you to marry me."

Naruto flinched, mentally. For the split of a second, he wondered what it'd be like. To say yes. In a utopian universe, where the redhead honestly might've gone down on one knee and backed him into such an unfortunate corner. What would it have been like to say yes?

The thought caused him to shiver with something extremely unpleasant. Something akin to dread caused by the concept of useless commitment. Relieved by the fact that such a utopian universe did not exist, the blonde sighed and followed it with a grunt.

"Good."

The redhead chuckled, amused by the other's awkwardness. He truly was entertained by the smallest, most ridiculous things. Shaking his head at the blonde, Gaara sighed.

"You ain't gonna wear it then?" he asked. Naruto huffed.

"Nope", he told without hesitation. The redhead shrugged in defeat.

"Fine", he grunted, and brought a hand forward. "Give it back then."

Naruto glanced at him. He then glanced at the ring. There it was, in the box that lay on his palm. He considered doing as the other one wished, closing the box and giving it back. But instead he decided he wanted to take a closer look at it. Just because.

"No", he muttered as a short, blunt reply.

Gaara sighed, but let his extended hand fall to his side. Ignoring the other's bored look, Naruto took the ring out of the box. He brought it closer to his face to observe it. He turned it around a few times, just casually studying the look of it. It was quite pleasing to the eye, if entirely honest. Very simple, but sleek. The metal was near white, a line of black stones sunken into it, circling it in its entirety. Wide and sturdy, not really gender specific, and in fact fairly neutral. Naruto wasn't one to know much about jewelry, but he truly doubted it could be worth much. Gaara simply wasn't a man sentimental enough to care about such crap.

Naruto grunted. He turned the piece of metal around a few more times, before turning to face the one seated across him. Being the ADHD creature that he was, he was unable to resist the temptation to toss the ring in the air and then catch it. And keep on doing so.

"So who'd you steal it from?" he asked, giving the redhead a mildly sneering look.

Gaara's gaze followed the ring the blonde apparently had an overpowering desire to play with. He couldn't say he minded it really. But he did mind the fact that Naruto assumed he'd stolen it.

"Nobody. I bought it", he told truthfully. The blonde snorted.

"Hn. Really?" he muttered, in a deliberately irritating tone.

He still wouldn't stop playing with the ring. Gaara knew he could've pointed out a fact or two about the idiocy of it, but decided not to. He knew the blonde's curiosity would get the better of him. As usual, he was right.

"What's it worth then?" Naruto asked, once again tossing it up, before catching it.

Gaara didn't reply right away. Instead he let the blonde continue throwing the thing around a few more times. Only because he knew it'd make the reaction that much more entertaining. Rarely had he felt such satisfaction when telling the truth. As he spoke, he made sure to include a casual shrug in there, if only for his own amusement.

"Around a million."

By the time that information reached Naruto's awareness, the ring was in midair. Never, absolutely never before had anybody been that desperate to catch something they themselves had thrown. And in the pure shock of it all, he nearly failed to do so. Only nearly. He did catch it. And once he was positive the ring was in fact in his hand and not on the floor, Naruto clenched his fist around it as tightly as humanly possible.

"Wh-what?" he stuttered, turning to see the redhead.

He tried to detect signs of lying, at least exaggeration, but found none. The man was dead serious. And Naruto was dead sure he couldn't have heard right.

"A million fuckin' yen? A _million_? Million?" he asked, repeatedly.

All Gaara gave as an answer was a small nod. In Naruto's opinion, it was a ridiculous reply to what he'd asked. One simply did not merely nod when asked if they'd spent money worth a first class flight ticket on a piece of circular metal. The blonde was hesitant to unclench his hand in the fear of the thing magically flying away. He eventually forced himself to be rational, and unclenched his hand to look at it again. And stare was all he did. Stared and stared, not knowing what else to do.

Had he honestly been handed a ring worth a million yen? For no apparent reason?

Though probably ungrateful, Naruto had a hard time believing the man was telling the truth. Only to be entirely sure, he picked the ring up, brought it closer to his face and let out a hasty breath on it. The stones didn't fog up. Those little fuckers were real diamonds. By then, the selection of words to Naruto's avail was quite limited.

"Well fuck me sideways."

A nervous chuckle escaped his parted lips. Feeling somewhat dumbfounded, he carefully placed the ring back in the box, closed the lid and slid it across the table. Despite his best efforts to construct sensible sentences, all he could do was stare at it in utter silence. Unnoticed by him, the redhead was holding back an amused chuckle.

"I…have no fucking idea what to say", Naruto declared after a while. Gaara smirked.

"You don't have to say anything", he assured, placing the box back into his pocket.

The blonde continued staring at him, not sure what to say, yet certain he should've said something. The redhead didn't seem disturbed by the lack of speech, and casually sipped his coffee in silence, allowing Naruto to take his time. And that he did. For an entire minute, he remained perfectly silent. And even after all that time and thought, there was only one thing he could think of saying. Something he might come to regret later on, but had no chance to reconsider, before already letting the words slip.

"I love you."

Naruto wasn't sure what he'd expected, but what he witnessed definitely was the most ungraceful he'd ever seen Gaara. The man who never even as much as snored in his sleep violently choked on coffee, the contents of his mouth quite positively exiting through his nose. His embarrassingly real chance of drowning easily outshone the weak coughing Naruto had performed only a while ago. Desperate to empty his lungs of coffee, the redhead coughed for what seemed like minutes, all the while staring at the blonde as if he'd transformed into something words could not explain. By the time oxygen became an option again, the man's already pale face had drained from the little color it'd ever had. Deathly pale and shocked to extremes, he stuttered out the only comprehendible word he could muster.

"What?"

The blonde fought not to flinch. He could feel himself grow anxious and nervous. From all possible reactions, what he received wasn't exactly one he'd hoped for. But since it was impossible to take the words back, he took a deep breath and repeated himself, as confidently as he could.

"I said I'm in love with you."

Gaara's face fell, as if he was only now hearing him say it. Perhaps he was. Perhaps he'd thought he must've misheard the first time. To anybody else, it couldn't have come as that big of a shock. But this was nobody else. This was him, the man who shivered in disgust on an atomic level whenever he heard someone speak that detestable word. He had expected those shivers to appear this time as well. They never did. Instead he found himself in a reactionless void, too confused to feel anything identifiable at all. Silence fell, the quietest silence either of them had ever experienced. The longer it continued, the more uncomfortable Naruto grew to be. Eventually he could no longer let it go on.

"Say something", he muttered quietly.

The redhead flinched, as if coming back to life. For a while longer he squirmed in his seat awkwardly and wondered what on earth he was supposed to say. In the end, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Uh…thanks?"

Obviously, the first thing was not necessarily the best one.

"Thanks?" Naruto questioned.

Gaara said nothing. Only sat there, looking like a deer caught in headlights. It was obvious he was at a complete loss of what to do. And as he only seemed to sink deeper into a state of hopelessness, Naruto truly began regretting ever saying anything at all. Along with regret came some vague sense of embarrassment. Feeling uncomfortable and awkward, the blonde realized he really did not possess the means necessary to deal with the situation. A mix of a sigh and a chuckle escaped his lips.

"I shouldn't have said anything. Just…forget it", he mumbled, and stood up.

He clumsily threw on his jacket, and doing his best to avoid eye contact with the redhead, made up a quick excuse to leave.

"There's somewhere I need to be. See you later."

Faster than Gaara could register, the blonde was gone. He was left to sit there alone, glassy gaze staring into distant nothingness. Only long after Naruto had left, he finally snapped back to reality. As soon as he realized what had happened, and how poorly he'd handled it, a wave of dread washed over his entire being. He got up in a rush, ran to the exit and outside. But no matter which way he might've gone then, he wouldn't have found him anymore. The morning rush hour had begun. The blonde was long lost in the sea of people.

"Fuck."

* * *

Sasuke frowned. The ballpoint pen in his hand probably was nearing its limit of useless clicks. The side of his hand was smudged with blue ink. He doubted it'd wash off. Letting out a tired sigh, he gazed over the sheet of paper in front of him. After two hours of non-stop writing, he had filled every last square inch of the white surface on both sides, yet still wasn't confident he'd remembered everything. He couldn't help but wonder if he perhaps was being a tad bit excessive. It'd happened before.

A sudden knock on the door caused Sasuke to flinch. Turning to glance at the entrance, he frowned. Certain of it being too early for any of his friends to be awake yet, he decided to disregard the noise and carry on writing. But as another, much louder and demanding knock followed, he was forced to acknowledge it somehow. Sighing tiredly in defeat, Sasuke laid down his pen, left the comfort of the bed, and went to answer the door. He'd barely pulled it ajar before it was pushed violently open, missing him by a mere inch. Surprised and dumbfounded, he then witnessed a familiar redhead march inside, clearly not in the need for an invite to enter. Not given as much as a simple greeting, Sasuke could already tell he would not enjoy whatever was coming.

"Welcome…dickhead", he muttered, closing the door after the unexpected visitor.

"I fucked up", Gaara grunted, finding his way straight to the minibar. "I fucked up, _again_."

Sasuke was left to watch the redhead spontaneously pull open the door of the minibar, empty most of its content on the floor, and proceed to seat himself among the small sea of miniature glass bottles. Sasuke then witnessed him down two in a row.

"It's…it's not even nine in the morning", he pointed out, sincerely confused.

Gulping down bottle number three, the redhead chuckled with a mouthful of overpriced whiskey.

"I don't think you understand", he told, opening yet another bottle. "You see, I don't give shit."

Sasuke sighed tiredly. He could not claim he knew what had happened, but knew something had. And judging by the choice of breakfast, Naruto had something to do with it. Rolling his eyes at the redhead's utterly lousy handling of relationship issues, Sasuke hurried to snatch the fourth bottle from the man's hands, if only to avoid babysitting his intoxicated ass.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, closing the bottle up again.

Gaara was one step ahead of him. Already armed with another bottle, in less than a second. He finally pulled himself up from the floor and turned to properly face the other one. Another string of strained laughter slipped him.

"Blondie told me he's in love with me", he told, quite casually.

Sasuke raised a surprised brow, but said nothing. The redhead sipped from bottle number four, the most annoyed look imaginable weighing on his features. He let out a bitter grunt.

"Guess what I said in return?"

Sasuke didn't even dare to guess. He held in a breath he knew would come out as a sigh. Gaara had stopped to stare into the distance, his eyes closing in frustration the instant he forced the word out.

"Thanks."

The other's reaction had to be deemed impressive. Gaara could positively claim he had never been slapped as fast or as hard. The side of his face throbbing with pain, the sting of it most definitely indicating a visual mark, he sighed tiredly.

"That bad, huh?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Worse. I should've shot you", he mumbled. "The fuck were you thinking?"

Gaara let out a frustrated grunt. "What the hell was I supposed to say?"

"Literally anything else."

Heavy silence fell. Gaara let his head hang low in some level of regretful shame. Sasuke could only shake his head in disbelief of this man's idiocy. Neither really knew what to say or do. The redhead let his gaze wander around the room, eventually taking notice of the piles of paper scattered around the bed.

"Did I interrupt something?"

Sasuke turned to glance the same way. He scoffed at the mess on the bed. He'd forgotten all about it.

"No. Just…work stuff", he mumbled vaguely, and moved to stack the papers away.

It wasn't the most convincing of tones. Gaara watched him with mildly suspicious eyes, but never said anything of it. Well aware of the gaze on him, Sasuke was quick to pack everything away.

"I gotta go by the post office. I've got a laptop to send", he informed.

Having cleaned the mess up, he turned to face the redhead, and swiftly snatched away yet another bottle from the man. He didn't dare to even guess how many he'd had. Sasuke laid a demanding look on the disgruntled redhead.

"And you're coming with me."

After ten minutes, give or take, they were on their way to the nearest post office. The air was chilly, but nowhere near as cold as it'd been for the past couple of weeks. The slight increase in temperature made the traveling of distances by foot significantly more pleasant. The walk so far had been mostly silent. Sasuke had wanted to give both of them a chance to mentally prepare themselves for what would undoubtedly be the most awkward and uncomfortable discussion that would ever happen between them.

"Do we really gotta do this?" Gaara asked, audibly uncomfortable. Sasuke grunted.

"You came to me for a reason", he reminded.

That was true. No matter how much the redhead hated to admit it, he was there to ask questions he could not answer himself. He supposed it was too late to pretend he didn't need them to be answered.

"You think he's angry at me?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Probably not. He couldn't have expected much to begin with."

"Why did he have to say shit like that?" the redhead muttered.

Sasuke glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He was almost certain the redhead could've answered the question himself.

"What'd you do?"

Gaara frowned. "Nothing."

The other one scoffed. "Don't bullshit me."

The redhead returned the glance given to him, eventually sighing in defeat. He reached into his pocket, took out the box he'd placed there and handed it to Sasuke.

"I gave him this", he mumbled, avoiding looking at the other one.

Sasuke took what he was offered and opened it. Upon seeing what was concealed inside, he was overcome with the urge to slap the redhead again.

"Are you insane?" he sighed, utterly frustrated. Gaara huffed.

"I didn't really think it through", he admitted. Sasuke shook his head in disapproval.

"What did he say about this?" he asked, gazing at the contents of the box.

"Said he'd shoot me if I didn't have a real good explanation for it."

"Hn. Sounds about right", Sasuke muttered. "And then what?"

Gaara sighed. "Then I told him what it's worth."

The other one raised a curious brow. He didn't have to ask for Gaara to know what the question was.

"A lot."

Sasuke snorted. "That vain piece of shit."

"You should've seen his face", the redhead chuckled.

"I'm gonna assume this ain't what it looks like", Sasuke guessed, somewhat fascinated by the ring. Gaara shook his head.

"No. And he made me promise it never would be", he told.

Sasuke stopped walking. It took Gaara a few more steps to realize the other one had come to a halt. Upon noticing it, he stopped as well and turned to face the one left behind. Sasuke watched him with curious eyes. Instead of asking, the redhead gave him a questioning look in return.

"And if he hadn't?" Sasuke asked. "Could it have been?"

Gaara flinched. He had not been prepared for such a wildly hypothetic question.

"I…I don't know", he told, sounding uncertain and confused. Sasuke shrugged in a casual manner.

"Maybe it should be?" he suggested. The redhead blinked slowly, visibly taken aback. He took his time to reply.

"I've never thought about it."

Sasuke shook his head and smiled. He closed the few step distance between them and stopped to stand before the perplexed redhead. After a while of watching the man with a curious gaze, Sasuke decided to risk it, and ask a question he knew would confuse Gaara even further.

"Do you love him?"

The redhead's lips parted in surprise. For a long while, he could only stare at the other man in complete silence, unsure of what to say. Only then did it dawn to him that he'd never really thought about that either. He had no definite answer to give.

"I don't know."

Sasuke scoffed. "Of course you know."

Gaara said nothing. What had initially been an uncomfortable discussion, had evolved into an uncomfortable existential crisis astonishingly fast. He had severely underestimated how many unpredictable variables life occasionally threw one's way. Lacking answers, all he could do was ask questions.

"How?"

It was Sasuke's turn to look surprised. Though he probably should have anticipated it, he hadn't exactly prepared a speech about the anatomy of love. The mere thought of two guys allergic to the full spectrum of human emotion discussing love was somewhat of a tragicomic thing.

"Well…y'know. Feelings and shit", Sasuke mumbled vaguely. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Have you met me?" he questioned sarcastically. "Just explain what the fuck it is."

Explain love? Sasuke, explaining what love was? One might as well have asked him to shit a brick.

"Fuck, I don't know. Brain chemistry?" he suggested, spreading his arms in confusion.

The redhead scowled, utterly unimpressed. Well aware of how little help an explanation of chemical releases in the brain would've been, Sasuke let his shoulders fall in the rhythm of a defeated sigh. He supposed there was no way around it.

"It's…it's waking up next to them, and feeling like you're seeing them for the first time. It's getting angry at them for ridiculous reasons. It's stopping to stare at them for no reason other than the joy of it."

The slight undertone of awkwardness in his voice began to lift as he let himself really concentrate on what he wanted to get across. He even went as far as smiling, even if it were barely noticeable.

"It's terrifying, at first. You lose all sense of reality. You lose control over yourself. And it's scary. But it's also the best feeling in the world. A thrill, a high. The strongest drug you'll ever know."

Sasuke began letting go of his usually cold façade. It didn't seem he was talking as much to Gaara, as he was talking to himself. The calm and comfortable look on his face, it was something rarely happened. Even his voice lacked the usual underlying tension and dryness.

"But it changes. After a while, the high evens out. It no longer feels like the first high of a new drug. You get used to the drug. It becomes comfortable and no longer ends in nausea. After the highest high, it's like walking on air. And it isn't terrifying anymore. Just safe."

Sasuke slowly became aware of the unusual way he spoke. Yet oddly enough, he wasn't too bothered by it. He supposed he'd found a decent way to explain it after all. And as he thought about it, he finally figured out how to condense it all into one, simple sentence. A summary for love.

"Love gives you a reason."

Silence fell. Sasuke continued staring into distant nothingness for a while longer, but eventually turned to face the redhead. He was met by a look nothing short of shocked. Had Gaara claimed he wasn't just that, he would've been lying.

There it was. An explanation for everything he'd constantly battled against and been confused by. The feeling of no longer having control over himself, his inexplicable orbit around an unreasonable focus point, and life inside a reality that was based on something other than rationality. All the feelings that'd puzzled him for months and months, could suddenly be explained by a phenomenon that'd never been possible in his universe. He questioned if he really could have been so wrong all along. It seemed doubtful to him, yet denying the logic behind it all would've been a dumb move. He felt so very confused.

There were exactly two ways to handle this revelation. He could either persistently continue denying its entire existence, or simply accept it for what it was and learn to somehow understand it, at the very least explore it. Neither option really was to his fancy, but for the meantime, he decided to take a risk and have a little faith in what he'd been told. He didn't have much to lose, now did he?

"Huh. I see", he eventually said, somewhat baffled. "That does explain some shit."

Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes. He could hardly believe that even after all this time, the redhead had never as much as considered something as simple as love being an option. Stripped down of all its sentimental value and social glorification, love scientifically explained much of human behavior. And as much as Gaara might've despised it, he was only that, human. The error in his understanding of humanity only proved that to true. The default nature of mankind was as flawed as it was functional. And love, it perhaps was the biggest flaw of the human condition.

"Listen. I know this whole love shit ain't your thing. And blondie knows it too", Sasuke assured.

He took one last glance at the contents of the box in his hand, before closing it and giving it back to the redhead.

"But maybe one day you'll wanna give him this, and let it mean something."

Gaara glanced at the box and frowned. He didn't know what to say, and thus said nothing at all. Sasuke smirked.

"Just make sure I'll be there to see it", he demanded. "I'd hate to miss the look on that moron's face."

The redhead chuckled at the thought of it. "Hn. Maybe next life."

Sasuke nodded in approval. It was good enough. At the very least, he might've made the smallest of impacts on how the redhead experienced the world around him. And regardless of how much of a dick the man was, Sasuke would've found it a shame for him to miss the best of it. As it seemed they were done with the most uncomfortable discussion imaginable, they made a unanimous decision of continuing the walk towards the post office. Considering the type of men that they were, it was easy enough for them to pretend the previous conversation never happened, and speak of something much less profound.

"Who you gonna send all that shit to?" Gaara asked, glancing at the bag Sasuke had brought along.

"A guy who knows the fuck out of computers. I'm sending Hyuuga's laptop to him", the other one explained.

"Hn. Did the twinks find anything else?" the redhead pried.

"Not much. Transaction documents, legal papers, shit like that. But nothing traceable, just dead ends", Sasuke told. "How'd it work out for you two?"

Gaara grunted at the memory of last night. He could hardly claim it'd gone according to plan, but supposed it could've ended much worse.

"Didn't get a word out of him", he admitted. "In the end, he blew his own brains out."

Sasuke raised a surprised brow. "He shot himself? Hyuuga?"

"Yeah. Almost shot myself too", Gaara chuckled, as if actually finding it funny. The other one frowned.

"Real healthy, dude", he commented.

The redhead scowled. "Long story."

As it seemed it wasn't a comfortable subject, Sasuke found no reason to pry about it. And as luck would have it, they'd reached the post office. Stepping inside the building's warmth gave a nice contrast to the chilly outside air. Due to the day of the week, not many people were present there. Which was in fact preferable. Neither of them worked well with waiting in lines.

While Sasuke went on to do whatever it was posting packages required, Gaara stayed to wait him by the door. Bored out of his mind in less than two minutes, he turned to face the street instead, in the hopes of finding something slightly more fascinating than the old lady staring at him suspiciously from behind the counter. The glass door gave a good view outside, but he could hardly claim there was much to see behind it. Only a handful of depressed looking pedestrians, lazy lines of generic cars driving by, and excitingly enough, a total of two pocket-sized dogs taking a dump on the sidewalk. Sightseeing at its best, truly.

As always, Gaara quickly grew bored of the outside world as well. But just as he was contemplating whether or not to bang his head against the glass, something unexpected caught his eye.

Across the icy road, a car pulled up on the sidewalk. Black, generic, inconspicuous. Nothing worth mentioning. The vehicle in itself couldn't be considered interesting. But then the driver's side window rolled all the way down. It seemed strange, considering the temperature. Behind the wheel sat a man. In no way more suspicious than the car he was driving. At first it seemed he'd had no real reason to pull over, let alone open the window. The man sat there still and tense, letting the engine run, but doing virtually nothing. He seemed perfectly harmless, yet something caused Gaara to feel uneasy. Soon enough, he figured out what it was.

The man surprised him by rolling up the sleeves of his jacket. From underneath the clothing, a familiar style of tattooing was revealed. Even from that distance, Gaara recognized them. He immediately grew tense and for a brief moment, considered reaching for a gun. By all logic, he had the right to feel threatened by such a bold move. But as the man then turned to look him dead in the eye, Gaara let himself relax. The hand already reaching behind his back fell to the side, calm and free of ill intentions. He returned the stare given to him, and eventually, smirked.

It seemed that Akatsuki had figured out what'd happened to Hyuuga. At the very least noticed that he was officially out of the picture. The man in the car was no hazard. Had he been, he wouldn't have displayed himself in plain sight. Neither Akatsuki nor the mafia operated in such bold ways. The man wasn't there to do harm, he was there to deliver a message. To tell they were done playing around. It was meant to come across intimidating. Gaara merely found it amusing. They'd obviously succeeded in trapping their rivals in a corner uncomfortable enough to have turned them desperate and angry. Hardly anything could have been more entertaining to him.

The eye contact between them continued no longer than was necessary. As soon as it became clear the message had been delivered, the man tore his gaze away, rolled the window up again and drove away. Gaara was left to stare at the now empty spot across the road and subtly chuckle out loud. Sasuke happened to appear next to him and overhear the redhead's amusement.

"What?" he questioned. Gaara shook his head.

"Nothing."

Sasuke gave him a suspicious sideways glance, but let the matter be. Instead of bothering himself with the redhead's strange behavior, he glanced down at the couple of envelopes in his hand.

"I gotta drop these in a mailbox before we go", he told. The other one turned to face him.

"Did you get the laptop sent?" Gaara asked.

"Yeah. It'll take anywhere from a few days to few weeks to get news", Sasuke told, sighing tiredly. The redhead scowled.

"Weeks? We'll be dead before that", he pointed out. The other one shrugged.

"It's the best I can do", he admitted, heading out the door.

Gaara followed the other's steps into the chilly winter air and towards a mailbox standing on the corner of the post office. Upon reaching it, Sasuke stopped to stare at the envelopes in his hold. His grip tightened, the paper crumpling. Mildly curious, Gaara tried to get a glimpse of whom they were addressed to, but failed to do so. Instead he took notice of the distressed frown on Sasuke's face.

"What?" he asked.

The other one said nothing right away, and seemed hesitant to speak. As if he'd rather not talked about what he eventually forced himself to say.

"Listen…about the deal we made", Sasuke muttered quietly. Gaara frowned, but nodded.

"Yeah?" he encouraged the other one to continue.

Another moment of hesitation went by. Sasuke took a deep breath.

"I need you to promise me that no matter what…" he muttered reluctantly. "...no matter what happens, you see it through."

Gaara fell silent. He watched the other man with questioning eyes and wondered why he suddenly seemed so worried.

"Dude, you're being weird", he told. "Besides, we got bigger problems at the moment."

Sasuke was quick to give him a harsh glare, obviously not pleased with the reply.

"Promise me", he demanded, growing agitated.

The redhead looked at him in slight confusion, not really sure where this sudden attitude was coming from. But though mildly surprised by that alone, it was the unexpected grip on the front of his jacket and the face barely an inch away from his that truly took him aback.

"Fucking say it", Sasuke demanded yet again, clearly anxious.

Gaara could have taken offense in the other's behavior and punched his lights out, but having somewhat learned to read human emotions, he could tell it wouldn't have been of any use. Instead he calmly detached the other's grip and lightly shoved the man further away.

"Fine. I fucking promise", he finally grunted.

Sasuke nodded stiffly, letting out a subtle breath of relief. He instantly seemed calmer. Once again dropping his gaze to the envelopes in his hand, a vague look of nervous hesitation visited his face, before it turned into a look of confident determination. Nodding to himself, as if making a decision, he brought the envelopes to the opening in the side of the mailbox, and finally, slipped them inside. Gaara watched him in fascination, but never asked about it. Though curious of the envelopes, his interest lay more in the man's determination to validate the deal they'd made all those months ago.

As they began making their way back to the hotel, Gaara couldn't help but to wonder what had changed. Something had. Somewhere along the line, the agreement between them about how to handle hazards that'd been mostly hypothetical had obviously grown into something much more profound. A slim possibility seemed to have become an actual probability. Though curious, Gaara knew there would've been no use in asking about it. It seemed he could only wait and watch the situation unfold on its own.

* * *

_Why had he agreed to this? It couldn't have been a good idea to follow Sasuke outside, regardless of the reason behind asking him to do so in the first place. Even if he'd done it out of curiosity and most of all, to annoy the blonde, the idea of forcing a conversation made Gaara uncomfortable and annoyed. The freezing cold winter air hardly helped the matter. The awkward silence certainly did not raise any high hopes for what would follow. But against all odds, Sasuke succeeded in taking him by surprise. _

"_Why do want to keep Naruto safe?"_

_It wasn't a question Gaara had been prepared to get asked, let alone answer. No part of him felt a desire to discuss it with the man in question. But despite his attempts to squirm out of the uncomfortable subject, he eventually had to admit there wasn't much he could lose by telling the truth._

"_I need him."_

_He didn't know if it'd been the answer Sasuke had been looking for, nor did he care for that matter, but it seemed it was an answer he could settle for._

"_Do you mean it? Would you do anything?"_

_Yet another question Gaara had not anticipated. And one he could not answer that easily. He was forced to really stop and think about it, consider the lengths he would realistically go to. He found himself imagining scenarios and sacrifices he'd never even thought of before. In the end, there was only one truthful answer he could give._

"_Yeah. I'd do anything."_

_Sasuke seemed doubtful of his statement. At least that's what his suspicious gaze indicated. But whether he simply ignored the feeling of uncertainty, or actually became convinced of the redhead's sincerity, he eventually accepted it and moved on. _

"_I have a favor to ask."_

_A favor? As in an act of kindness that resulted in no personal gain? Gaara scoffed at the idea._

"_Why should I help you?"_

_The reply came without delay. _

"_Cause we both wanna keep that blonde idiot alive, that's why."_

_Gaara scowled. He hated it. He hated how easily he caved in whenever the blonde somehow became a part of the discussion. Well aware that there was no way around it, he let his silence speak for itself. Taking the other's refusal to speak as a sign of agreement, Sasuke nodded in a pleased enough manner. Before presenting his actual proposal, he felt that a brief backstory was in place._

"_I once killed a man", he said unexpectedly, yet casually. Gaara raised a brow._

"_Am I supposed to be impressed?" he grunted, anything but in fact impressed. Sasuke smirked and took a drag from the cigarette he'd lit. _

"_Depends. You ever heard the name Orochimaru?"_

_The redhead froze. He glanced at Sasuke from the corner of his eye, slight disbelief causing him to frown. Eventually, he chuckled._

"_You know I have."_

_He had. Most everyone involved with the mafia, and especially Akatsuki, had heard the name. Quite the notorious name it was. And only one of the names used by the man very few had mourned the death of. Gaara had even met him, years and years ago. Only briefly, yet well enough to determine he wasn't a fan. The man had been the true embodiment of evil. Terrifying and morbid, inside and out. Exceptionally skillful at disguising himself and hiding behind stolen identities, for the sole purpose of committing crimes only he benefited from. A man many had wanted dead. Some even made attempts at it, only to fall short of even finding him. Though a widely accepted subject of fascination, there was very little about that man Gaara himself had ever found interesting, weren't it for one small trigger._

_The man most well known as Orochimaru had once been a part of Akatsuki. Being an egoistic lone wolf, he had never been truly loyal to any form of organized crime and as usual, had eventually flipped this one off as well. By the time Gaara had slaughtered what'd been left of Akatsuki, the man had no longer been a part of them, and thus had become the one that got away. It'd irked him for years. And even more so, when he'd heard somebody had finally killed him, roughly ten years ago. Information about that man had always moved with a delay, sometimes taking years. Though he'd been several years late to hear the news, he'd found it somewhat impressive, and even felt a little jealous. But if Sasuke was implying what Gaara thought he was, it would've been far too ridiculous to be taken seriously._

"_You saying you killed him?" the redhead chuckled. "You think I'm gonna buy that bullshit?"_

_Sasuke didn't let the other's degrading tone get to him. Instead he decided to simply lay out the facts._

"_I was an angry brat", he grunted. "My family was dead and apart from Naruto, I didn't have shit to live for. So I left to find out why my life had become what it was."_

_Gaara frowned. He didn't see the connection between Sasuke's life story and the subject at hand, and thus didn't really care to hear about it. He wasn't shy to show his disinterest, but it didn't seem to bother the other man._

"_Pretty soon, I found Orochimaru", Sasuke told. Gaara snorted._

"_Nobody finds a man like that", he argued. The other one shrugged._

"_Well, maybe he found me. I don't know, I don't care. I ended up working for him anyway."_

_Now that Gaara could deem interesting. Though refusing to admit that out loud, he refrained from interrupting. Sasuke sighed._

"_All sorts of shit went down. And when we no longer got along, he put a price on my head. I got shot", he told. The redhead looked mildly surprised, but then smirked spitefully._

"_Too bad that didn't work out", he sneered. Sasuke shot him a glare, but refused to let it annoy him._

"_Obviously I survived. But damn it pissed me off", he grunted. "I wasn't the only one tired of his bullshit. He had a lot of frustrated people working for him. So we got together, abused his trust and killed him."_

_Gaara said nothing. Only stared at the other man, wondering whether or not he should believe what he'd been told. In the end, he couldn't decide._

"_Hn. Whatever", he muttered. "Why are you tellin' me this?"_

_Sasuke's gaze grew cold along with his expression. Once again, he seemed hesitant to voice his thoughts, but eventually forced the words out from behind gritted teeth._

"_He's back."_

_The redhead made a face._

"_Back?" he repeated, confused. "You just said you killed him."_

_Sasuke sighed. "I did kill him."_

_Gaara rolled his eyes. He could hardly believe he was having this conversation. _

"_He's dead. Okay? That cunt is rotting six feet under the ground", he explained slowly, as if to a child. _

_Sasuke said nothing, didn't even comment on the degrading tone the redhead spoke to him with. Instead he reached into his pocket, took out a small plastic bag and held it up for Gaara to see. The redhead narrowed his eyes at it. Inside the clear plastic bag lay a small glass vile, filled with red liquid. _

"_Blood", Gaara stated. Sasuke nodded._

"_This was sent to me a while ago", he told. "It's his."_

_The redhead turned to look at him in surprise. _

"_His blood?" he questioned, not sure what to think of it. Sasuke nodded yet again._

"_I ran it through tests at work. It matches his DNA", he explained. _

_Gaara couldn't lie, it was unexpected. Yet it still did not explain nor prove how Orochimaru could have been alive. Sasuke could see the silent questions in the other's eyes, and took a deep breath._

"_It's not ten years old. A few weeks, at most. Drawn from a live human."_

_The redhead fell silent. It became considerably more difficult to claim Sasuke was simply imagining things anymore. But it also seemed so unlikely his assumptions could've been true. Orochimaru was dead. Had been for ten something years. Sasuke must've known that better than anyone, if he truly had been the one to put the man to an early grave. Gaara wasn't sure what to think of it. For hypothetical purposes, he figured he might as well assume it all was true. Yet that still did not explain why Sasuke was attempting to include him into this hypothetical problem._

"_What's any of this got to do with blondie?" he questioned. Sasuke scowled._

"_Orochimaru knows my weak point. And to that man, nothing tastes as sweet as revenge."_

_The redhead grunted. He supposed it made sense. If any of this ridiculousness miraculously turned out to be true, it would've been safe to assume Naruto might land in the line of fire as well. That Gaara could call a problem worth worrying about. As if there weren't enough of them already. The mere thought of that caused the redhead to sigh._

"_Why should I buy into this bullshit?" he wondered aloud. "It's been ten years. Why would he suddenly come back after all this time?" _

_Sasuke shrugged and shook his head._

"_I don't fuckin' know", he grunted in frustration. "Maybe he got bored. He doesn't exactly need a reason to be a lethal prick."_

_Gaara frowned. Even for Orochimaru, simple boredom seemed like too vague of a reason to suddenly rise from the grave. But there was something else, something nearly as vain and childish that might've been reason enough._

"_Thing's been shifting in organized crime lately", Gaara muttered. "Hierarchy's changed. Shit's hit the fan."_

_Sasuke nodded. "Hn, yeah. He never liked being left out of the fun."_

_Even in all its simplicity, it could well have been explanation enough. Gaara couldn't sincerely claim he didn't feel the slightest bit intrigued by the slim chance of Orochimaru having returned from the dead, figuratively speaking. Perhaps even literally. It wouldn't have surprised anyone to any extreme extents. _

"_What do you want from me?" the redhead asked. "Assuming that any of this shit is true, the fuck you want me to do?"_

_Sasuke smirked. "Do what you do best."_

_Gaara narrowed his eyes at the other man. He wasn't a fan of the knowing tone of voice._

"_And the fuck might that be?" he grunted annoyed. The other one chuckled._

"_We both know what it is", Sasuke stated confidently. "You do your shit, and in return, I'll do my best to force the evidence to favor your defense once the retrial begins."_

_The redhead fell silent. No matter how poorly the two of them got along, it would've been stupid and juvenile to let such an opportunity go to waste. Whether he liked it or not, he was in the crying need for shortcuts to win the trial. Also the potential chance to tie loose ends from a decade ago did attract his interest. Finding and killing the one that got away, assuming they actually were alive, was too tempting of a thought to ignore. In the end, he found no reason to decline._

"_Hn. Fine", he huffed. "But we got other shit going on. I can't promise you a deadline."_

"_Doesn't matter", Sasuke assured. "Just keep Naruto safe and ignorant. That's all I ask."_

_The redhead chuckled dryly. "You're askin' me to lie to him?"_

_Sasuke shrugged. "You wanna feed his living hell gasoline?"_

_Gaara gave him a sideways glance. There was no real need for him to answer. Sasuke smirked, extending his arm for a handshake. _

"_Deal?"_

_The redhead glanced at the offered hand. Though a brief moment of hesitation went by, he eventually took a firm hold of it._

"_Deal."_

* * *

**I am an astonishing two days early. This calls for a parade.**


	49. Tradeoffs

**Reasons why I once again disappeared like a fart in Sahara:**

**1\. I am currently working two jobs**

**2\. My old computer crashed beyond repair**

**3\. I've spent more time hungover than I'd like to admit**

**4\. Not sure if anybody even wants to read this shit anymore**

**With that out of the way, have yourselves a new chapter.**

* * *

'_What if he leaves me? '_

Weren't it for the watery snow and generally boring tones of gray painting the landscape, the scenery could've been considered pleasing to the eye. Though the cherry trees were bare of their usual pink hue and the branches covered in thin layers of melting ice, the park still maintained its serene, primitive grace. In the midst of this grace stood a man who could not have cared less about such irrelevances. Nature's aesthetics were as wasted on Gaara as his time right then was wasted on unreasonable anxiety. As unusual as it was, he almost wished Sasuke hadn't returned to the hotel and left him on his own. What a terrible, terrible idea that'd been.

'_What if he realizes he's worth so much more than I'd ever deserve, and leaves me?'_

It perhaps went without saying, but voluntary introspection had never been a specialty of his. It rarely ended in progress, let alone success, and more often than not, the outcome was awkward and undesirable. Being the condescending narcissist that he was, searching for imperfections within himself was no small stretch. Finding one never failed to be irrationally devastating. The self-pitying disaster he morphed into was barely worth a bitter laugh.

'_He'll find someone better. He'll leave me for someone better.'_

Somewhere between before and after morphing into that said disaster, Gaara had experienced a fairly horrifying epiphany. Though he principally lived inside an egoistic bubble, void of compassion and consideration, he'd exceptionally stepped out of it, only to realize how terribly oblivious he'd been. While he'd wasted a good two hours wondering whether or not he loved the blonde back, he'd entirely missed the actual issue at hand. Love was not the problem. He was.

'_Fuck. I can't even blame him. I'm the biggest fuckin' cunt I've ever met.'_

Gaara didn't know if he loved the blonde or not. He knew he would've died for him. He would've gone back to prison for him, he would've done anything. He knew that in all reasonable theory, he did love him. He knew all that, but despite it all, he still wasn't confident enough to say it out loud. Such pitiful insecurity was more than deserving of a scoff. Exactly when had he become such a coward?

'_I'm fucking pathetic.'_

He wasn't sure which made him feel more pathetic; the fact that he might've accidentally fallen in love, or that he was too weak of a fuck to admit it. Neither option pleased him, both terrified him. He was intimidated by perfectly reasonable brain activity and natural chemical reactions. He literally was being ridiculed by himself. Perhaps that was the most pathetic part of it all.

'_He's gonna leave me. I'm fucked.'_

Gaara sighed. He wished he could've stayed there and sat in the rain for the rest of eternity. But since his wishes notoriously weren't worth shit, he pulled himself up, lit a cigarette and began dragging his pathetic ass back downtown. He could confidently claim he'd never walked as slowly before.

* * *

Four hours of airtime for the top hundred best love songs of all time. Hadn't the cruel irony of it been absolutely unforgivable, violently detaching the radio of a rental car and sending it flying out the window could've perhaps been considered somewhat of an ungraceful reaction. To Naruto's luck, he could've searched on an atomic level, and still not have found a single fuck to give. While there, he also could've looked for things such as dignity, pride and honor, and ended up as empty-handed as with the fucks. It was safe to say, he'd had better mornings.

After an hour of aimless driving around and countless mortified cringes, Naruto had officially lost all hope of ever rediscovering his dignity. His last resort to drown the echo of his own voice confessing stupidities had literally just flown out the window. He was fairly quick to realize he'd have to pay real money for the missing radio, but in all honesty considered it worth the joy of watching it shatter against the asphalt and thus, go silent. Even if the flying piece of electronics nearly did cause a twelve-car pile-up.

Stopped by a red light, Naruto was forced to halt the car and wait in utter silence for it to turn green. His empty gaze stared through the windshield and into nothingness. The cloudy sky above him had morphed into a flat sheet of boring grayness. Small droplets of something between snow and water gently hit the glass. He barely noticed them. Upon catching his own gaze in the rear-view mirror, a low groan of frustration escaped his lips.

"I'm an idiot."

That he was. On a grand scale. He had no way of justifying the unfair position he'd forced Gaara into. Or the obviously self-sabotaging behavior that'd driven him to blurt those three inevitably doomed words in the first place. Naruto sighed tiredly. His fingers found their way to touch the iron tag pressed against his chest. Though compelled to downplay its value, he couldn't help but to close his fist tightly around it. It felt different. Colder, somehow. The fairly impatient sound of a car horn awoke Naruto back to reality. Realizing he'd held the long line of cars behind him halted though the light was green, he concluded it perhaps was time for him to return the rental car and not drive at all.

Thirty minutes or so later, Naruto had returned the car, spent half the time arguing over the missing radio and the other half inventing insults that exceeded average rudeness. As he eventually walked away, yet again poorer and on an even worse mood than before, he wouldn't have objected to getting run over by a truck or two. Annoyed, disgruntled and out of cash, he defied the cruel weather and decided to walk back to the hotel. Though facing the redhead sounded dreadful, he had no other place to go. Not within walking distance.

It barely took a few minutes for Naruto to find himself soaking wet and cold to the bone, no longer a doubt in his mind that the universe thoroughly enjoyed his misery. Not only did he feel as if life was determined to take the piss out of him, but the long walk still ahead in the sole company of his own thoughts seemed like a perfect opportunity to drive himself insane. If only to prevent himself from going crazy, he took out his phone to check the time. Barely even 10 a.m., according to the numbers on the screen. The sight caused him to scowl. Not many distractions were available at such an early hour on a Saturday morning. Only one came to mind. How good of an idea it was, he wasn't sure. Yet it remained the only idea he had.

He went through the contacts in his phone, tapped on a name and hit dial. It took a few rings for the call to get picked up. Once it did, he felt nervous of what would follow.

"Brat."

The greeting sounded as generally displeased as always. A breath Naruto hadn't been aware of holding in escaped his lips.

"Hey, old man", he replied, slightly cautious. "You got time to talk?"

A sigh happened on the other end of the line.

"Hn. Yeah. Now that I'm awake I do."

Naruto cringed silently. He hadn't taken into count that Jiraiya might've still been asleep. Now he felt bad.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up", he apologized, unusually sincere. The old man grunted.

"Whatever. I guess I should get up anyway", he admitted. "What's on your mind?"

Naruto paused to take a deep breath. He wasn't entirely sure how to phrase his business. In the end, he settled on the truth.

"You never called to yell at me. I got worried."

In all its simplicity, it still was honest. Something the old man usually appreciated. The blonde could only hope that'd be the case this time around as well. For a while, the other one said nothing at all. Naruto quickly grew restless of the silence. Jiraiya brought it to an end not a second too late.

"Why bother?" the old man huffed. "You're a grown man. You make your own decisions now."

The man's voice had an unusually offended tone to it. It efficiently cut down into Naruto's already brittle confidence. Even if he'd wanted to, he couldn't have mustered the energy to attempt lies of any kind. So he went with the simple truth once more.

"You tryin' to make me feel guilty? Cause it's working alright."

The old man sighed. "No. I'm not trying to make you do anything. That's the whole point."

Naruto bit his lower lip anxiously. He couldn't quite put his finger on why he felt so nervous to talk to the old man. He supposed it was the lost child somewhere within him crawling its way back to the surface, frightened of being a disappointment. It'd happened before. Only this time, he was afraid he might've become a disappointment worth disowning. How he'd deal with that, he truly could not say. Though not excited to find out, he knew he'd have to ask.

"Should I not have called?"

The line went dead for a few seconds. The snowy rain had turned into icy water, gradually falling down heavier. It was astonishing how long a single second could grow to be for the one waiting. As the wait finally ended, it seemed the old man had only taken a moment of silence to honor the brat's obviously dead logic.

"Why would you even ask that?"

Naruto embarrassingly enough found himself stuttering insecurely.

"Cause I'm a disappointment to you."

The most tired grunt imaginable followed. Naruto could practically hear the old man rolling his eyes.

"You are fucking hopeless, brat", Jiraiya bemoaned. "Are you still in town?"

"Yeah", the blonde muttered, half of his speech drowning into the collar of his jacket.

"Where are you staying?" Jiraiya pried. "I'm coming over."

Naruto skipped a breath. Mild dread washed over him. He hadn't planned for a turn like this. For a brief moment he attempted to construct an excuse and slither out of the uncomfortable situation, but quickly enough realized it would've been not only pathetic, but useless. Sooner or later, he'd have to face the old man. A low grunt escaped his tightly pursed lips.

"I'll send you the address", he finally surrendered. Jiraiya seemed pleased enough.

"Good. See you in thirty."

Before Naruto could even agree, the call ended. With a sigh, he sent the address as promised and then put his phone away. As he then lifted his gaze up from the ground for the first time in minutes, he realized he'd arrived at the hotel. Only a few steps away from the entrance anymore, he was solemnly focused on seeking shelter from the poor weather. He'd barely had the chance to set his foot on the first step, when a low voice spoke just loud enough for him to hear.

"Hey."

Surprised by the familiar voice, the blonde stopped and turned to his right. Only a small leap away, stood Gaara. Absolutely drenched, wet hair sticking to his face and a blue tint smudging his usually red lips. As if he'd stood there waiting in the freezing cold rain for a small eternity. Surprised to see him, Naruto flinched. Instead of saying anything in return, he remained silenced by the man's unexpected appearance. In seconds, the events of that morning came back to him like an unwanted disease.

Unsure of what to say, they stopped to stare at one another quietly, the soundless surroundings disturbed only by the rain. Naruto tried to see behind the redhead's silence and figure out what was going on in his mind. But as usual, Gaara's face was void of any distinctive expression, leaving the blonde feeling uneasy. In comparison, the icy rain no longer felt as uncomfortable. Naruto parted his lips to speak, but upon realizing he didn't know what to say, closed them again. That was the moment his discomfort devolved into distress.

It was the cowardly thing to do. He knew that. But silently standing there in front of the man he'd surrendered the last of his dignity to, simply went beyond his ability to withstand embarrassment. Before even really deciding so, he already found himself taking a step past the other man, dismissing his presence altogether. Hadn't it been for the borderline pathetic voice addressing his turned back, he would've walked away.

"Don't leave me."

He didn't. Naruto stopped in his tracks only to frown. It took him a short while to realize the redhead wasn't talking about that said moment. He turned to face Gaara, the frown on his face growing deeper. The man looked anxious, unusually so. All distress Naruto had felt exited his body in an instant. Utterly taken aback and deeply confused by the redhead's unexpected plead, a look of stupefied bewilderment fell upon his features.

"Huh?"

Gaara took a step closer, the strange despair in his eyes growing deeper. His voice turned uncertain in a way Naruto had never heard it before.

"I know I said the wrong thing, but please don't fuckin' leave me."

It did not really matter that the man repeated his previous words, Naruto still did not understand. A disbelieving frown appeared between his brows.

"I…I'm not leaving you", he eventually assured, though not sure why he had to in the first place.

As if having been let in on news far greater than the obvious, Gaara's gaze turned surprised and confused. Yet somehow relieved.

"You're not?" he questioned, genuinely hesitant to even ask.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't thrilled about reliving the early morning, yet void of any other option, he begrudgingly gave a lightly sugarcoated reply.

"No", he said, but then looked away in discomfort. "It's...just a fuckin' word."

Gaara's gaze begged to differ. "Don't lie to me."

Naruto said nothing. Only stared into the eyes watching him with pathetic despair unlike any he'd seen before. The blonde fought not to sigh. He wasn't at a loss for words. He knew what to say, but wasn't sure how well it'd be received.

"I don't expect you to ever say it back to me. I never did."

Gaara couldn't have imagined a less comforting reply. To him, being pardoned all his inadequacy as a human being was more pathetic than failing as one in the first place. As it should've been to anyone with even a shred of dignity left. Yet as he spoke, his voice came out sounding as if he'd never possessed even the smallest shred of it.

"You know I want to."

An almost pitying look took over the blonde's features.

"But you never will."

The redhead's shoulders fell, dragging lower his already sunken posture. Gaara suddenly felt as if he couldn't breathe. He pressed his face against his palms, attempting to regain some form of composure, but failed miserably. He hated himself. He hated himself for being the way he was. For letting something as small and simple as a four letter word cage him like a dog. Every last inch of him wished to commit mental suicide. To simply forget the life he'd had before Naruto and reinvent his entire being. He felt weak in a way he never had before. And he knew that such weakness undermined his worth to the point of making him a failure. He was so undeserving of the blonde, it wasn't even satirically funny anymore.

"I'll learn", Gaara mumbled, pathetically. "I'll learn to say it. Just…give me a little time."

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. He'd never even imagined Gaara could've come across so desperate and vulnerable. He looked…broken. Knowing the kind of man he truly was, it was a struggle to really take it seriously. Seeing him in such an unusual state didn't feel right. If only to retrieve the monster he strangely enough had learned to care for, Naruto gave the redhead a slap on the back of his head. Gaara flinched, scowled and gave the other one an askance glare. The blonde returned it with a crooked smile.

"You'd die for me, wouldn't you?" he asked. Though perhaps an unexpected question, Gaara needed no time to find an answer.

"In a heartbeat."

Naruto let his smile grow a little wider.

"Then I don't give a shit if you never say it back to me."

Gaara said nothing, only stared. Though not sure why, he instantly felt calmer. Did he wholly believe the blonde's claims of not caring? No, not really. But he understood the intention behind it. Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe it really was just another word, as meaningless as any other if not given unreasonable power. And at its best, a word capable of explaining the human condition in all its entirety, if given the power and context it truly deserved. For a four letter word it was an extraordinarily complex one.

Gaara grunted under his breath. Realizing just how much terrorizing power he'd allowed this one word, he felt ridiculous. Stupid, even manipulated. But at the very least, he could conclude that since he'd granted it unlimited capacity to terrify, he might eventually be able to reverse that and allow it to represent what it truly should've. That possibility included an enormous 'might', yet still outshone the scenario of not having such a possibility at all. That being said, Gaara had rarely been as grateful for statistically not being worth particularly high expectations. Utter disappointment being the expected standard, it couldn't be that hard to surpass.

"Hn. You're a complete fuckin' idiot, y'know", Gaara huffed. The blonde smirked.

"Cause I fell for you?" he asked, though didn't need an answer. "Then that makes two of us."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the other one, a small smirk tugging on the corner of his lips.

"I guess it does."

Silence fell, followed by borderline clichéd standing and staring at one another in the pouring rain. Naruto could've stubbornly stood by his resistance of public displays of affection and not accepted the lips pressing against his, but found no real reason to do so. Somewhat surprised for not having faced aggressive rejection, the redhead released a pleased sound.

"Can we go home now?" he muttered against the other's mouth. "I've waited a year to fuck you on that property."

The blonde chuckled. Though amused by the redhead's dedicated mission, a vaguely awkward expression was quick to fall upon his features.

"Not yet", he sighed. "The old man's coming over."

It took exactly one second for Gaara to turn from a horny bastard into the human equivalent of a scowl. He took a step back and straightened the collar of his jacket as an attempt to shield his face from the rain.

"Hn, right. I'll come back in an hour", he said, already about to walk away. Naruto took a hold of the man's arm to stop him.

"Stay."

The redhead's turn came to a halt, head tilting in a confused manner. As he turned to face the blonde, a somewhat suspicious frown appeared between his brows. Pale green eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

Naruto smiled, crookedly. He then let the smile drop, along with his gaze. He felt borderline embarrassed to admit it, though could not say why. As if he'd still been sixteen summers old, barely worthy of being called a man.

"Cause fuck the world. I ain't ashamed."

Since Naruto was intensely concentrated on the wonders of pavement patterns, he flinched with surprise upon finding the other's face barely an inch away from his. He lifted his gaze to face the somewhat obnoxious smirk spreading across the other man's face. Gaara snorted.

"Of what?" he asked, if only to agitate. Naruto shot him a glare, following it with a sigh of defeat.

"Us. And fuck you", he mumbled, barely audibly.

The blonde had suddenly curled up into a shy ball of embarrassment, it seemed. Gaara found it amusing, that he could not deny. Yet he also found it just a little too unbelievable to be taken seriously. Thus the smirk on his face vanished. He couldn't stop the disgruntled sound from escaping.

"Just like that? You just suddenly don't give a fuck?" he muttered, not shy to sound as disbelieving as he felt.

Naruto glanced his way, before beginning to avert eye contact altogether. That would've been an answer enough, but it appeared he was determined to attempt salvaging his credibility the little he could.

"No", he admitted, quietly. "But I'm getting there."

The redhead scowled, grunted, then sighed. Had he been honest, it wasn't the answer he'd hoped for. But well aware of just how devastatingly short he himself fell of all hopes and expectations, he was hardly in the position to complain.

"Hn. Fine", Gaara grunted. The blonde lifted his gaze in mild surprise.

"You'll stay?" he questioned, sounding honestly taken aback. The redhead nodded stiffly.

"Yeah. I'll stay."

A short while later, Naruto lay on the hotel bed, empty gaze staring at the ceiling and fingers yet again twiddling with the tag around his neck. The redhead had disappeared to take a shower, which in all fairness had been more than necessary. Left to wait for the old man to arrive, Naruto could only hope he wouldn't melt into a puddle of insecurity upon seeing him again. After the incident last time, he wasn't all that confident he'd be able to look him in the eye. Let alone have a truthful discussion about it. Though somewhat pathetic and hopeless, he decided to hold on to the nearly nonexistent chance of avoiding the subject altogether.

The thought was worth a bitter chuckle. Resorting to optimism only when all hope was lost. He truly was a living, breathing act of satiric performance art.

The distant sound of running water lulled him into a thoughtful state, matters of irrelevance contaminating his mind. Useless wonderment of how to get home, how the dog was doing and how badly he craved for coffee yet again. Thoughts that worked as a distraction from what he was doing his best to avoid fearing in advance. It worked well enough.

Somewhere along the line, he found himself tracing the wound in his arm. It remained sore to the touch, perhaps even more so than a while back. The activities of the night before had caused it to bleed again, a very faint flow still apparent. As he drew his hand away from the gash, his fingers came back stained in red. The sight made him scowl.

It wasn't all bad. As a whole, it'd healed astonishingly well. The gaping hole remained, but most of his arm's mobility he'd regained, save for a few awkward angles and stretches above his head. Carrying and lifting anything too heavy still was off limits. But despite the pain, despite the occasional bleeding, it seemed no major nerve had been as completely destroyed as he'd initially feared. He held high hopes for recovery. If he was lucky enough, he might even shoot a rifle again. As a reason for optimism it might've been a little morbid, but that was something he had chosen to ignore.

A knock on the door startled Naruto away from his thoughts. He flinched slightly delayed, as only then did he realize what he'd be forced to face. Quickly shrugging off the vague dread prying its way through, he got up and rushed to pull on a long-sleeved shirt. A black one, to hide any blood his wound still might've leaked. He felt ridiculous for being so nervous. Doing his best not to let it show, he took a deep breath, walked to the door and opened it. Behind stood exactly what he'd expected. A generally disgruntled old man with a tired scowl on his face. In his hand he had two cups of takeaway coffee, stacked on top of each other.

"Hn. Morning, brat", Jiraiya grunted, stepping inside.

"Morning", Naruto muttered, closing the door.

Though he mildly dreaded turning the other way, he knew he had to. Once he did, he was met by the same disgruntled face, and an extended hand offering a large cardboard cup of coffee.

"Here. It's black. Dunno if you like it", the old man mumbled, still sounding a little drowsy.

Naruto grabbed what he was offered and sipped from the cup. It tasted bitter.

"It's fine", he assured, not rude enough to turn it down.

He figured a cigarette would dull some of the bitter taste, and thus took out a pack. He placed one between his lips, and lit up under the other's watchful gaze.

"You still poison yourself with that shit?" Jiraiya questioned. Naruto sighed a smoky breath, and seated himself on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah."

The old man said nothing further, aware it wouldn't have been of any use. As silence fell and only seemed to continue, Jiraiya eventually took a seat next to the blonde. Stifling opinions on the cigarette smoke passively poisoning him as well, he instead took notice of the sound of running water flowing in the background. Jiraiya glanced in the direction of the bathroom.

"You got company?" he asked, stopping to stare at the closed door.

Without realizing it, Naruto flinched. He could only hope the other one didn't take notice of it. Shifting awkwardly, he cleared his throat to speak.

"Uhm…yeah."

The old man turned to face him again, eyes narrowing and a smirk on his lips.

"What kind?" he boldly pried.

Suddenly, Naruto had no idea what to say. He froze and ended up not replying. Seeing the blonde's blue gaze drop to the floor, Jiraiya's smirk faded. He wasn't sure he even wanted to ask.

"It's him, isn't it?"

Naruto took his time, but eventually nodded.

"Yeah. It's him."

And it was that exact moment it became painfully clear to Jiraiya just what type of company the two men were to one another. A vague sense of mutual realization of that moment's nature did exist, but neither one brought it up. Were it for denial, or mere tension, the issue remained strictly unspoken of. Air turned thick with something the word awkward failed to describe. For the longest time, both stayed silent. Only after a painfully long period of tense avoidance of inevitabilities, Jiraiya finally sighed in defeat.

"We need to have a talk, kiddo."

Naruto glanced at the other one from the corner of his eye, somewhat warily. Eventually, he smirked.

"Feelin' paternal all of a sudden?" he snorted and sipped from his cup. Jiraiya gave him a brief glance.

"No", he admitted. "That ship sailed long ago."

The blonde scoffed. "You tryna blame my problems on daddy issues?"

"I don't know. Some kinda issues", Jiraiya said and shrugged.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the old man, tempted to slip a stingy remark. Instead of behaving immaturely, he saved his remarks for later and lifted himself off the bed. He moved over to the large window facing east and stayed to gaze through it. A bitter grunt escaped his pursed lips.

"I might have issues, but Gaara ain't one of 'em", he grunted, well aware of what the old man was hinting at.

Jiraiya displayed obvious disgust upon hearing Naruto speak the redhead's name. Despite his best efforts not to come across judgmental, his voice failed to hide it.

"His name falls off your tongue just a little too easy, kid."

Naruto gave the other man an askance look and fought the crooked smile determined to make itself known, inevitably losing. His gaze moved to stare into the distance. An unusual sense of nostalgia took him by surprise. It might've been because of the deeply disapproving attitude the old man openly displayed towards Gaara, but Naruto suddenly was reminded of the first time he met the redhead. Reminded of the man in chains, suppressed by force and order. The monster cladded in human skin. And though perhaps inappropriate, he couldn't help but to feel shivers of excitement run down his spine knowing he'd tamed the beast. He might've fallen for the tricks played on him, but so had Gaara.

Realizing it was not the time to reminisce, Naruto sighed and turned to face the old man again.

"Too easy, huh?" he muttered. "And what's wrong with that?"

Jiraiya's gaze turned judgmental. "Everything. You're emotionally invested in him."

Naruto felt compelled to give a quizzacious reply, but was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a door opening, followed by a so far absent voice.

"It's a mutual investment."

Both flinched, unprepared and surprised. Naruto turned to face the redhead now standing in the same room, while Jiraiya merely glanced at the man from the corner of his eye. The look was returned, ever so briefly. For the simple reason of mutual dislike, it was over fast. But though neither thought of the other as worthy enough of eye contact, the conversation continued.

"Your emotional bank is too poor to invest in anything at all", the old man grunted, not shy to sound as disgruntled as he felt.

Gaara smirked, but said nothing. Instead he ignored the old man for the time being, made his way over to the blonde and subtly stole the cigarette from between Naruto's lips. It earned him a displeased glare, which he skillfully ignored. Inhaling a breath of smoke, Gaara laid a curious look on the blonde.

"Is it?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "You should know."

Naruto smirked and shrugged. "Well it ain't bankrupt."

Gaara made a face at the deliberate understatement. "Now you're just bein' a douche."

"Yet you can't resist me", the other one sneered.

"Hn. True", the redhead admitted. "And it annoys the fuck out of me."

Gaara ignored the obnoxious look given to him and put out what remained of the cigarette. While doing so, he subtly turned to look at the old man from the corner of his eye. Jiraiya didn't have to look to recognize the heavy feel of that specific set of eyes. Yet neither said anything of it. To avoid unnecessary silence, the old man decided it was time to break the fourth wall of this pretentious theater. He wasn't in the mood for a race around the real issue.

"You two think I'm an idiot?" he grunted. "I can smell your sins a mile away. Grow a pair and own up to it."

A pause of heavy silence followed. Little doubt was left of what the old man was referring to. Naruto grew tense and dropped his gaze down. Gaara, being his usual self, felt no shame, and only smirked at the disgusted stare studying him from head to toes. He found it funny how even after all these years, the old man still seemed to underestimate the lengths he was prepared to go to only to see the man squirm. A low chuckle flowed from his smirking lips.

"My pair's just fine. How you think I'd keep him happy otherwise?"

The look of loathing on the old man's face was more than worth the pain of Naruto's elbow striking him in the side. Definitely, absolutely worth it.

"Dick", the blonde growled. Gaara merely chuckled.

"Oh yeah, that too."

Naruto's murderous glare went entirely ignored by the redhead who had his obnoxious stare fixed on the thoroughly sickened old man. Jiraiya refused to bend under the obvious attempts of aggravation. Showing no sign of hesitation, he pulled himself off the bed and stepped closer. A curious, yet condescending look took over his tactfully aging features.

"What's in it for you?" he asked the redhead, hinting towards the blonde. "You're out of the slammer. Why are you still here, still with him?"

Gaara snorted. Why the old man bothered asking such questions made him wonder if he was being taken for a fool.

"Why do you ask, when you already know my answer?"

Jiraiya's grim expression shifted in no direction. Perhaps darkened, if at all possible. A growl-like grunt came to accompany the discontented look, which briefly wandered off to glance at the blonde.

"He might buy your bullshit, but I won't", the old man muttered. "I know you too well."

Gaara shot the man a glare. Though mildly tempted to take offense and put up an angered fight, he contained himself.

"You don't know shit", he argued patiently. "Authenticity don't thrive in prison, old man. Survival instinct does. You become whoever you gotta be to live."

"Bullshit", the old man scoffed. "You were the king of that hellhole the second you walked in."

There was too much truth to that claim for the redhead not to find it amusing. He couldn't bother fighting the smirk determined to spread itself across his lips.

"Why be a king, when you can be a god?"

In all its boldness, the question coated in confidence came across as more of a statement than anything else. Jiraiya stayed silent for a while, gazing at the redhead suspiciously. Eventually, the look turned malicious, a string of dry laughter flooding from his lips.

"Only the devil would have the arrogance to declare himself a god."

The conversation had reached a level of obscurity that was difficult to revive anymore. The entire discussion was nothing but a dead end, useless in every way. It was obvious they'd never reach an agreement, most likely not even mutual tolerance. In all fairness, it wasn't a necessity. Silently reminding himself of why he was there in the first place, Jiraiya took a deep breath and disregarded the giant flood of opinions he'd left unvoiced.

"You know what I came here for", he said instead, turning to the blonde. "Are you gonna let me leave empty-handed, or are you gonna start talking?"

Naruto's face twisted into a vaguely disgruntled scowl, but he remained silent. The harsh look in Jiraiya's eyes softened.

"You ain't okay, brat", he grunted. "That sad lookin' face of yours. It ain't the first time I'm seeing it."

It was very true. When he'd first met the blonde, that same look had made his face its home. At the very beginning of the young man's studies at the law school Jiraiya had held his lectures at, Naruto hadn't exactly fit in with the rest of them, to put it lightly. Among the rich and well-off kids, he'd stood out as the perfectly bad behaving definition of an outcast. His background had been too obvious to hide, making it easy for others to exclude him. He'd tried so hard to make up for the lack of friends with questionable behavior and ridiculous attitude issues. To everybody else, he'd been barely worth insulting. To Jiraiya, his act had seemed like a desperate cry for help and understanding, disguised beneath an imaginary role fueled by fear and insecurities. His guess hadn't been that far off.

Jiraiya had made it his mission to try and guide the blonde towards a better path, a brighter future. It'd taken months to gain his trust and persuade him to talk, and even longer for him to begin healing. But the work had paid off eventually. Naruto had begun to open up, told stories of events the old man hadn't expected such a young man to have experienced. It'd taken countless long and painful discussions about uncomfortable subjects, but wound by wound, they'd began stitching him back together. The blonde's confidence slowly grew strong enough for his bad attitude to lose its purpose. He even made friends, had a few short-term girlfriends. He'd reached his full potential. But seeing him now, watching his tired face and empty eyes, Jiraiya couldn't help but fear that all the hard work had gone to waste. There were only so many times one could break and be pieced back together.

"It's all over your face, kid. Just like it was years ago."

Naruto fought not to sigh. The old man's demanding stare compelled him to reveal even a fraction of the truth. He knew he owed the man an explanation, at the very least an excuse. But he also knew that telling the truth would've been not only selfish, but traitorous. The truth was composed of so much more than just him. Unsure of what to do, Naruto turned to face the redhead. Gaara said nothing, but the disapproval in his eyes stated a clear opinion all on its own. In the end, the blonde felt selfish enough to ignore it.

Despite the fight he put up, the sigh happened after all. Averting eye contact with those searching for it, Naruto set his hesitation aside and cautiously took off the long sleeved shirt he'd only just put on. Gaara watched him do so, already well aware of the intention behind it. An instant look of annoyance fell upon his features, but he was smart enough to keep his opinions to himself. Once the shirt was off, nothing covering the gaping hole in the blonde's arm anymore, the redhead was forced to look the other way. Ridiculous or not, he was yet to stop feeling guilty for its mere existence.

Naruto glanced down at the now uncovered wound. By no standards was it inconspicuous or easy to miss, as Jiraiya kindly enough pointed out.

"You've been shot."

It was but a simple observation. There was no distinctive tone to his voice, no element of surprise or shock. Perhaps the sheer disappointment of the sight was notable enough to balance it out. Fairly relieved by the undramatic reaction, Naruto felt no desire to question it.

"Hn. I know", he mumbled. "I was there."

Judging by the look given, his smartass attitude stirred no warm feelings. The old man fell silent, his eyes falling shut in a tired manner. It was as if words disbelieving enough to describe his thoughts did not exist.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into?" Jiraiya grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Naruto refused to reply. The old man opened his eyes to lay an offended look on the younger one.

"Really? Nothing?" he questioned, both hurt and annoyed. The blonde returned the demanding stare fixed on him.

"I can't involve you in shit that gets you shot."

The old man's eyes narrowed, a look of determination taking over. The light shake of his head hinted towards an argument.

"Fine", he spat out. "Don't tell me."

The blonde's lips parted in mild surprise. Jiraiya's wasn't known for flexibility, let alone admitting defeat. It seemed unlikely for him to give up that easily. As the old man then took a step closer, his intense stare growing even sterner, Naruto concluded that no intention of giving up was present this time either.

"I won't force you", Jiraiya assured, his voice a low rumble. "But don't you think even for a second I won't use the last of my breath to dig up the truth myself."

Naruto flinched, sincerely surprised. The old man always carried himself with dignity and confidence, but rarely had he showed such determination. It was impressive enough to leave the blonde at a loss for words. Jiraiya didn't seem to mind.

"I don't care what it is you fucked up this time", he told. "I have nothing left to lose anymore. Not apart from you. And I would move mountains to keep your retarded ass safe. _Do you understand_?"

The blonde was only remotely aware of the dumb look on his face. Busy feeling severely taken aback by the sudden burst of angry affection, it took him a short while to respond in any way. Not finding appropriate words for the occasion, he could only drop his gaze as a sign of respect and nod weakly. He felt like a child. Which, in all fairness, he was in the old man's eyes. Somewhat pleased with the brat's humility, Jiraiya felt confident that his point had been made clear. As a vaguely tense silence fell, he subtly glanced at the redhead silently standing by the window. Gaara met the other's gaze, an obvious need to speak visible in his eyes. The words never happened. Jiraiya tore his gaze away, dressed his lips with a forced smile and reached out to ruffle the blonde's messy hair. Naruto gave the man an askance look, but said nothing.

"When my old ass kicks the bucket, it's your job to carry the coffin", Jiraiya declared.

A hint of sadness made a brief visit on his features.

"You make damn sure I never have to carry yours."

It wasn't a request, it was a demand. A strict order, no room left for declining. For the unlikeliness of it happening, it felt ridiculous to promise such. But whether it was for the slight boost of confidence, or smallest glint of hope it gave, Naruto heard himself saying the words before he could even consider otherwise.

"I'll be there."

The old man smiled, genuinely. With nothing else left to say, he waved a lazy goodbye and made his way to the door. A moment before stepping out, Jiraiya turned to take one last glance of the redhead. He saw that the young man still had a desire to speak, but as expected, never did. Since only silence remained, Jiraiya left the room and closed the door behind him. An eerie quiet filled the space he'd abandoned. Naruto sighed. Though tempted to stay silent, he pushed himself to face the redhead and speak.

"You okay?"

Gaara returned the look given to him, but said nothing. The blonde frowned. He noticed the redhead seemed tense and somehow hesitant. After a while of silent fidgeting, Gaara left the spot beside the window in a hurry and rushed to the door.

"I'll be right back."

Before Naruto had a chance to even consider questioning the sudden exit, he was already gone. The door slammed shut, leaving the blonde to stare at its flat surface in confusion. He considered going after the redhead, but figured he wasn't supposed to. Shrugging to himself, he tore his gaze way from the door and sat down on the bed again. He took a sip from the cardboard cup still half full, only to make a disgruntled face at the taste. It'd gone cold.

Having shut the door behind him, Gaara began walking down the hallway. He'd barely turned the first corner before his rushed steps came to a sudden halt, stopped by someone blocking his way. Though a brief look of surprise flashed on his features, it was quickly replaced by a curious smirk.

"How'd you know?" he asked. Jiraiya scowled.

"Hn. Your dead stare tells a lot more than you'd like to think", he grunted. "What do you want?"

Gaara maintained his smirk for a while longer, if only to show he was in fact borderline impressed, but soon enough let it fade. A far more serious look overtook the amusement.

"I know you have power over the system", he said. "How far does it get you?"

The old man's scowl deepened, his suspicious stare narrowing.

"I don't see how that's any of your business", he grunted.

Gaara raised a brow. Confident about his counterargument, he ignored the obvious attitude laced between the words. His smirk returned, a tad more courageous than before.

"You and me, we ain't so different", he claimed. Jiraiya's narrowing glare was quick to disagree.

"We have nothing in common, freak", the man replied with disgust. Gaara tilted his head curiously.

"We have him, don't we?"

The old man fell silent, his expression growing further sickened. But though seemingly repelled, a mildly annoyed frown soon arrived to disturb its credibility. The man's stare turned askance.

"Again, the hell do you want?" he repeated.

The redhead fell serious once more, a hint of hesitation stiffening his shoulders. Though not sure how good of an idea it was to involve the old man, he knew he had no other choice. He was in the need of help he would find nowhere else quickly enough.

"You got a pen?" he asked unexpectedly.

His strange request earned him an equally as strange stare, but though confused, Jiraiya searched his pockets for a pen. Upon finding one, he handed it over. The redhead then used it to hurriedly scribble something on the palm of his hand. Once finished, he scowled down at it. He supposed it was ridiculous to fear the surrounding walls had ears, but the name written on his palm wasn't one he would've lightly uttered out.

"You know this man?" he finally asked, turning his pale palm for the old man to see.

The second and a half it took for Jiraiya to make out the messy kanji was followed by a far longer while of shocked silence. The man eventually turned to look at Gaara anew, but failed to speak. The redhead decided to take that as a yes. Not that he'd expected anything less.

"I need you to find him", he then stated, lowering his hand down.

The old man's face twisted into an angered scowl. He seemed not only appalled, but sincerely angry as well.

"You think you're being funny?" he finally spat out in disbelief. "That man is dead. As he should."

"Yeah, he should", Gaara agreed, his expression turning grim. "But before I see the dead cunt with my own eyes, I can't be sure."

Jiraiya's already suspicious gaze only narrowed further. "You're asking me to dig up a corpse for you?"

"You know your way around authorities", Gaara grunted. "I know you can get a warrant."

The old man huffed condescendingly. He took his short while, but eventually burst into a low, dry laughter.

"_You_ are asking _me_ for a favor?" he chuckled, then falling silent and sending the redhead a spiteful glare. "No amount of torture, blackmail or money would ever make me agree to your bullshit. So you go fuck yourself."

It was Gaara's turn to chuckle. "Unfortunately, there's no need for me to do any of that."

Jiraiya's smirk fell and stare turned sickened, but no words followed. The redhead scowled.

"You said you'd move mountains to keep blondie safe, didn't you?"

Jiraiya frowned, but nodded. Gaara's gaze grew cold. Colder than the old man had ever witnessed it before. It was a struggle not to flinch at the sight. But it was the coldblooded voice that eventually caused him to lose that struggle.

"I would _destroy_ mountains to keep him safe", the paler one growled. "I would take down entire cities and kill every last living being, if I just could keep him safe."

The redhead's spiteful voice caused Jiraiya to feel uneasy. He watched the former inmate with a stern gaze, but only barely could say he didn't feel discomfort because of the man's proximity.

"I'd even crawl to you for help", Gaara spat out with disgust. "So unless you wanna become one of the million reasons I'm goin' to hell for, you better find that fucker's rotting face."

It certainly was no request. For a moment Jiraiya wondered what it was causing his skin to crawl, but soon enough realized that the redhead's general existence was to blame. The creases around his eyes grew deeper with a frown.

"This is what the brat tried to hide from me?" he grunted. "A positively dead piece of meat and your delusional madness?"

"No", Gaara said. "Blondie don't know 'bout this. And he don't have to."

Jiraiya sighed. He felt compelled to roll his eyes at the redhead's ridiculous conspiracy of a faked death, but in the end, felt like it would've been risky to downplay it altogether.

"So you want me to track down the grave?" he asked, somewhat disbelieving. "I can't promise you there is one."

"If you wanna keep blondie safe, you fucking summon one", Gaara hissed. Jiraiya ignored the hostile attitude, mostly.

"You do realize that I'd be risking my ass, don't you?" he reminded. "If I get caught abusing my connections, we'll both be rotting in prison."

Having expected some form of anger or hate as a reaction, Jiraiya became taken aback by the unexpected smile on the redhead's lips. It was weak and brief, but definitely there. He didn't seem the least bit worried. And he truly wasn't.

"For him, I'd go back a million times."

The statement was filled with such confidence, it was difficult to ridicule. Jiraiya found himself in a tight spot. He knew he was being granted an opportunity to aid the brat, but would the unlikely gain be worth surrendering every last shred of his dignity? To make a pact with the devil, or not to make? Forcing oneself to tolerate the uttermost evil was the downside of such pacts. Unfortunately, Jiraiya could only hope he'd been heartless enough to mind his morals over the brat. Though hesitation danced on the older man's face for a while longer, he eventually let his guard down just enough to show defeat.

"Fine", he finally sighed. "But it's gonna cost you."

The redhead didn't reply, only tilted his head curiously. The other one eyed him silently for a short while, before finally forcing a vague look of confidence across his face.

"I don't care what bullshit got you off the hook, I know you killed the seven people you did time for", Jiraiya stated. "But how many have you really murdered?"

Gaara said nothing, didn't as much as bat an eye. He took his time pondering whether or not to answer anything at all. He already knew that this supposed "cost" wasn't one at all. The old man would do what he was told regardless, if only to have an indirect way of helping Naruto. So it might've been out of pure spite and entertainment why he eventually did reply, and in fact with honesty.

"Who knows?" he shrugged and smirked. "I stopped counting after the first hundred."

The old man's face fell, instantly drained of all color. And it was like that, face as pale as his graying hair, how Gaara left the man when turning his back to him. He walked away, barely able to contain the surprisingly sincere amusement.

* * *

The sound of an alarm clock wasn't one Sai had ever learned to appreciate. But even less was he a fan of waking up to phone calls. The clock he could only blame himself on. But the phone call, that he could blame on the asshole daring to brutally pull him out of sweet, sweet slumber. On a Saturday, it was downright sinful.

"Fuck you", Sai tiredly mumbled into the phone he'd blindly picked up. He hadn't bothered to even glance at the caller.

"Love you too", a familiar voice chuckled at the other end of the line. Recognizing it as Naruto's, Sai cracked one eye open.

"Hmm, mornin' cutie", he purred, though still jaded. It earned him a chuckle.

"It's 2 p.m. Get your ass up, love", the blonde snorted. Sai cracked open the other eye as well and scowled.

"Shit", he grunted. "I'm supposed to be at work."

"Blame it on me", Naruto allowed. "We're gonna head home. You wanna meet up before we leave?"

A sly smile spread across Sai's slowly awakening face.

"Of course", he hummed. "I can't let ya leave without a proper goodbye, now can I?"

A short silence followed on the other end.

"I can fucking hear you smirk", Naruto eventually grunted. "Don't do nothin' dumb, pretty boy."

Sai chuckled. "Somebody's gotta keep your monster on his toes."

"You are suicidal", the blonde replied. Sai only smirked wider.

"Nah. Just a slut", he sighed. "I'll have my slutty ass at the bar in an hour. Come by before ya leave."

"Yeah. See ya", the blonde agreed, then hanging up.

With a deep, tired sigh, Sai laid his phone back on the nightstand. He did attempt to gather the energy dragging oneself out of bed would've required, but quickly enough gave up. Allowing himself just another minute or two, he pressed his head against the pillow and inhaled a deep breath of the very distinct smell of a comfy bed. It barely took thirty seconds for him to begin drifting towards sleep again. In another thirty, he would've been fast asleep, hadn't it been for the wildly unexpected voice speaking behind his turned back.

"Morning."

Sai's eyes shot wide open, his body evacuating the bed far sooner than he'd decided to take such action. In the blink of an eye, he found himself on the floor, buried beneath a pile of bedspread and pillows. Discovering an unpleasant ache in his side and a definite bruise-to-be on his arm, he turned to glance at the spot he'd just fallen down from. There on the other side of the king-sized bed sat Haku, legs crossed and head tilted in a confused manner. Shortly, the boy smirked.

"You forgot I'm here, didn't you?"

Sai shot him a glare. "Fuck you."

Judging by the widening smirk, Haku took no offense in the other's rude language. Sai took his while glaring at the younger one, but soon enough realized he had only himself to blame. The boy was right, he had forgotten. The previous night had stretched itself into early morning, leaving both Sai and Haku too tired to argue over sleeping arrangements. Haku had been too tired to go home, Sai had been too tired to care if he didn't. Thus he'd stayed the night. Only for the host himself to forget he'd allowed a visitor in the first place. In all fairness, none of Sai's usual visitors stayed the night. That was rule number one on how to get into his bed. But he supposed this one hadn't had any more intention to get in than he'd had to allow it.

Sai lazily dragged himself off the floor and loudly stretched his joints awake.

"You've got a car, right?" he mumbled through a yawn.

"For now", Haku replied. Sai glanced at the boy thoughtfully.

"Drop me off at work, will ya? I'm an hour late already", he sighed. Haku mimicked his tired exhale.

"Guess I have to", he mumbled, shifting himself off the bed. Sai felt tempted to make an immature face, but in the end, couldn't be bothered.

Fifteen minutes of tired silence and the purchase of two take away coffees later, they sat in the car on their way to the bar. They'd stayed awfully quiet, as could've been expected. Taking into count their mostly mutual dislike for one another, making up small talk was somewhat of an awkward stretch. But after a good twenty minutes of deadly tension, Sai finally forced himself to utter out something. Anything.

"So…you gonna keep this car?" he asked, pretending interest. "Sex on legs gave it to ya, didn't he?"

Haku flashed a brief smirk at the choice of words, but was quick to let it fade.

"Yeah. But I can't keep it", he admitted, suddenly coming across uneasy. Sai glanced at the other one from the corner of his eye.

"Why?" he then asked, though at first slightly hesitant.

Haku instantly shifted awkwardly behind the wheel. He took his time to answer, obviously not comfortable to do so.

"I'm gonna give it to my boss", he finally revealed. "I owe him money. A lot of it."

Sai said nothing, only frowned. He trusted his memory just enough to feel certain that Haku worked as a waiter. How that fit into owing money, he couldn't understand. He knew that prying further would've been rude, but since he wasn't exactly known for being discreet, Sai wasn't too shy to go just a step too far.

"Exactly what kinda café manager lends money to employees?" he asked bluntly.

Haku's awkward expression grew tense. His jaw clenched, not in anger, but true discomfort. For a long while, he said nothing. Just as Sai became sure he'd never reply, the boy finally sighed in defeat.

"The kind that sells both coffee and employees."

Silence fell. Though not the most direct answer, it didn't leave much for the imagination. Sai instantly grew just as uncomfortable as the other one, and became even mildly embarrassed for ever asking. Though he'd quite often boldly attached the title of a cheap whore to the young man next to him, he hadn't considered it might've held some truth to it. He felt the deep need to cringe. Even more so, when he realized he was supposed to apologize for all the times he'd cut just a little too close to comfort.

"I didn't know", he eventually grunted. "Sorry."

Haku said nothing, only nodded. He didn't seem angry, but neither did he look all too comfortable. After an entire minute of the tensest, most unpleasant silence had gone by, Haku finally cleared his throat awkwardly and gave his best attempt at lifting the gloomy mood.

"Tell me, how'd you meet Naruto?" he asked, struggling towards sounding neutral and calm.

Sai easily caught the tension still lingering in the other's voice, but politely ignored it.

"I met him at the bar", he told, allowing himself a weak smile. "One sad fuckin' thing he was. Drank all night. Bitched 'bout work and marriage. Looked like the kind that ends up shootin' themselves."

"Why didn't he?" Haku asked curiously.

Sai couldn't stop his eyes from rolling in the rhythm of a deep sigh.

"Take a wild guess."

The other one chuckled lightly. "Aren't you happy for 'em?"

"Hn. I am", Sai muttered. "I just don't believe in happy ever afters."

Haku glanced at the other one silently. The question dancing on the tip of his tongue ended up being more persistent than his hesitation.

"Have you ever been in love?"

Sai said nothing, didn't bother looking at the other man. His jaw clenched tightly, indicating a reluctance to answer the question. He couldn't claim it made him as much annoyed as it did plain uncomfortable. Despite the awkward feeling, he eventually forced a reply.

"No."

Haku easily noticed the shift in the air. Though his curiosity found it to be a shame, he decided not to push the obviously unwanted discussion any further.

"Where did those two meet, then?" he asked instead, tracking back to the previous topic.

Slightly surprised by the swift change of subject, Sai laid a brief look of relief on the other one. Haku politely ignored it, as he figured it wasn't meant to be mentioned.

"In prison", Sai said, chuckling the tension away. "Hate at first sight. At least so cutie told me. But I'm leanin' more towards sexual tension."

Haku raised an amused brow. "What a fine line it is."

Fairly comfortable, casual silence followed. Haku found himself wondering about the new acquaintances he'd made. There was very little he knew about them, really. With the vague understanding of the life they lead, he couldn't be entirely sure he'd ever learn much more. Though a shame, it did not kill his curiosity. He couldn't help but to wonder if - despite his sinful acts - Naruto's heart was as kind as his smile seemed to indicate, and whether or not Gaara's could be as stone cold as his dead stare. If he had one to begin with. Haku let a thoughtful look play on his petite features, a frown eventually appearing between his brows.

"I've heard stories about him, y'know. Rumors", he then muttered. "Is he as bad as they say?"

Sai turned to look at the other one, meeting the questioning sideways glance. The smallest of cunning smirks lifted the corner of his lips.

"He's so much worse."

Haku kept his gaze on the other man for a second or two longer, before turning back towards the road to take a turn to the left. They'd arrived at the bar, three familiar figures standing in the distance. As the car pulled up beside them, Sai twisted his lips into a quirky smile. Even before the car came to a complete halt, he was already out the door and rushing towards the blonde. Naruto barely had the chance to turn around and register Sai's arrival, before he found the man quite literally jumping on him. Surprised by the sudden weight on and against him, he came close to falling over and taking both of them down. While Sai found no problem wrapping his limbs around the blonde, Naruto fell backwards and against the car behind him.

"Holy fuck. Did you fall from the sky?" the blonde asked, struggling to support the man attached to him.

Sai hardly cared enough to listen. As his inconsideration seemed to know no limits, he ignored the other's discomfort and only focused on holding the blonde's face between his hands.

"Don't leave me cutie. My world's so ugly without this pretty face", Sai pouted, continuing to squish the other's cheeks against his palms.

Naruto couldn't bother struggling, but did briefly glance in the redhead's direction. The man seemed perfectly calm. Disturbingly so.

"Sorry, love. I need to go home", the blonde sputtered, barely coherently.

Having his face in use unintended for it made speaking somewhat of a challenge. Fortunately, Sai soon let go of his face and instead wrapped his arms tightly around his shoulders.

"No you don't. You can stay with me. I have a big bed", Sai purred, nuzzling the blonde's neck.

Naruto released a nervous chuckle. "I—I have my own bed."

He glanced at Gaara from the corner of his eye again. The man was as calm as a summer breeze. And with movements equally as calm, he had reached for his gun and begun silently counting the ammo. So calm, so collected. The blonde turned to Sai and gave him a wide eyed stare.

"And I share it with someone lethal", he hissed under his breath. Sai merely smirked, unhealthily amused.

"You're no fun, cutie", he hummed and shook his head. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Didn't I tell you to behave?" he reminded. Sai sighed dramatically.

"He's a big boy. He can handle it", he assured, glancing at the redhead.

Judging by the cold stare and reloading of the gun, perhaps not. Sai didn't seem bothered by it at all.

"Consider it immunotherapy for jealousy", he suggested to Naruto, who did not seem all that convinced.

"Unhand me, pretty boy. He's about to shoot you."

Sai made a face, but did let his feet down on solid ground again. He turned to look at Gaara. The man stood there still, stare as dry and blank as a sheet of white paper. Even under the threat of getting violently dismembered, Sai laid a pitying look on the redhead and, shockingly enough, went to cling on him instead. As if lacking all fear and sense, he didn't seem the least bit worried of the wide range of punishments he might endure, and simply gave the man a crooked smirk.

"Better?"

The look that rolled over the pale man's face was one none of them had ever seen before. A look of comedic terror, quickly enough replaced by twitching madness. Naruto was the first one to land in the way of his positively lethal stare. The blonde had to admit, it been a while since Gaara had seemed as close to insanity. His ice cold voice did not fail that assumption.

"You got three seconds to detach your poodle from me, angelface, or it's getting' euthanized."

Sasuke and Haku, both of whom had remained as silent onlookers of this strangeness, exchanged bored glanced and a unanimous sigh. Leaving the three others to their ridiculousness, they made the mutual decision to no longer partake even as onlookers.

"You anxious to get home?" Haku asked the other one. Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't really care", he told honestly. "The same shit follows us everywhere."

Haku turned his head enough to study the other man from the corner of his eye. After a short while of hesitation, he spoke his mind.

"You're all gonna die, aren't you?"

Sasuke paused. Didn't flinch, didn't entirely freeze. Only paused. Eventually, he spoke.

"We all do, don't we? One day, we all die."

Short silence followed. Haku dropped his gaze to the ground. The wet soil beneath his feet had begun to freeze again. They must've been expecting a cold front.

"We do. We all die", Haku admitted. "But you people speak as if you already have."

Sasuke felt compelled to drop his gaze to the ground as well, but forcibly directed it towards the sky instead. His dark eyes were met by a sheet of grayness. Dull, consistent grayness.

"It's easier", he then said. "Easier than fearing it."

Haku lifted his gaze from the ground. Sasuke dropped his from the sky. They exchanged a brief look, shared a moment of silence. One that Naruto's demanding voice eventually brought to an end.

"Sasuke. Please shoot me."

The one being addressed turned to see the one speaking. He was met by a pleading pair of blue eyes, belonging to the blonde now apparently trapped between the most immature grown men Sasuke had ever encountered. Sai cowardly hid behind Naruto's back, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, while the blonde did his best to keep Gaara at an arms length of the one clinging to him for dear life. Sasuke could only sigh and turn to Haku.

"I live with them", he hissed. "I _fuckin'_ _live_ with them."

Haku said nothing, only chuckled sympathetically. He stayed to watch as Sasuke reluctantly went to force his friends on the move and inside the car. Only when all three had made it inside the – presumably stolen – vehicle, Sasuke seated behind the wheel, Haku finally joined Sai beside the running car. The latter knocked on the backseat window, though Naruto would've rolled it down regardless. The perfect chance for a word or two presented itself right then and there, yet only silence followed. Neither knew what to say. Choosing words felt scary when they easily could've been the last. In the end, they said nothing at all.

An exchange of depressingly sad smiles was the goodbyes Sai was forced to settle on. He and Haku stayed to watch the car drive away, the taillights disappearing much faster than felt necessary. Even after the car was entirely out of sight, Sai's empty gaze stared into the distant nothingness. Just as Haku was beginning to feel concerned about the unusually melancholic look of the typically nonchalant man, Sai finally broke free from his gloom and sighed wistfully.

"A face like that don't deserve to die", he stated. Haku chuckled, though weakly.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're in love", he joked. Sai shook his head in disagreement.

"I don't do love", he assured and smirked. "I do fun."

There wasn't much Haku could think of saying as a reply, and thus said nothing at all. A short moment of silence fell between them. Only for as long as it took for Haku to properly face the other one, an oddly curious look in his eyes. Sai returned the look with a mildly suspicious glare, but said nothing. The younger one stepped just the slightest bit closer.

"I wanna thank you", Haku suddenly said. Sai's suspicion grew into confusion, displayed on his face with a frown.

"For what?" he questioned. The other one tilted his head to the side and smiled.

"For not being a total dick", he told in all honesty. "You could've left me behind when the guard showed up. But you didn't. Thank you."

Sai said nothing, only stared at the young man silently. He had not been prepared for such a sudden expression of gratitude. Not from this boy. Though Sai remained too taken aback to reply, Haku didn't seem too bothered by his silence. Instead of letting the lack of a response affect his confidence, he maintained his kind smile and extended his arm to offer a handshake.

"How 'bout we forget the past and start again, eh?"

Sai's lips parted in utter surprise. He truly had not foreseen this. Haku's smile grew less sweet and more playful.

"We could have a lot of fun together."

Sai was vaguely aware of the dumb look on his face. Yet it still took him a short infinity to finally move and accept the hand offered. Despite the boy's delicate build, his handshake was firmer than expected. And it might've been that hidden strength that made it so easy for Haku to unexpectedly pull Sai into a surprise hug. But even that surprise paled in comparison to the smirking lips gently pressing against his jaw. Not really on the cheek, but not really on the corner of his mouth either. Somewhere in between. And then there was the whisper.

"I'll see you around."

It was downright embarrassing. Never before had Sai found himself at such a loss for words and watching the one responsible for it strut away like the queen of everything. Haku was long gone when Sai's brain finally stopped shooting blanks. Yet he still remained standing still and staring in the direction the boy had disappeared to. It was safe to say, he hadn't expected such a bold side to exist somewhere beneath all that shyness and humility. How he felt about it, he wasn't entirely sure.

He didn't notice himself doing so. He didn't notice his hand moving up, fingers brushing against the spot his surprise had been laid upon. When he finally did notice, he felt tricked by himself as well.


	50. The Pyre

**Some of you may have noticed, but I've been editing the older chapters to make them _less fucking shit_. Nothing crucial, nothing that'd change the plot. Just general stuff; phrasing, how some scenes unfold, etc. In case anyone has an itch to re-read the story *snort*, I'd advice you to wait until I've cleaned up the rest of shitty chapters as well. But hey, whatever floats your boat.**

**Here's a new one for ya'll. **

* * *

Dark roads, weary eyes and numb legs. That's what their ride back home was made of. The masses of gray clouds covering the sky had begun shifting to honor the sunset, but barely a few rays of dying light reached the wooded road they drove along. Apart from the engine's low hum and faint background noise supplied by the radio, the ride was silent. Naruto had fallen asleep on the backseat hours ago, and Sasuke struggled to stay awake behind the wheel. Even Gaara found himself resting his head against the passenger side's cool glass every now and then. Contrary to his usual habits, he eventually nodded off.

Left alone to struggle against drowsiness, Sasuke put up a fairly good fight for half an hour or so. But as he began finding his eyes shut more often than not, he was forced to look for a distraction. He tactfully avoided yet another yawn by placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it up. To let out the smoke, he cracked open a window. The sudden shift in sound and air was enough to startle the shallow sleeper beside him. Gaara woke up with a jerk, as if pulled out of a bad dream. Not realizing he'd fallen asleep in the first place, he instinctively rushed to look over his shoulder. Upon finding the blonde exactly where he'd left him, the breath he'd sharply inhaled was granted permission to escape. Sasuke chuckled to showcase his amusement.

"Adorable", he teased. It earned him a weary, yet murderous glare.

"Fuck you", Gaara grunted, still in the process of waking up. "Why did you let me fall asleep?"

Sasuke shrugged. "You looked tired."

The redhead took his time to reply. He shook off the rest of sleep from his face, found himself a cigarette and lit up. Only after a drag or two did he bother speaking.

"Don't let me fall asleep. Not when he has", he said, glancing at Naruto again.

Sasuke scowled. Though he knew it was beside the point, he felt underestimated. The redhead's concern seemed excessive to him.

"He's fine", he argued. "You gotta stop bein' too scared to sleep."

Gaara's reply was as instant as it was short. "No."

Sasuke had the itch to feel annoyed with the redhead, but supposed it would've been of no use. He wasn't entirely sure why he even felt bothered by the man's excessive worry over the blonde. Given the situation, it wasn't exactly unreasonable. Maybe he simply wasn't used to seeing somebody go above and beyond realistic expectations in such a keen way. Which again reminded him of something entirely else than borderline possessive protectiveness. Namely unexpected suicidal behavior.

"So, Hyuuga blew his head open, eh?" Sasuke wondered aloud.

Gaara gave him a stiff nod. "Yeah."

"Wasn't expecting that", Sasuke admitted. "He never seemed like the type to take the easy way out."

It was true, he hadn't seemed like the suicidal type. It didn't fit the realistic expectations of his general character.

"I don't think it was about that", Gaara grunted, turning to gaze out the window.

The sun had sunken below the horizon by then. It was officially dark, save for a few faint shades of orange reaching out from the west.

"Pretty sure it was more like a desperate attempt to achieve salvation", the redhead continued thoughtfully.

Sasuke huffed, amused. "You make it sound self-sacrificial."

"Wasn't that", Gaara assured. "Guilt, maybe. An apology."

Sasuke gave him a disbelieving sideways glance. "Hn. To whom?"

The redhead glanced over his shoulder at the blonde sprawled across the backseat. In all his blissful unconsciousness, he looked nearly innocent.

"Him, probably", Gaara supposed. Sasuke scoffed, remaining suspicious of such a noble gesture.

"With an ego like Hyuuga's? Doubtful", he stated. The redhead shrugged.

"I don't fuckin' know", he sighed. "We made a mistake, y'know. We gave him the perfect opportunity to kill both of us. He had nothin' to lose, but still shot himself instead. I guess that counts as something."

Sasuke scowled. "If he had nothing to lose, he could've just given up and talked. Now that would've been an apology."

Gaara was forced to admit Sasuke had a fair point. Which again led him to wonder, had Hyuuga really planned on killing himself? Or had it been just a spontaneous decision, the outcome of a mental breakdown that could've passed had he given it a while? He didn't know, but neither did he care. It didn't matter anymore.

"Who cares?" he huffed. "He's dead and rotting away, and left us with fuckin' nothing."

"Stop with that depressing shit", Sasuke grunted. "There's still a chance he left clues. It ain't a dead end just yet."

Gaara wasn't too impressed by Sasuke's optimistic attitude.

"Exactly. Yet."

Sasuke sighed, but said nothing. He already knew that trying to convince the redhead otherwise would've been a waste of time, and thus he ignored the man in his entirety. Fixing his gaze forward, he scanned their surroundings the little he could, wondering if he'd already driven past the turn. There in the middle of nowhere, it was hard to tell. Swearing he'd driven past a sign notifying of a gas station nearby, he could only hope he hadn't missed it while half asleep. Just as he began worrying they'd run out of fuel before finding another one, a faint glow of cheap neon lights caught his eye a small distance ahead.

"Why?" Gaara groaned, as they turned towards the station.

"We're low on fuel", Sasuke told, parking beside the petrol pumps.

The redhead said nothing, merely grunted. While Sasuke stepped out and moved to fuel the car, Gaara stayed behind. Glancing over his shoulder at the unconscious lump curled up on the backseat, he stifled an amused chuckle and mercilessly nudged the blonde awake.

"Wake up, sunshine. You're droolin'."

Naruto awoke with a start. Groaning tiredly, he pulled himself up to sit, slowly becoming aware of the drool covering his left cheek. His drowsy face twisted into a disgusted frown.

"Ew. Gross."

"Nah. Cute."

Allowing his drowsy eyes a few seconds to adjust to the flickering fluorescent lights outside, Naruto gazed at their surroundings. Realizing that they were at a gas station, he concluded they still had some distance to go to get home. The thought compelled him to groan, and Gaara to chuckle in return.

"You want somethin'?" he asked.

"Yeah. A bucket of coffee."

Taking one last drag from his mostly burnt cigarette, the redhead pushed open the door and put it out on the ground.

"I'll do my best", he promised, stepping out.

Left to watch the man walk towards the quite poorly maintained building on the other side of the small lot, Naruto let his head fall against the window. For a short while, he enjoyed the feel of cool glass against his skin. But as his eyes began to fall shut again and numb legs tingle back to life almost painfully, he made the decision to visit the outside world as well. Sighing tiredly, he struggled his way out of the car. Greeted by cold air, he took a deep breath and glanced around. The parking lot was dark and empty, save for Sasuke who was there to greet him with an amused smirk.

"Wow, it lives", he sneered. Naruto flipped him off, but saved the insults.

"Ain't you tired?" he asked instead.

Sasuke nodded. "As fuck."

Naruto would've laughed mockingly, hadn't the man truly looked dead tired. Even placing the nozzle back to its place on the side of the fuel pump looked like an honest struggle.

"You want coffee?" the blonde asked, though already knew the answer.

"I'd kill for a cup", the other one mumbled, closing the lid on the car's tank.

Naruto chuckled, placing his healthy arm around his friend's shoulders.

"C'mon. Let's go get you one."

Together they made their way inside. Facing lights brighter than necessary, and the smell of cheap food and lousy coffee, both scowled. The place was empty, apart from Gaara and the cashier across the counter he stood at. While Naruto found a place to sit at one of the tables placed next to the windows, Sasuke made his way over to the redhead. Before he had a chance to say anything, the man turned around and shoved a cardboard cup of coffee against his chest. Sasuke glanced down at it, mildly surprised.

"Never thought I'd say this, but I could kiss you, dude", he mumbled, happily taking what he'd been offered.

Gaara made a certain kind of face. "Try and die."

Leaving Sasuke to chuckle at his turned back, Gaara made his way over to the row of tables and the blonde seated at one of them.

"You got any good reason to sit here?" he asked, placing a cup of coffee in front of the other one.

Naruto eyed the large cardboard container. Not exactly a bucket, but close enough.

"Just ten minutes, man. We've sat in the car forever", he sighed, grabbing the cup and bringing it to his lips.

He took a sip. It tasted as cheap as it smelled, and slid down his throat as thick as tar. Just the way it should've, when intended to function as a proper wake up call. Sasuke joined their company, equally as over the moon about his lousy coffee as the blonde. Gaara couldn't help but shake his head disbelievingly. He possessed enough common sense to willingly have skipped the coffee that might as well have been cooked the week before.

"Whatever", he mumbled. "I'll wait outside."

Naruto raised a brow. "Suit yourself."

He did. The man turned the other way and walked out the door, leaving the two to their own. Sasuke claimed a seat on the chair next to the window, took a generous gulp from the cup in his hand and sighed happily.

"Tastes like shit. Perfect", he stated, amazingly enough not the least bit ironically.

"Cheers for that", Naruto said, lazily raising his cup.

Sasuke bumped his cardboard container of disaster against the blonde's, before setting it down on the table. As silence settled, he took a moment to watch his friend with curious eyes. Eventually, the smallest of sly smirks lifted the corner of his lips. Before Naruto had a chance to question it, Sasuke already presented a form of explanation.

"So, I heard you dropped the l-bomb", he chuckled, somewhat sneeringly. The blonde was quick to groan tiredly and, admittedly, embarrassed.

"For fuck's sake. He told you?" he mumbled, half of his speech drowning into the coffee cup. Sasuke snorted.

"Findin' a guy like him on the floor of your room hysterically emptying the minibar at nine in the morning kinda speaks for itself", he muttered. "And yeah, he told me."

The embarrassment on Naruto's face fell, replaced by a look of wonderment. "Hn. And here I thought I handled it poorly."

"Well, if nothin' else, you sure are dumb as fuck", Sasuke told. "I saw the ring you refused."

Naruto scowled, somewhat bitterly. "I had no reason to accept it."

"Too bad", the other one bemoaned, melodramatically. "I was lookin' forward to bein' your best man again."

Sasuke's voice came out just a hint too amused. Naruto failed to find the supposed comedy.

"Choke on cock, douche", he grunted. "It ain't even funny."

The paler one refused to let the blonde's sour face bring him down. With a smirk on his lips, he made an attempt at digging out his friend's sense of humor from wherever deep it was buried.

"It is, you just ain't", he huffed. "Besides, who don't like weddings?"

The blonde scoffed. "Divorcees."

"Would it be so terrible, blondie?" Sasuke chuckled. "You love him, don't you."

It wasn't really even a question, more of a statement. And a true one at that. But though perhaps true, Naruto's grim outlook on the subject wouldn't sway.

"Oh shut up. We can't actually get married, in case you forgot", he mumbled. "What's it to you anyway?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I just wanna see you happy."

The blonde released a hasty string of laughter. "Just worry 'bout yourself, pretty boy. You get married. It's my turn to be the best man."

A brief look of surprise visited the pale man's dark eyes. It was gone too quickly for Naruto take notice of it, but happened nonetheless. And though Sasuke skillfully hid the strange feeling creeping up his spine, he couldn't disguise it from himself. For just a second, he wished he'd had the courage to share a part of his life he'd so far strictly kept a secret. But for a plethora of reasons, such as years of avoiding telling, he didn't. Forcibly masking the vague feeling of guilt attempting to make itself known, he mimicked the other's amusement and chuckled.

"Right. As if."

Gaara pushed open the creaky glass door and stepped out into the cold. It wasn't freezing per se, but chilly enough to create discomfort to those unprepared for it. Equipped with only a long sleeved shirt and no jacket, Gaara supposed he counted as one. Decidedly ignoring the cold crawling across his skin, he dug out a cigarette and lit it up as a borderline pathetic attempt not to mind the weather as much.

The car stood beside the gas pumps, barely a few feet away, yet he remained standing outside instead. Perfectly content to be on his feet for a change, he took his time inhaling cancerous substances and watching the still surroundings. The lot remained as empty as before, no other vehicle apart from theirs in sight. That was why he took especial notice of the car that appeared after a few minutes. He somewhat expected it to park beside the pumps as well, and was mildly surprised to see it find a spot at the farthest corner of the fairly small-sized lot. The car parked, but the engine was left running. Nobody exited it either.

For reasons Gaara couldn't pinpoint, it made him uneasy. There was no real reason for it, really. The vehicle looked in no way extraordinary, nor did the driver. A woman, he assumed by the shoulder-length hair and somewhat petite figure. He couldn't really tell, it was too dark. Not realizing it, he ended up staring at the car, waiting for something to happen. For the engine to die down, the woman to step out. Something, anything. Why he was so keen on seeing some action take place, he couldn't say.

Nothing ever happened. She never got out, never even turned the engine off. There was too much darkness and distance between them for Gaara to make out what the woman might've been doing. After a minute or so, the car's steady idling turned into motion as it reversed from its spot, turned in a swift manner and simply drove away. Left to watch it go, the redhead took notice of its unusual color as it drove by.

Lime green. What a strange choice of color for such an otherwise dull car.

The red taillights quickly disappeared from sight, along with the engine's somewhat underwhelming sound. Gaara found himself frowning, mildly confused. The uneasy feeling refused to leave him, despite it being entirely unreasonable. It lingered its short time, eventually fading, but left the confusion behind. It wasn't before he heard the door behind him open and close that he finally let it go as well.

"What you standin' here for?" a familiar voice questioned. Gaara turned to face the blonde standing behind him and shrugged casually.

"No reason", he stated, and threw away the cigarette forgotten in his hold.

"Hm, you're weird", Naruto claimed, a crooked grin on his lips. "I like you anyway."

The redhead chuckled, not minding the weight landing against him, nor the gentle bite on his neck. Sasuke stood beside the two, rolling his eyes at the blonde's open display of affection. Somewhat compelled to gag, he sighed.

"Can we go before he mounts you, dude?" he grunted, mostly to the redhead. That didn't stop the blonde from sticking out his tongue in a childish manner.

"Watch it, or I just might mount your sorry ass instead", he threatened, earning a snort from Sasuke and a questioning brow from Gaara.

"I'm right here, y'know", the redhead reminded, as they made their way back to the car.

"Jealous much?" Naruto sneered, claiming the backseat anew. Gaara took the place next to him, and Sasuke accepted his fate as the driver again.

"Always", the redhead admitted.

Naruto scoffed, but said nothing. Instead he took the liberty to stretch his legs out on the seat, back and head falling against the redhead. Sighing at how unaware the blonde seemed to be of the concept of personal space, he couldn't bother complaining and let it happen. Naruto being Naruto, he sought and accepted only the ultimate form of comfort, thus not content just yet.

"Hold me, dickhead", he demanded. Gaara huffed, mostly amused.

"You're like a child", he accused, but did as told.

"You just try tellin' yourself that the next time you feel horny."

The redhead made a mildly disgusted face. Sasuke could be heard sighing tiredly.

"You sick fuck", Gaara stated.

Naruto chuckled. "So there are things too sick even for you? Who would've thought."

"Hn. Guess there are."

Sasuke shook his head, but said nothing. Gaze fixed ahead and on the road, he couldn't help but think how perfectly the two weirdos on the backseat fit one another. It was likely nobody else on the planet would've withstood either one. That said, he did acknowledge just how much luck had to do with them even finding each other. In a world full of incompatible pieces of a vast puzzle, it was a rare thing to find a perfect fit. Or even a decent one. He, if anyone, would've known.

He'd never been skilled when it came to relationships, love, and all other things emotional. Much of it must've had to do with his lonely and socially disengaged childhood. He'd never had anyone showing an example, nobody teaching what it really meant to be human in the sense that set them apart from all other animals. All he'd really had was Naruto, an even more socially untrained disaster than himself. Hardly an ideal learning environment.

He could blame some of his inadequacy as an emotionally functioning individual on his childhood, but some of it he couldn't. Some of it he had nothing else but himself to blame for. The way he simply was, the way he'd been born. Where he lacked in courtesy and affection, he made up with equilibrium and placidity. But though perhaps useful in the workforce and in pursuing other personal success, he'd learned the hard way that very few people looked for such qualities in a partner.

For a long time, he hadn't minded that. He'd been just fine on his own. But then, he'd met someone. Someone he'd wished he could've been different for, changed for. He never could, perhaps just didn't. Either way, he'd eventually started to mind it. He still did, and so did they. Yet amazingly, they'd stuck around. Sasuke still didn't know why and in the fear of it changing something, had never asked.

Dark eyes shifted to look up at the rear view mirror. He adjusted it just enough to get a glance of the two men on the backseat. As he did, an unplanned scowl fell on his face.

He'd never been one to feel bitter or envious, but when it came to those two, he did. Just the slightest bit. He was bitter about how he'd never have what they had. Envious of how drastically the redhead had changed, just for Naruto. And occasionally, angry. At himself, for feeling such ugly emotions.

At times he wondered how he'd missed it happen. The two of them falling for each other. In hindsight, it seemed obvious, outrageously so. The arguments too passionate to be fueled by simple hate, the glances that lingered too long to not come across as longing, and the sexual tension he'd misdiagnosed as actual tension and mutual dislike for one another. Not to mention the state of absolute misery the redhead's six month absence had caused Naruto. All too obvious to be anything but the oversold symptoms of love. Perhaps that was why he'd never noticed them for what they were. There was the thin line at which clichés became too corny to be taken seriously anymore. Either that, or he was just too dense to see the forest for the trees.

It didn't really matter, anymore. He saw the forest now and, more often than not, unfortunately stood in the middle of it.

It was funny, really. Sasuke had never believed in happiness generated by someone other than oneself. Not only had he deemed it utopian, but somewhat worthless as well. If one's happiness depended so strongly on another person, what'd be left if they were to leave? Or die. Or anything, which would result in the loss of that supposed fountain of happiness. Complete and utter ruins, that's what. He'd witnessed it firsthand, the complete and utter collapse of happiness and overall will to live. But against all expectations, witnessing his friend mentally crumble hadn't strengthened his distrust in happiness generated by other people. Instead he'd realized how unlikely it was to ever be truly happy, if it weren't for other people.

And for that reason alone, he felt a sense of gratitude towards the redhead. Not one he'd ever voice. But one nonetheless.

Gaara felt the eyes on him. He knew they were there, he knew they were watching, and tried to ignore it. But eventually, he turned to meet them after all. Not because he was bothered by their stubborn stare, but because he felt like they somehow demanded acknowledgment. And sure enough, as he turned to look, the gaze grew less demanding and more curious. He could see the smirk on lips that weren't visible reach the dark gaze, as if teasingly amused. And though the redhead considered extending his middle finger in return, he couldn't help but mimic the smirk.

He and Sasuke, they communicated best in silence. And that was just fine.

Naruto had been awfully talkative for the past ten minutes, babbling away about things that held no real relevance. Gaara supposed the man was on a good mood, which again was good news to him and the surrounding world all around. As usual, he settled on listening him talk, grunting a short response every now and then, but mostly focused on playing with the mess of blonde hair. It was embarrassingly distracting, as he soon realized once again.

"Are you even listening?"

Gaara lifted his gaze and turned to meet the blue eyes that stared up at him in a mildly annoyed manner.

"Not really", he admitted.

Naruto huffed, acting insulted. "Rude."

The redhead smiled crookedly. "The rest of you is distracting."

"No. You just have the attention span of a common fruit fly", the other one argued, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Gaara wasn't exactly sure when, but somehow the blonde had discreetly crawled his way more or less on his lap and shamelessly stayed to lie on and against him. Codependent, he was. Then again, Gaara couldn't claim he did much to stop it from happening. Or that he even minded it.

"What did I miss?" he asked, allowing the other one to make himself comfortable against his chest.

"Nothing important", Naruto huffed sarcastically. "Just the rest of our lives."

Gaara rolled his eyes. "I'll take a wild guess and say you're bein' a tad over-dramatic."

"I'm not", the blonde argued, "I mean it. How am I gon' explain this to everyone?"

"Explain what?" the paler one wondered, frowning. Naruto tilted his head enough to see the redhead and scowled.

"This. Us. You. The totally gay souvenir I bring home out of the blue."

Gaara raised a questioning brow. Not bothering to note that he was not gay, or that he didn't feel too fond about being called a souvenir, he wondered why on earth the blonde still was so keen on stressing about such irrelevances as other people and their absolutely worthless opinions. As if they did not have enough stressful things on their plate to begin with.

"Don't", he suggested. "It ain't any of their fuckin' business."

Naruto dropped his gaze and sighed. "I guess not. But it ain't like nobody won't notice."

It would've been easy for Gaara to grow annoyed with the blonde's ridiculous issues, but knew it wouldn't help a thing. Instead of replying with any rude remarks, he pressed his face against the other's neck and gently nibbled on the soft skin to distract him.

"You won't even notice them notice. I'll keep you busy", he assured in between kisses leading up to the man's jawline.

Planned or not, the blonde's eyes fell shut and a pleased hum escaped his lips. It was ridiculous, really, how easy he was to distract. Talk about the attention span of a common fruit fly.

"How exactly?" Naruto asked, perfectly aware of his teasing tone.

There were exactly three things in the world that never failed to excite the redhead, in one way or another. Guns, cars, and that exact tone of voice. His very own unholy trinity.

"Now you're just askin' for it", he grunted, though not the least bit displeased.

Naruto chuckled, both at the somewhat frustrated mumble, as well as the touch that moved down his chest and stomach, supposedly subtly. Though only barely subtle then, there was nothing discreet about the way it pressed against the awakening joy below his waistline. Gaara firmly believed the blonde to be overdressed, Naruto seemed to agree, and Sasuke found himself in the middle of the exact forest he gladly would've continued not to see for the trees.

"I can fuckin' see you, creeps", he grunted from the front. "Stop teasin' him, blondie. And you, dirty fuck, stop groping the moron."

He should've known better, really. Better than to hand the two dickheads the perfect opportunity to take the piss out of him, on a silver plate nonetheless. The second he heard Naruto open his obnoxious mouth to let out a taunting hum, he regretted it.

"Then don't watch, weirdo."

Sasuke shot a glare through through rear view mirror. "Get a boner, and I'll kick you out."

The blonde cracked a wide grin. "Too late."

Short silence, then a growl. "I hate you. Both of you."

"You have no sense of humor whatsoever", Naruto said, rolling his eyes.

Sasuke chuckled, but said nothing. If he'd been entirely honest, anything from murder to an orgy could've taken place on the backseat and he likely wouldn't have noticed. Most of his focus was wasted on staying awake and not missing the intersection leading to the highway. Which was the one thing he was anxious to reach, as the seemingly endless, dark wooden roads and low speed limits would've put to sleep even the most well rested of drivers.

It wasn't particularly late yet, but apart from them the roads stayed mostly deserted. Even as they finally did reach the highway intersection along with higher speeds, only a car or two would drive by every few minutes. Sasuke couldn't say he minded it. Less traffic cut down the time it'd take to get home.

It might've been the lack of distractions, or perhaps his enthusiasm to find one, but the somewhat odd sight of a car pulled over on the side of the highway grabbed his interest. Considering the place, yet a lack of four-way flashers, it struck as a strange spot to park at. As they seemed to be in no trouble nor worry, he could only deem them as more or less thoughtless.

"What an idiot", he mumbled out loud.

Though the remark was mostly aimed at thin air, Gaara took notice of it, as well as the peculiarly parked car as they drove by it. A flash of suspicious surprise visited his narrowed gaze. Not even because of the strange choice of actually nonexistent parking space, but because of the lime green color of the vehicle. He was quick to realize, it was the same one he'd eyed at the gas station. The one that'd seemed to have no purpose in being there.

Head turning to look at the car now left behind, he couldn't shake off the eerie feeling creeping in. For a reason he could not specify, taking his eyes off of it wasn't an option. And right before they could make it far enough for the car to entirely vanish from view, he allowed his instinct extra credit. The parked car's headlights sparked and wheels began a lazy roll forward. It could've meant nothing, but the redhead wasn't one to so blindly trust optimism. The only thing he'd ever trusted, was cynicism.

Shoulders tensing up and low growl left stifled in his throat, Gaara gently nudged the blonde off him. Before Naruto could question the sudden shift in the redhead's mood, he was already given orders of the demanding kind.

"Buckle up. Both of you."

A confused silence followed, accompanied by two equally as confused gazes wandering his way. The suddenly denser air left no room for questions. Sasuke was the first one to do as told, Naruto followed his example seconds later. Aware that no explanations would be offered by asking, they could only wait for one to come, if it ever did.

Gaara turned to look through the rear window again. The car, lime green yet otherwise generic, drove behind them at a steady pace. It kept its distance, disappearing from view at every larger curve of the road, but never falling behind. And after the fourth instance of it momentarily vanishing from his line of sight, it suddenly was much closer upon emerging again. Not having noticed the subtle increase in its speed, the redhead scowled.

He felt conflicted. Was he imagining things, or were they being followed?

A part of him accused himself of being too paranoid and anxious. But another part, the one that more often than not guessed correctly, assured that there was no such thing as being too careful. Easily more trusting of that part, Gaara took a moment to get a better look of the one driving. The car was close enough for an outline of them to be visible, but the surroundings too dark for him to make out anything more specific. At every streetlight they passed, he got just a glimpse more, yet never enough.

The hand gripping the steering wheel was fairly petite, strengthening his assumption of the driver being a woman. And whatever little he could see of the arm that said hand was attached to, he could tell it was sleeveless, and thus, uncovered. No tattoos. Not that he could tell. Though it should've, it didn't put his mind at ease. Merely caused his scowl to deepen. Sasuke caught the man's distressed look through the mirror and no longer could refrain himself from asking questions.

"Dude, say somethin'."

A pause, a grunt, but no glance.

"Faster." Another short pause. "As fast as this piece of shit goes."

In the year or so he'd known the redhead, Sasuke had learned two distinct things. One, that man was exceptionally bad at taking no as an answer. And two, it was easier all around not to even try telling him no to begin with.

For a car its age and quality, it accelerated decently and reached a very average top speed of 120 miles per hour. The roads being as empty as they were and the bends fairly forgiving, it wasn't too difficult of a speed to handle. Ten seconds in, the road took another gentle turn to the right, the car supposedly following them falling behind and disappearing from view. The curve passed, the road straightened, and the lime green vehicle no longer came to view. Though Gaara could've released the breath he'd unintendedly held in, some intangible form of tension refused him such freedom. And as another ten seconds went by, he realized why.

The strange car resurfaced, its speed matching theirs. Only this time, it wasn't alone. Three more sets of headlights tailed behind it, like an entourage of bad omen. Gaara shut his eyes in frustration, the breath stuck in his throat exiting as half a growl and half a sigh. At times, he hated being right.

"Uhm...I think we got company", Naruto finally spoke, also watching over his shoulder at the cars closing in.

Sasuke sighed. "Fuckin' hell."

"Don't this shitty thing go any faster?" the blonde muttered, turning back around.

Sasuke almost didn't reply. How the almost unhealthy sound of the engine stretching towards overdrive wasn't enough of an answer, he couldn't understand.

"Does it fuckin' sound like it would?" he grunted.

Naruto took the hint and refrained from asking further questions. Instead he turned to glance at the redhead. He watched the man reach under the seat in front of him and pull out the semiautomatic AR-15 they'd salvaged from the stash of guns that otherwise had been left behind. Immediately upon seeing it, Naruto felt the need to interfere with whatever the redhead was intending to do.

"Dude, just wait. It might not be them", he pointed out, though aware of its unlikeliness. Gaara was quick to disagree.

"It is. They followed us", he assured while loading the weapon.

Naruto frowned. "From where?"

The redhead paused, only briefly. He wondered if he had a way to avoid answering, but realized that even if he had, he didn't have the time to find one.

"Fuchu", he eventually grunted. "I...might've come across one of 'em."

The awkward tone of his voice certainly set the mood that followed. If only to avoid the unimpressed glare directed his way, he turned in his seat to face the rear window, laid the rifle's barrel against the rear deck and stopped to gaze through the glass. The cars tailing them had closed the distance fast. The closest one only a hundred yards or so away, Gaara knew he'd be able to hit it even from a moving vehicle. But before he could get even as far as breaking the glass to get a better view, Naruto's offended state became clear in the form of a halfhearted kick to his right side.

"Why the _fuck_ didn't you tell me?" the blonde hissed through gritted teeth. Gaara stifled a sigh of the frustrated kind.

"I didn't wanna worry you", he explained. But might as well not have.

"You think a surprise like this is less worryin', huh?" Naruto growled, obviously feeling excluded and over-protected.

The redhead clenched his jaw in an attempt not to match the other's foul mood.

"No", he admitted, but followed it with a grunt. "Could you shut your pretty face for a half a second? I've got problems bigger than your sassy shit right now."

The blonde's face twisted into an expression of uttermost loathing, which Gaara skillfully ignored by focusing on aiming at the car behind them.

"How 'bout fuck you."

"Not now, angel."

Determined to rob Naruto of a chance to utter further profanity out of that open mouth of his, the redhead pulled the trigger. The overpowering sound of it forced the blonde silent and Sasuke to flinch in surprise. A round of bullets hit the glass, shattering it. An icy breeze flooded the car in an instant. Whatever glass was left hanging from the frames, the redhead detached using the heel of the rifle. Not offering any attention to the annoyed gaze still directed his way, Gaara fixed his stare outside and at the car still tailing behind them. Though his aim hadn't been focused directly at it, it would've been reasonable to assume any driver with common sense would've reacted to the sound and sight of open fire missing them by only that much.

This one didn't. This one kept their speed and direction the same, not as much as flinching towards the wrong lane. The redhead wasn't sure whether or not to feel pleased about it. On one hand, he could be sure they were being followed. But on the other hand, _they were being followed_. And though there probably were things much more relevant he should've been wondering about, only one question ran circles in his mind.

"How did I not fuckin' notice?"

Despite the loud wind and regardless of having directed the question mostly to himself, Naruto heard him just fine.

"Not important", he stated. "The fuck we gonna do?"

It was a good question, one worth worrying about. They were driving 120 miles an hour along a highway, along nothing but miles and miles of straight roads and no exits. The speed and darkness left much to hope for when it came to aiming a gun at a target in motion. And the fellow drivers, those that so far had seemed very rare and random, could easily become a problem. Both collateral damage and witnesses in mind. As much as Gaara hated to admit it, he wasn't feeling at all certain they wouldn't end up either dead or in jail. If only to avoid stirring panic in the notoriously hotheaded blonde, he maintained a calm surface and placid tone of voice upon replying.

"What we do best", he told, finally meeting the other's gaze, "Fuck 'em up."

Naruto said nothing. But his stare clearly stated that he knew the redhead well enough to tell when he was tactically avoiding reality. The reality of slim to none chances. For what it was worth, it could be considered thoughtful, he supposed. Even if he himself refused to shut his eyes from those nonexistent chances.

"If this goes wrong", he finally spoke, but paused to hesitate.

Why, he wasn't sure. Denial, maybe. A carefully considered shift in tone later, he dropped the hesitation.

"What I told you this morning. I meant it."

A moment of silence followed on the redhead's part. Silence of the bemused kind. He wondered why he let it surprise him. He supposed it always would. Setting the surprise aside, he allowed his momentarily flatlining pulse achieve a beat again, and tried his best not to acknowledge how undeserving he was of even breathing the same air as the blonde. Instead of shooting his own face off for being too pathetic to reply what he should've, he spent time he didn't really have to set the gun aside, and at the very least show what he would always fail to put into words.

The cold had turned the other's lips dry and cool. But none the less fitting against his own. And hadn't it been for the impatient voice from somewhere in the front, he might've forgotten that time wasn't really standing still.

"That's fuckin' cute and all, but _we've got a fuckin' problem_."

Sasuke's clearly frustrated statement forced the two to accept that life was a bitch and break apart. Gaara glanced out the side window, gaze quickly spotting the lime green car now beside theirs. While he could've blamed himself for letting his attention slip, he'd accepted it beforehand. Sighing, he glanced at Naruto and smirked.

"Fuck 'em up?"

His smirk was returned, accompanied by a firm nod.

"Fuck 'em up."

Gaara grabbed the gun he'd momentarily abandoned and turned to briefly address Sasuke.

"Keep the speed. And try not to crash."

Sasuke grunted. "Yeah, yeah."

On the list of hazardous ideas, climbing partly out of a broken rear window and laying one's body against the trunk of a moving car definitely was up there. But since the luxury of safety wasn't something they possessed, Gaara did so anyway. While he stayed there to gaze at the three cars still tailing behind them, Naruto took out the handgun he had hidden under the helm of his shirt and fixed his focus on the vehicle beside them. He rolled down the window, but didn't aim at the car or the driver. He wanted to wait. Wait to see a flash of firearm. Because so far, such hadn't happened.

Only then did he realize how odd it was. Why? Why were there no guns pointed at them?

Gaara narrowed his gaze at the cars following theirs. They were keeping their distance. A distance significant enough that firing a gun and actually hitting would've been unlikely. Not only for him, but for them as well. Suddenly puzzled, the redhead lowered the aim he'd fixed on the cars. Refusing to let the ice cold air freeze his thoughts, he stopped to wonder about the four vehicles in their vicinity. One was on their side, matching their speed. Three had purposely fallen behind, steadily keeping their distance. Two of them rode side by side on different lanes, one sailed between the two behind them.

Why did they keep their distance? How was that beneficial?

There was no logical explanation for why he happened to glance to the side at that exact moment, but hadn't he, he wouldn't have lived long enough to regret it. On the left side, where the road met a sturdy railing and the railing a dense forest, a worrying sight awaited only a short distance ahead. Only 500 yards or so away, the road took a bend to the right, and the forest on the left unexpectedly turned into a vast meadow. The meadow itself wasn't an issue. But the sudden steep drop between it and the road certainly was.

In an instant, it became clear to Gaara why the cars were positioned the way they were. As did the fact that he had approximately five seconds to back himself inside the car, reach to the front, and forcibly grab the steering wheel to stop the vehicle alongside theirs from pushing them over the railing and down the positively lethal drop. He did reach the wheel in four and a half. But the other half was wasted on Sasuke processing what was happening, stubbornly and instinctively holding on tighter. Only half a second wasted. Half a second too much.

By the time the redhead finally was able to make a tactfully sharp move towards the obnoxiously green car, it had already turned twice the distance towards them. What followed was a screeching sound of metal clashing and high speeds creating intense friction in between. Naruto wasted a second to tightly grab the closest thing available, also known as the headrest of the driver's seat, before pulling his shit together and moving to aim his gun at the car now more or less a continuation of theirs. He went for the tires, but realized soon enough that he had no reasonable way of hitting them. The damn thing was too close.

One couldn't have known the meaning of holding on for one's life, before attempting to push against the weight and force of an entire car. For that was exactly what the redhead was putting all his strength into, doing his best not to let the steering wheel give way as the tires stubbornly fought to turn under the pressure. It took Sasuke several seconds to realize that his hands should've been on the wheel as well, instead of cowering away from it in surprise. And hadn't it been for his added strength, as well as decision to briefly ease the pedal, they undoubtedly would've strayed off road and hit the railing.

As soon as their speed dropped by a few miles, they fell behind the other car enough for the pressure point to shift to their advantage. The very instant that knowledge reached the redhead, he gave the steering wheel a forceful tug to the right. Their front tires fortunately missing the other's rear ones by mere inches, the sudden shift in power forced the green car off its course.

The right side of its rear barely brushed against the railing beside it, but the collision and speed combined sent it off into uncontrollable motion. Aided by the pressure on its left side, lift was created. The right rear end rising from the ground, its front turned violently towards ten o'clock. For a few yards, its motion continued in that direction. That was, until the rear hit the ground anew, the impact swinging the whole thing vertically around the closest thing to a full circle.

It was thanks to those few, yet crucial miles less they were driving that the car passed their front fender by only an inch or two. Three sets of lungs left to hold their breath, and one set of blue eyes turning to look behind, they continued moving forward while the threat was left behind. A series of loud crashes following, Gaara couldn't help his curiosity despite his gaze remaining ahead.

"Well?" he asked, loud enough to be heard over the wailing wind and several other noises.

He received no instant reply. Naruto watched over his shoulder as the lime green car twirled across the road in multiple circles, until finally smashing against the railing they'd come near to crashing into themselves. Most of its right side crumpled like tinfoil, a tire or two flew off like shot from a cannon. It was clear they weren't going to travel any further in that crushed can of offensive color choices.

"Dead or crippled", he finally replied, turning back around.

By then, the sad view was out of sight. But the three other vehicles after them, those weren't. The cars that so far had kept their courteous distance were closing in. It'd been expected. Since the risk of getting tangled up in the obviously foreseen crash was now eliminated, the distance had lost its purpose. Having left the steering wheel back in the hands of Sasuke, Gaara found himself back in his seat, gazing at those approaching and calculating their likeliest actions to come.

Since the first car's sole objective had been to stage a crash, it was reasonable to assume that the rest of them wouldn't play as risky of a game. Two of them still drove side by side on separate lanes, the third one drafting on their tails. There were only so many goals they could've had, position wise. But were they to achieve any of them, the outcome would be the same. The three hazards on wheels would easily either force them off the road, or simply shoot them dead. The imbalance in horsepower between them was unfair, but a fact nonetheless. And were they to spread that power evenly around, there'd be no way out.

In theory, the solution was simple. Getting rid of them as soon as possible, before they had the chance to break the obviously calculated formation, would solve the problem. But actualizing that said plan was a less simple matter. Really only one potentially effective way came to mind, and even that would've sounded like a bad joke spoken aloud. But if a bad joke was all they had to work with, they could only hope life had a sense of humor dumb enough to find it funny.

Fighting back a cringe, Gaara sighed and took a moment just to honor the departure of all common sense he once might've possessed, before seating himself down and fastening the seat belt he so far hadn't. The rifle he set aside, having no use for it. Naruto took notice of that, as well as the look of discomfort on the redhead's features. He was afraid to even ask.

"Do I even wanna know?"

The redhead scowled.

"Probably not."

Sasuke's dark eyes watched through the rear view mirror, waiting. Gaara turned to meet the watchful gaze.

"Let them catch up", he then stated, though somewhat reluctantly.

Sasuke's questioning stare turned less that and more suspicious, yet he slowed down anyway. Just enough for the cars behind to begin closing the distance, but not with ease. The redhead turned to glance their way, before meeting Sasuke's uneasy glare once more. For just a brief moment, he stopped to wonder exactly when had ideas this dumb become an expertise of his, but that wonderment was shortly lived.

"When I tell you to, hit the brakes."

Naruto turned to look at the redhead in absolute disbelief. Sasuke's usually plain and expressionless face twisted into a look of utter horror, understandably so.

"What?" he hissed, obviously not excited to do as told.

Gaara stifled the urge to feel annoyed.

"Just fuckin' do it."

It took a split second of teeth grinding and an angry grunt, before Sasuke forced himself to comply.

"Fine. Fuckin' fine."

Pleased enough, the redhead turned to gaze at the trio of black cars behind them. He was painfully aware of how crucial timing was, were they to pull this off. As of then, the distance between was still too significant. And had he been honest, he had no way of telling the exact distance at which it would've evolved from too great to lethally insufficient. The art of mathematics and physics weren't exactly something his uneducated ass was particularly skilled at.

A few seconds passed, fifty or so yards disappeared from between them. Beginning to realize that he truly did not possess the skills needed to accurately calculate the distance, he was forced to rely on logic much more brittle. Simple luck and a bit of instinct, that was. And as he noticed that the vehicle driving the lane beside theirs began to pick up its speed, as if to eventually attempt overtaking them, he decided that right then was as good of a time as ever. Praying to some form of greater power that he wasn't horribly wrong, he went for it.

"Now."

A deep breath stored in his still lungs and sweaty hands gripping the steering wheel in honest anxiety, Sasuke suppressed the voice inside his head telling him how bad of an idea it was, and kicked the brake pedal all the way to the floor.

Wheels screeching, the car worked to bring all motion to a halt. The somewhat slippery road beneath the tires lengthened the process, causing the vehicle to slide much further than it would've on dry asphalt. But none of that really mattered. What mattered was the two cars behind them on the same lane realizing what lay ahead, and desperately attempting to bring their speed down from 120 miles per hour to a solid zero in seconds. But they too fell victim to the wet road, as well as the nearly nonexistent interval between each other.

The car furthest behind might as well not even have attempted to brake. Its speed barely slowed down at all, before it crashed head on into the vehicle just a small distance ahead of it. The front and hood of it caved in instantly, most of its front flattening all the way to the middle. Windshield shattered into dust and the metal body malformed beyond belief, not much could have been left of those inside.

The rear of the car it smashed into suffered a similar effect, not much of its original shape holding up. But it wasn't the crash between them that was worrying. What had made this idea so bad in the first place, was the velocity at which the hindmost car smashed into the one in front of it, inevitably sending both of them flying towards the one that'd caused the disaster in the first place.

In the span of four seconds happened an awful lot. Sasuke spent that short moment realizing how terrible of a mistake he'd made listening to the redhead. Gaara wasted it on cursing himself for being as bad at math as he was, bad enough to have it kill him. And hadn't it been for Naruto, the only one who used those four seconds in any way wisely, the two cars still speeding towards them undoubtedly would've crashed into them and killed absolutely everybody involved.

In those few seconds, and surprisingly free of all terror and panic, the blonde had succeeded in detaching his safety belt, turned in his seat and aimed his gun at the cars closing in. Though very little exact aiming was actually involved, he fired. Due to unbelievable luck and next to no sense of safety, he became the sole reason they didn't turn into ground meat.

The one bullet he fired, amazingly enough hit the right front tire of the car being violently shoved towards them. The rubber burst with a loud bang, causing the driver inside desperately clinging to the steering wheel to lose the last of control over the vehicle. The car took a sharp turn to the right, the other one following. Both missed them by only so much, before smashing into the railing. The loud sound of yet another crash was instantly followed by a sudden, still silence. Apart from the one car still intact driving by, and the steady hum of their own idling, no sound was present.

The quiet slowly grew restless with shaky breaths. Sasuke's hands gripped the steering wheel knuckles white, a sense of disbelief very prominent on his mind. Gaara stared straight ahead with dead eyes, the revelation of them still being alive yet to really reach him. Naruto was the only one gazing at the wreckage only a few feet away from them. The gun still in his hold, his so far steady hand finally began to shake. A breath of relief slipped from between his lips, his suddenly weak body slumping down in his seat.

All of them were unusually shaken by the situation. But who could've blamed them? No matter how used one might've gotten to life threatening scenarios, there was no doubt life would always one-up, one way or another.

For the short while they allowed themselves to feel dumbfounded, nobody spoke. But there's was only so much time they could waste on useless shock and surprise. All three unanimously shaking off the feelings of dread and paralyzing bemusement, they turned to take notice of the car now ahead of them. It had driven by, the driver most likely taken aback by the unexpected turn in events, but stopped some distance away. There it stood, idling quietly. A mild sense of uncertainty was present in all of them, nobody quite sure what would happen next. In the end, no words were exchanged. Only a silent nod between Sasuke and Gaara, a decision to keep on driving.

It was strange, really. All the chaos that'd previously ruled, suddenly seized to exist. They began driving again, the car in front of them following their example. It remained on the lane next to theirs, and equally as confused as them, began driving forward as well. It stayed a car's length ahead of them, but posed no immediate threat. It was almost as if both parties were allowing one another a chance to take a deep breath. Nobody complained.

Gaara turned to look at the blonde beside him. Naruto seemed somewhat shaken, as well as sincerely surprised he wasn't dead. His honest amazement caused the redhead to smile crookedly.

"Good shot, blondie", he praised.

The man turned to meet his gaze, looking generally disoriented, but eventually returning the smile. Even if it was slightly of the confused kind.

"Hn. Yeah."

The blue gaze turned away, and Gaara allowed that. Instead he took notice of the seat belt no longer fastened around the blonde, and tried not to imagine what would've happened, had the two cars crashed into them after all. Naruto eventually turned to face his intense stare.

"Put it on", he demanded, nodding towards the loose safety belt.

The blonde shook his head to clear his thoughts, then nodded and did as told. With a small click, he was safely attached to his seat again, leaving the redhead a tad bit calmer.

Sasuke began picking up their pace again. The car ahead matched their speed, staying in the lead. Though the question of what would happen next should've been a priority, Gaara couldn't help but wonder just how many witnesses they must've passed in the past five minutes. Fatal crashes of three cars couldn't have gone unnoticed on a highway, mostly deserted or not. He already knew that sooner or later, law enforcement would become an issue.

There was no easy way out. The highway seemed to have no exits in sight, only sturdy railings and dense woods blocking each side. That, and the wide strip of grass dividing their lanes and those that traveled in the opposite direction. The railings framing the road were intermittent, every now and then gently sloping into the ground and then up again, but that wasn't much of an aid. Even if they'd attempted to slip through one of those gaps, only impassible terrain awaited on the other side. All they had to work with was two lanes, miles and miles of straight road, and absolutely no means of escape.

"Uhm...we got a new problem", Sasuke's voice suddenly declared.

The two men on the backseat turned to glance through the windshield, before unanimously sighing. Those inside the car ahead of them seemed to have overcome their brief shock. The right rear window had been rolled down, a head cautiously peeking out and an arm extended far out towards them. As a continuation to that said arm, was a gun. One obviously loaded and prepared to fire.

Sasuke was quick to realize how bad of a position they were in. And not a second too late, he made a swift move to switch lanes. Just as the gun went off, he'd managed to get them behind the other car, instead of beside it. The bullet barely scratched the right rear end of their vehicle. But this temporary solution was no reason for celebration.

"Any ideas?" Sasuke questioned, forced to shout over the loud engine and wind still flooding in.

Only silence answered. Hardly the ideal reply. Grunting in frustration, he began to think of a solution himself. But before he could make it any further than the intention, yet another problem presented itself.

The backdoor of the car in front of them unexpectedly swung open. The man who only seconds before had aimed out of the window, now stepped himself partly out of the vehicle, gun once again raised and aimed at them. Tossing aside his wonderment of how suicidal this individual must've been, Sasuke let himself grow worried to a healthy extent. Though perhaps dangerously hanging out of a moving car, the gun wielding lunatic now had a clear view of them. His chances of accurately hitting might've been slim, yet not impossible. And that was bad news. With very little time to decide what action to take, Sasuke was forced to pick the first plan manifesting itself to him.

"Fuck", he mumbled under his breath, before addressing the redhead. "Grab the rifle."

Gaara frowned, but did as told. Pleased enough, Sasuke began slowly accelerating. But before anybody could question his decision to do so, he was handing out further orders already.

"Aim, and get ready to fire the shit out of it", he demanded. "You'll know when."

The redhead scowled. He opened his mouth to ask the obvious, but upon realizing that they were subtly drifting to the right, he figured it out himself. A disbelieving huff escaped his lips.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Naruto was left without any explanation whatsoever and Gaara grinding his teeth in annoyance, yet forced to not complain. Having no ideas of his own, he didn't obtain the right.

That short exchange of words later, their subtle drifting towards the other lane became more obvious and speed faster. Considering the speed so far, it fell short of the maximum, leaving him with enough potential to pick up the pace and reach the other vehicle. As the man mostly hanging out of the car realized what was about to happen, he fell into panic mode.

He pulled the trigger, firing towards them repeatedly. But overcome by sudden shakiness, failed to aim accurately. Only one of the fired bullets made it inside, and even then, only lodged itself into the seat no one was sat at. It all happened too fast for the man to realize his mistake. Before he could reclaim his composure, Gaara had already opened fire through the window on his side. In a split second, a round of bullets turned the man into a strainer. Life exiting him in an instant, nothing stopped his dead frame from falling out of the car and onto the road.

Though too dead to mind it, his legs briefly visited beneath the right posterior tire of the black car. That was the last that was seen of him, before the man became nothing but a distant lump on the road far behind.

The realization of what happened must've reached the driver of the other car, as it began a desperate attempt to outrun them. But to that said driver's misfortune, its top speed didn't outshine theirs. Sasuke easily managed to reach the other vehicle's side, the now closed back door's window still open. As soon as the redhead could get a view of the inside, he opened fire anew. No wonderment of if there even was anybody left on the backseat was involved. Only the desire to kill anyone that might've, and at the very least, insert the shock factor into the one driving.

As yet another round of rifle ammo had been unleashed, Gaara paused to gaze into the dark inside of the other vehicle. And to his sincere enjoyment, the very still outlines of two people were there to greet him. Doubting that anybody was seated on the front passenger's seat, he supposed only the driver remained. Though the redhead knew he wouldn't be able to hit the driver from that angle, it didn't worry him. Judging by the uncertain and twitchy style of driving, they must've realized just how small their chances of survival were. They were afraid and desperate. And fright and desperation always led to mistakes.

Sasuke took a quick glance at the rear view mirror. There he met the redhead's gaze, and as the man gave a small nod as confirmation of success, he began easing the gas pedal just enough to fall slightly behind the other car again. The decision to take a little distance was meant to create a small increase in safety. And it might've done that, hadn't all of them horribly underestimated the lengths a desperate man would go to.

What happened in the next few seconds, entirely altered the concept of time slowing down. For all of them.

None of them ever saw it coming. And why would they? Perhaps it was only a spontaneous act fueled by simple desperation and panic, or perhaps the result of dignity attached to finishing the job they'd been assigned. Whatever it was, it brought an abrupt end to the ruling havoc, only to begin a new one.

The car speeding along the lane beside them, and just a small distance ahead, took a sharp turn to the right. Sharp enough to swing its heavy body sideways, directly in front of them. Their path suddenly blocked by four thousand pounds of steel and an obvious suicide mission, Sasuke reacted before he could even fully register it. Eyes falling shut in surprise, his hands instinctively jerked the steering wheel to the left, sending the car violently in that said direction. Though they narrowly avoided the vehicle blocking their way, it wasn't enough. The wet asphalt beneath the tires didn't hold enough friction for the brakes to save them. Before they knew it, they'd smashed head on into the steel railing.

The impact happened at a velocity too high and force too massive for the motion to stop there. The steel beam now forcing the front of their vehicle to fold like thin aluminum, still gave enough way under the car's weight to bend outwards. What at the very best could've been only a moderately wounding crash, quickly turned into a worst case scenario of a potentially lethal fall down a hill and towards the woods.

It was strange, to feel the ground disappear from beneath the tires. The violent jerk forward that the impact had caused in all of them suddenly evolved into a brief moment of zero gravity. That was also the exact moment a new form of time slowing down was born. For just that passing second, everything moved in slow-motion. The glass shattered by the crash seemed to float in the air immobile. The pain traveling through their bodies didn't spread like wildfire. Instead it crawled slowly, as if tiptoeing. For the mere blink of an eye they remained airborne, an entire lifetime seemed to pass and all sound die down. And everything that at that moment seemed silent and still, turned into the exact opposite the instant they hit the ground again.

The landing was nearly as rough as the crash itself. Only one side's tires hitting the downward ground first, the car began tipping over before the other set of tires could reach solid earth as well. As soon as one side smashed against the wet ground, it was easy for the motion to continue and only grow faster. Though not steep, the terrain was oblique enough for the car to stop rolling no sooner than at the very base of that downhill, forced to a violent halt by a sturdy tree at the border of the woods. Mutilated by another impact, it was left on its roof, body disfigured beyond recognition and a lonely tire still spinning up at the sky.

Absolute silence fell. And for long while, continued.

Gaara couldn't claim he really understood what had happened. But then again, he also was certain his eyes were wide open even though he couldn't see a thing. After what felt like forever, some deranged patterns began appearing in his line of sight, but nothing he could distinguish. And even if he could've, the outrageously loud, high pitched sound ringing in his ears stopped him from even trying. There were very few things he could make sense of, none of which pleasant.

He was in pain. All of him was. As if trapped in a full-body suit of excruciating agony. His head seemed to weigh a ton, neck wouldn't turn without an unplanned whimper escaping his lips. For a while, he couldn't move his left arm. Even if he soon figured out that it was simply trapped and tangled in the seat belt, it made that short while no less worrying. Though his mind remained in a state of confusion, no actual sense of time or place apparent, he still somehow realized to check if any part of his body was broken or detached. Amazingly, it didn't seem that way.

The time it took for him to understand that he was not only inside a car, but hanging upside down in one, grew to be worryingly long. It wasn't before he fully regained his vision and a vague sensation of something other than absolute agony, that he finally came to terms with the fact that they had crashed. Crashed and rolled down a hill, only to crash again. How he'd survived, he didn't understand.

As the thought of survival crossed his mind, the full scale of reality finally settled upon him. As if he'd entirely forgotten that he wasn't alone, he was reminded of the two others. The mild panic that followed was more than enough to slap the rest of confusion out of him. Suddenly indifferent towards all pain in his body, he rushed to turn his head to the right. Having instinctively sought to find the blonde, he never even stopped to prepare himself for what he might see. Unprepared, his heart skipped several beats at what met him.

Like him, the blonde hung upside down, still fastened to his seat. But unlike him, the man's body was limp and motionless. Eyes closed, face void of any expression. And that blonde hair of his, stained in red.

Gaara was afraid to even breathe. His so far mild panic was incredibly quick to grow into full-blown terror. Every pained bone in his body desperate to get free of the safety belt holding him still, he rushed to unfasten it. Though such poorly planned action caused him to literally fall down and crash against the ceiling of the car, he didn't pause to mind it. Ignoring the pain attempting to stop him from moving, he crawled across the ceiling and upon reaching the other side, forcefully pulled himself up to sit. In rushed motions, he reached out and freed the blonde from his seat. Using the little strength he had, he caught the other one before he could fall down.

Shaky hands dragging the other's still form onto his lap, Gaara was careful not to hurt him. He cautiously held him in his arms, fingers gently brushing against the side of his face. The tips of his fingers came back red. The redhead glanced towards the window beside him. The frame was stained with blood. He must've hit his head.

Turning his gaze back to the blonde, Gaara found his breath hitching in fear of not finding one on the blonde. It took more guts than he knew he even had to bring his face close enough to the other one's to check for a breath. As a weak exhale did land on his skin, an unintended sound of relief escaped his lips. But his relief was short lived. The blonde showed no other signs of life apart from a weak breath.

"Wake up, angel", he spoke, quietly. "Please wake up."

Nothing. Nothing but a step further into fear and terror for the redhead.

"You need to wake up", he demanded yet again, his usually low and steady voice breaking.

But he didn't. Naruto didn't wake up. Remaining as unconscious as so far, he lay there reactionless. Gaara found himself nearing a state of panic that nearly caused him to miss the pained groan from the front. The groan, and the muffled words that followed.

"You okay?"

Though the redhead was distantly aware of the question asked, it took him a long while to answer. He never as much as looked Sasuke's way, his gaze exclusively fixed on the blonde who remained the same. And even when he did reply, his voice came out scattered and barely coherent.

"He won't wake up", he muttered, obviously from between trembling lips. "I can't wake him up."

Sasuke shut his eyes for a brief moment, seeking to stop the world from spinning. He then carefully turned to glance around, the little his sore neck allowed. He came to realize that they were upside down. He also noted that it was his side that'd crashed into the tree, his door in a particularly bad shape. Caved in, glass shattered and several shards sunken into his arm. The very distinctive smell of gasoline danced in the air, implying a leak in the gas tank. And then there was the pounding ache of his head, as well as the feel of something wet running down his face, which helped him spot the gash in his forehead. While the obvious lack or malfunction of airbags was an unfortunate surprise, something else exceeded it in misfortune. Something he quickly realized would be more than just a minor inconvenience.

He was trapped. His legs were trapped inside crushed metal.

He considered making an issue out of it, but decided not to. The unconscious blonde and the hysteric redhead cradling him were enough of an issue on its own.

"Dude, calm down", he told, his throat audibly dry. "Is he breathing?"

Sasuke's attempt at calming Gaara down might've been in vain, but at least the man managed an answer of some kind.

"Yeah", he mumbled quietly. "He's bleeding. He's gonna die."

Sasuke stifled a sigh. "No, he's not. He's breathing, he's alive. Just calm down."

His reassuring did little good, as the redhead wouldn't stop neurotically stroking the other's face and whispering incoherent pleads under his breath. Sasuke could've stubbornly tried to sway him towards the calmer side, but frankly, knew it wouldn't have helped. Instead he took a short moment to assess the situation they were in.

They had crashed. The car was crumpled into a disastrous mess. Naruto was unconscious, Gaara was on the verge of hysteria, and he himself was firmly trapped in place. That, and a few other things he had decided not to accept just yet. Also, it was likely that within a few minutes, they'd start hearing sirens. Those were the bad news.

The very few good news consisted of all three of them being alive and the fact that no threats were in sight. The car they'd only barely missed crashing into was nowhere to be seen. He couldn't tell for sure, as only a small part of the road was visible from down there. But the lack of an engine's hum led him to believe they'd taken the chance and ran for it, after all. That was nice and everything, but all in all, the bad outweighed the good. If nothing else, at least it couldn't get any worse. Or so he thought.

As soon as he'd come to settle on such an optimistic outlook, something worrying caught his attention. His sense of smell, to be exact.

The sharp stench of smoke reached his nose. Gaze rushing to find the source of said smell, he looked through what was left of the windshield, and came face to face with the worst possible outcome of a crash he could've imagined. From underneath the mostly destroyed hood rose a thin trail of smoke. One that grew as he watched it. And not of a particularly promising color, either. Not white, not gray. But in fact pitch black. As a reaction, his didn't make much sense, but the bitter chuckle escaped his lips nonetheless.

"You smell that?" he asked the redhead, hoping he'd listen. "That's not good."

Gaara abandoned his mission to wake the blonde up just long enough to glance at Sasuke. He was quick to notice the smoke as well. And whether it was the danger it posed, or the very distant sound of sirens going off, he finally regained some composure. Shaking his head a few times to gather his sense, he finally laid Naruto gently down and moved over to Sasuke instead. Together they stared at the rising smoke for a short, silent while.

"It's gonna light on fire", Gaara observed. Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. You need to go."

The redhead paused, frowned and finally, shook his head.

"How hard did you hit your head?" he grunted, already reaching towards the seat belt still wrapped around the other one.

He was certain his intentions were clear and in no way harmful, and thus couldn't understand the hasty hand that came to stop him from touching the opening mechanism.

"Don't", Sasuke demanded, almost rudely.

The redhead didn't forcefully go against his word, but neither did he draw his hand back. Silently, he waited for an explanation. One that Sasuke seemed very reluctant to give. And he was. The one unfortunate truth he hadn't really come to terms with yet, was definitely something he was reluctant to voice.

"Just don't", he repeated, sounding almost distressed. "I...I can't feel my legs."

The second he ended his sentence, a spark flew against the broken windshield. Sasuke noticed it, Gaara didn't. Much of it might've had to do with the deathly pale face and disbelieving stare directed at the other man. Though Sasuke tried, he failed to face him.

"I mean it. I'll just slow you down."

Suddenly, the momentary calmness started to drift towards chaos yet again. Another spark happened. The sirens that just a moment ago had seemed so distant now approached faster than necessary. And the lack of action Gaara was capable of taking was only feeding the catastrophe to come.

"No", the redhead finally spoke. "I can't. He'd never forgive me."

Sasuke was beginning to grow distressed, by a number of things. Gaara's stubborn decision not to listen certainly was one of them. Finally turning to look at the man, he laid an almost angry glare on him.

"Really?" he growled. "Since when have you given a shit 'bout forgiveness?"

Gaara didn't know what to say. Sasuke did.

"You want him to live don't you?" he asked.

It took silence of the helpless kind, but an answer happened eventually.

"Yeah."

It was then the first flame broke out. Small and modest, but full of lethal promises. And like something akin to a fire, determination lit up in the eyes of Sasuke as well.

"Then take him, and run."

The light that small flame radiated cast warm colors over the two usually pale faces. And it might've just been the hue of that reflecting in his eyes, but Gaara looked sincerely tortured. Tortured by decisions he hadn't been prepared to make. It was that hesitation of his that fed the frustration in Sasuke. Void of any second thoughts, he repeated his demand with much more aggression than before.

"Go!"

The redhead flinched. He had never looked as uncertain and conflicted before. Not in front of Sasuke anyway. And maybe he'd just gone soft, but somehow, that lost look in the man's eyes caused his own gaze to grow kinder. It was that exchange of those two exact looks that finalized what one could only describe as an unfair tragedy. Gaara swallowed down the knot in his throat, nodded and reached out to grab the other's hand. Sasuke accepted the gesture, tightened his own hand around the others and returned the nod.

"Later, cunt."

"Hn. See you in hell."

Two bittersweet chuckles later, their tight handshake came to an end. As did many other things.

The flames now growing larger and brighter, and approaching the leaking gas tank at a worrying speed, Gaara rushed to pull on the handle of the backdoor. It was stuck, the metal too bent to any longer pass the frames and open. Not pausing to mind it, he climbed out of the open window instead. Swiftly making it outside, he wasted no time to reach back in and struggle the unconscious blonde towards the opening as well. Though his body ached, legs felt unreliable and arms shaky, he determinedly pulled the man upwards and outside. He did his very best to make the landing as soft for him as possible, before gently letting him down on the ground.

For just a second, he stopped to watch Naruto. The man remained the same, still and senseless. Looking at him, Gaara couldn't help but feel guilty. For many things. But for what was yet to come, that especially.

It was the now distinctively close sounds of sirens that made the redhead realize, he was running out of time. Determined not to fail at saving the blonde as well, he crouched down, took a firm hold of the other's frame and picked him up. Though every inch of his body screamed in agony, every muscle wanted to give under the other's weight, he denied himself all forms of weakness.

Sasuke watched it happen. Watched Gaara pick the blonde up, watched him fight the pain and bend it to his will. And it was that exact sight, the tall outline of that hazardous man holding the only priority the two of them shared, which allowed him to feel at ease. Even while hanging upside down inside that mutilated, burning vehicle, he succeeded in achieving a sense of peace. The quickly growing light provided by the fire showed clearly the set of pale green eyes stopping to look at him one last time. He met the gaze with silent gratitude. And the other one returned it with quiet promises.

They didn't stay for long. However the redhead might've felt about it, he finally forced himself to turn the other way and begin the walk away into the dark, dense woods. And Sasuke let him. He watched the two disappear into the darkness, not minding the growing heat for as long as he could still see them. And once they were gone, he was glad that Gaara never turned to look back. That way, he couldn't have any second thoughts.

Some might've considered it strange. His calmness. He didn't feel afraid. Even as he willingly let his lungs fill with smoke and poisonous carbon monoxide, he wasn't nervous. Even though he was well aware of the pain still to come, he felt at ease. Much of his calmness was the result of foreseen acceptance. He'd known it'd come to this, sooner or later. He perhaps hadn't foreseen the burning car, or finding himself trapped inside it, but the inevitable outcome he definitely had. The death.

He didn't regret it. Any of it. Not the extreme way he'd dedicated his life to Naruto and the friendship they shared, nor the lengths he'd gone to for him. Not even wanting to die for him. Because he knew that Naruto would've done the same for him. But though he had no regrets about the decisions that'd led to those exact circumstances, he did have regrets of another kind. The kind he'd planned on correcting, but considering the situation, obviously never would. It was a shame. A shame indeed.

It was somewhat of a struggle for Sasuke to fit his hand into the pocket of his jeans, but he managed. From there, he took out something he wished he would've had a chance to put to use earlier on. As most things other than Naruto and the bond they shared, he'd postponed it. For too long. And now it was too late. He had only himself to blame.

The heat and smoke was finally beginning to take a toll on him. His head, already feeling light thanks to the blood pulled down by gravity, had taken a step towards tiredness. He supposed he would lose consciousness soon. But that couldn't be considered an inconvenience. He hadn't heard many good things about getting burned alive. By all logic, death by fire must've been less of a nuisance if not aware of it happening.

Very anticlimactically, those became his last thoughts before his vision began to fail him. He still remained aware enough to hear the sound of sirens finally reach him, but already knew it was too late. The fatigue was quick to overpower any other sensation. And as the flames finally reached the gas tank, the fire spreading in a violent outburst and swallowing the vehicle whole, he ran out of strength to stay awake. In the core of ablaze chaos, he fell into a calm sleep.

The stars, they seemed watchful. That Gaara took note of, as he ran through the dark woods. Though burdened with pain and the weight of a man his own size, determination drove him forward. That, and a promise he was keen on keeping. Not once had he looked back, but judging by the faint flashes of red and blue reaching even that far into the woods, emergency services had arrived. He wished he could've said he believed it could make a difference.

After a few minutes of running as fast he could in his condition, the weight laid on his arms finally began to overtake his strength. His legs had first gone weak, and eventually numb. His body ached with intense pain, the air in his lungs felt like pins and needles. And it was there, not nearly as far away as he'd hoped to be, when his body finally failed him. Forced to a halt by multiple malfunctions within himself at once, he dropped to his knees. His beaten arms could no longer support the weight put upon them, thus letting the blonde to the ground.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd collapsed to the ground as weak and tired. But he knew that he'd hated it then, and hated it now. His strained lungs gasping for air and exhausted body slumping down next to the blonde's unconscious one, Gaara stayed to lay there on the ground. The surface was cold and damp, but he hardly cared. He focused on not passing out.

For the thirty or so seconds he allowed himself to regain some composure, he gazed at the sky. Opposed to the cloudy sight earlier that day, it was perfectly clear. The stars shone brightly, the moon had taken its earned place on the stage. It was beautiful. And in that beauty, he found faith in the decision he'd made. However flawed and pathetic his reasoning might've been, he wanted to believe that for every lost soul, a new star was born. He was to account for many of them already, but most hadn't made much difference to the sky he watched. This one, however...this one he'd let make a change.

Faint movement on his left caught Gaara's attention, bringing his gaze down from the sky and towards the blonde instead. Two very different emotions stirred within him. Relief, for seeing him starting to wake up. And dread. Terrible dread, as he did not know how any words could've explained what he had done.

He got very little time to fear it in advance. The blonde's small signs of life turned into proper movement and an eventual hiss of pain. Blue eyes slowly cracking open, he turned to look at Gaara, obvious confusion written all across his features. For some time, he remained borderline delirious, before finally speaking with a dry and strained voice.

"Wh...the hell happened?" he wondered. "Why does everything hurt?"

Gaara didn't know how to be or what to do. He wanted to reach out and hold the other one simply for being alive, but couldn't bring himself to. He knew that had Naruto known what'd happened, he wouldn't have wanted him anywhere near.

"We crashed."

That was the simple and brief reply the redhead eventually went with. Anything more felt impossible.

"Crashed?" Naruto questioned, still drowsy. Gaara merely nodded.

The blonde's questioning gaze turned even more so, as he realized how strangely the other one was behaving. The second the redhead realized he'd noticed, it became hard for him to face the man anymore. The other's tone turned worried.

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked, sincerely questioning the redhead's well-being.

Gaara frowned. Was he okay? Yes, mostly. But Sasuke wasn't. And neither would Naruto be, once he found out.

He didn't know what to say. He could only silently lay there beside the only one he didn't want to see hurt, avoiding breaking the only news that would shatter him to pieces. And in the end, whether it was fortunate or not, he didn't have to say anything at all. The silence too lengthy and gaze too uncertain told much more than words ever could've. Even in the dark, Gaara could see Naruto's tan face drain from all color.

"Where is he?"

The question came out sharp and hasty, demanding for an answer. Yet none came. The redhead opened his mouth to speak, but no words ever flowed out. All he could do was watch the panic settle into the other's blue eyes, pained body attempt movement and weak legs try to support his weight. Though unaware of what exactly would happen, but certain something bad would, Gaara too stood up. He witnessed Naruto gaze around in panic and terror, the look of it in his eyes deepening every instance he failed to locate the one missing. And as his searching gaze finally spotted the luster of what could only be live fire in the distance, his world could be seen shatter into a million pieces.

It was doubtful he ever planned on doing so, but began running despite the trouble to even stand straight. He ran as fast as his unstable legs allowed him to, towards what he knew to be fire. He heard the rushed steps following him, but wouldn't pay attention to them. He was aware of the voice telling him not to do this to himself, but blocked it out. He ran, until he was close enough to clearly see twenty years of his life literally burn up in flames.

The car, now disfigured and swallowed by flames. The police cars, ambulances and fire trucks gathered up on the highway, the sea of people circling the burning vehicle. The attempts to put the fire out, failing miserably. He saw all of it. And he knew, he had lost half of what he consisted of as a person.

There were no words to describe the feeling that filled every last crevice of his body and mind. It felt empty, yet heavy. Painful, yet numb. And at the same time, none of those. In the several seconds to come, it would manifest itself in a wide range of ways.

He couldn't feel the disbelief, yet it presented a question out loud. Directed at Gaara, who now stood beside him.

"Could you have saved him?" he asked, sounding flat and empty.

The redhead said nothing. It could've been answer enough, but Naruto refused to settle for it. And though he could not feel the anger, it erupted violently.

"Could you have saved him?!"

Nothing flat and empty about him this time. His voice dripped with malicious hate, hands reached out to grip the redhead's jacket collar and eyes filled with nothing but rage stared straight through the man. And Gaara knew he had to tell the truth.

"Yes", he admitted. "But not both of you."

The redhead wasn't sure what he'd expected, but became somewhat surprised to see the blonde's raged eyes dull down in an instant. All anger seemed to exit him in an instant, followed by emptiness. And then came the despair. Naruto couldn't feel the despair, but it turned his gaze into something that seemed very dissociated from reality. His words dragged out long and bitter, almost defeated.

"You killed him."

Dead stare turning back towards the fire, and everything burning away with it, his legs gave way under him. As if the sky had fallen down on his shoulders, his knees hit the cold, wet ground. As if caving in on himself, his figure fell downwards and head hung low. His mind stood still. His breath stood still. Everything seemed to pause. But it was only him who saw the world slowing down. The hold desperately trying to lift him on his feet, the loud voices in the distance, the searchlights beginning to flash towards the woods. None of it felt real, none of it was worth noticing to him.

Though they must've been present, he couldn't feel the anger, couldn't feel the sorrow. And for as long as he would continue to deny what had happened and what it would mean, he wouldn't feel. Left on his knees in a void surrounded by chaos he refused to see, only three words made sense to him. Three words that would define his entire existence for a painfully long while still to come.

"You...killed him."


	51. Ground Zero

**Happy Thanksgiving, all you Americans. **

* * *

"_Could you have saved him_?"

"_Yes. But not both of you_."

For ten long days and ten equally as long nights, that brief exchange of words had infested Naruto's mind in its entirety. Not because it had brought morbid finality to a tragedy he still refused to believe had happened, but because of the countless loose ends it'd given birth to. The uncertainty, the guilt. The 'what if'.

Maybe he could've saved him. If he just hadn't lost consciousness. If he had been the one driving. If he'd just tried harder, been better. If. What if?

It had begun as a hammering pounding in the back of his head, before evolving into the full definition of him as a human being. And nothing, absolutely nothing else mattered anymore, but that massive question of 'what if'.

It had been exactly ten days since Naruto had watched his dearest friend burn alive. Ten days since the end of an era, and the beginning of his very own, personal ground zero. And those ten days he had spent at the lowest level of life imaginable. He'd lost his ability to function even in the most basic of ways. He'd refused to eat, had only barely slept, and virtually hadn't spoken a single word. Not even to himself. At times, he found himself not breathing. Even his heartbeat had slowed down to a comatose pace. All of him stood on motionless standby and absolutely none of him could've cared less.

The stillness dominating his body had taken over his mind as well. Though he was slowly letting himself literally wither away with sorrow, he couldn't quite feel it. He couldn't feel much at all. The empty void he'd descended into the instant he'd realized Sasuke was gone, had remained unaltered. That hungry void had swallowed him in the blink of an eye, followed him through the dark woods, throughout the entire twelve hours it had taken them to finally find their way home. And instead of having denied the void access, he'd invited it inside.

In a way, Naruto was glad the void existed. Hadn't it, he probably couldn't have left the burning wreckage behind, wouldn't have cared about the searchlights looking for other survivors, would not have minded being found. But even if it'd temporarily aided him to maintain some low level of action, it'd robbed him of the ability to mourn his loss. And that made him hate the void much more than appreciate it.

He hadn't cried. Hadn't even felt like crying. He'd tried, but failed. He might've fed the void by having spent ten consecutive days blind drunk, but blaming it all on harmful self-medication would've only been a lousy excuse. The first few days he'd still been able to blame that inability to mourn on plain denial and disbelief, as he'd clung onto the slim chance of Sasuke having survived. But then came the call. _The_ call.

On day three, Naruto had jerked awake from his first short sleep since the accident. Woken by the sound of his phone ringing, he'd already known. Known right away, judging by the sound alone. It'd sounded demanding and ominous, regardless of the nonexistent science behind such a claim. And while his mind had silently screamed against it, his hand had already made a move to answer the phone. The call itself fell dramatically short of being overwhelming. Like most everything so far, it hadn't felt like much at the time. Barely lasted for three minutes, a monotone voice stating Naruto listed as Sasuke's emergency contact, and then breaking the news.

Uchiha Sasuke had passed away. Died at the scene of the accident, killed by numerous traumas and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hearing somebody say it aloud had brought a sense of confirmation, but hadn't been able to stir any solid reactions. Not sadness, not sorrow, not even relief for finally having confirmation. No real emotion really awoke during or after that call. It wasn't until the next call, the one Naruto wished he wouldn't have had to make, that finally something began to tighten in his throat. For the entire duration of that call, he lived in crippling guilt.

It'd been so many years, since he'd last heard Itachi's voice. But he sounded the same. Exactly like Sasuke, perhaps less generally bitter. And as he picked up, he seemed glad to hear from Naruto. With so many years of mutual silence in between, and that moderately cheerful tone of voice greeting him, it broke the blonde's heart to tell him that his brother had died.

Naruto had never heard Itachi cry. Neither did he then. What he heard, was a sincerely pained and angry scream of denial. One he had never imagined could've left that stoic man's lips.

The line had gone dead after that. And for another two days, Itachi would maintain radio silence. When he finally called back, he sounded calmer. Less angry, more neutral. Naruto supposed he had found the road towards acceptance. The road he himself certainly hadn't, and doubted he ever would. He didn't want to.

The topic of a funeral wasn't something Naruto had wanted to even think about, but knew couldn't be avoided. He and Itachi had agreed to meet up and talk it through. The older Uchiha had kindly offered to fly over, so the blonde wouldn't have to. More than relieved, Naruto accepted the gesture. The less he had to go anywhere he'd be forced to exist in any other form but an incoherent and drunken mess, the better.

Apart from his brief discussions with Itachi, the blonde had remained indifferent towards everything and everybody else. He'd left all calls unanswered, had refused to speak to anybody. Including Gaara. Having locked himself inside the bedroom, only exiting when absolutely necessary, Naruto had mostly succeeded in avoiding the redhead. Though the man had stubbornly attempted to make contact of any kind, every last of his efforts to achieve such had been immediately shut down. Surprisingly enough, he'd been unexpectedly submissive to the blonde's determination not to acknowledge him. Naruto supposed the man felt guilty. Not that he really cared.

He couldn't lie. He had grown to resent him. Whether it was a pathetic attempt to minimize his own guilt and involvement in the tragedy, or that he truly did believe it all to be the redhead's fault, Naruto could no longer look at him without wanting to see him suffer. There'd been an instance or two, at which he'd found himself wishing the man had died along with Sasuke, instead of leaving him behind. But he'd been quick to catch himself and push such malevolent thoughts away.

He might've started to resent the man, but hadn't stopped loving him. He supposed, anyway. The void made it hard to tell.

He knew Gaara felt guilty. He could tell by the way he acted and didn't act. Opposed to everything that he normally was like, the man hadn't tried to force Naruto to talk, hadn't blamed him for being as useless as he was. Even any opinions he might've had about the blonde's self-medicating he'd kept to himself. He felt guilty, perhaps even ashamed. But none of that would bring Sasuke back. And for that reason alone, Naruto refused to even talk to him.

He felt very conflicted about being home. Even though there was nowhere else he would've rather been, he also hated it. Hated everything about it. Sharing it with the redhead reminded him of what the man had done, Sasuke's belongings reminded him of everything he'd lost, and the thought of having to go through them at one point or another seemed like an unclimbable mountain. He wanted it all gone, but also didn't want anything gone. He wanted to burn the house down, yet also never wanted to leave it. And really all he truly wanted, was for Sasuke to be alive.

Why? Why did he have to die? It was unfair.

Naruto had somewhat expected for the police to come knocking at some point. But so far, they hadn't. He found it strange, somehow. Considering the circumstances of several vehicles having crashed on a highway, traces of gunfire on their mutilated bodies and rounds of ammunition undoubtedly scattered along the road, foul play must've been the core point of the investigation. But then again, they'd been careful not to leave traces throughout their trip. Having used only cash, fake identification and illegal, untraceable weaponry, no evidence of them ever even having been there should've existed. Any potential fingerprints and DNA inside the car must've been destroyed in the fire. Naruto had even asked Kiba to use his credit card back home to create an electronic presence in his behalf. And if none of those searching for survivors had noticed them, they had remained invisible.

He supposed that was good. He didn't really care, anymore.

Naruto blinked, slowly. For the first time in perhaps minutes. The room was dark, despite it being early morning. He sat on the bed, dead eyes staring at the wall across him. After ten days, it was beginning to bore him, yet not enough to make him look away. Also, it was likely he'd pass out, were he to attempt movement. Which again reminded him, today was the day he'd agreed to meet Itachi.

Compelled, yet too tired to actually sigh, Naruto scowled. He didn't want to go. Didn't want to leave the room, the bed or the sea of empty bottles surrounding him. Eyeing at it, he wondered if he'd drank everything he owned already. It certainly looked like he might've. Didn't matter, really. He could, and would, buy more. If there was anything he was motivated to do, it was maintaining a steady level of intoxication. For nothing else could keep him sane anymore. Either that, or it just prevented him from noticing his sanity crumble. Both options worked just fine.

As much as he wanted to avoid the whole thing, he knew he'd have to check the time. 7 a.m, claimed the numbers on the screen of his phone next to a plethora of missed calls. Naruto cringed. He'd promised to meet Itachi at the funeral home at 10 a.m. sharp. Three hours till that dreadful moment, and he was drunk out of his mind. The idea of meeting the man quickly became even more dreadful.

Realizing that some form of sobering up would have to happen, Naruto forced his numb and weak body to move. Crawling out of the bed, dragging himself to the closet, he began to find clothing more sufficient than a pair of sweats he hadn't changed out of for ten days. He acknowledged the fact that a shower would've been in place, but there was only so much action his near comatose state was willing to forgive. Not bothering with the shower, he changed into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie. The thought of pulling on socks being too overwhelming, he willingly left his feet bare.

It must've been an ungodly sight to look at, him opening the door and facing daylight. Too used to the darkness of the bedroom, the rising sun flooding in through the windows felt like a stab in the eyes. But determined to make it at the very least downstairs, he courageously defied the urge to crawl back under covers and stepped into the hallway. There he stopped to stand still and listen.

The house was quiet. So was Gaara most of the time, but this was a different kind of quiet. The deserted kind. He must've gone out.

Not the least bit bothered by the solitude, Naruto dragged himself down the stairs and into the kitchen. Now certain that he was alone, he felt comfortable enough to make a cup of coffee. Though pouring the water into the correct compartment was somewhat of a challenge for his intoxicated self, he managed. In the hopes of achieving a clearer state of sobriety, he disregarded the risk of possibly foul taste and cooked it twice as strong as usual.

While waiting for the coffee to drip, he took a while to walk and gaze around. As strange as it was, most of the rooms in his house he hadn't seen in over a week, despite not having left it once. In general, everything looked the same. Nothing had been moved from its place, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There weren't many signs of living life having visited in a while. Hadn't it been for the furniture, the house would've looked uninhabited. It made Naruto wonder, had Gaara spent time there at all?

Naruto almost dared to guess he hadn't, until he made it back to the kitchen. Something he hadn't noticed just a moment ago caught his attention. A candle, placed in the center of the table. It'd burnt unevenly, as if it'd been lit several times. The blonde frowned, slowly walking up to it. He took a seat on the closest chair and stopped to look at the half-melted candle. Only then did he notice the picture frame, laid flat against the table.

Too curious not to, Naruto reached out to pick it up. The glass facing downwards, he couldn't tell what might've been placed behind it. But upon turning it, he felt his breath hitch. A familiar photograph from years ago met his surprised gaze. One he'd forgotten all about. Two young men, one with blonde hair, the other with locks as dark as the night. He and Sasuke, roughly ten years ago. Standing side by side, neither really looking into the camera. But both of them smiling, in their own individual ways. Naruto didn't really notice his hand beginning to subtly shake.

For several minutes to come, he could only stare at it. Stare at that distant moment in time, captured on paper and caged behind glass. It took him a long time to even begin wondering where it'd come from and why it was there. But even his drunken, dense mind could figure it out eventually. Though he'd never expected Gaara to understand sentiment of any kind, it couldn't be anything else but a result of exactly that. He must've gone through Sasuke's things and found it, the picture.

Naruto flinched. He was quick to place the picture back down and stand up. With somewhat clumsy, yet rushed steps, he made his way to the room Sasuke had claimed for himself when he'd moved in. And though not sure what he'd expected, he still found himself skipping a breath at what he saw.

Boxes. Boxes everywhere. Laid on top of one another, fit tightly next to each other. And around them, nothing. Just emptiness. An entire room, an entire lifetime, packed into boxes.

Two things happened. And unfortunately at the exact same time, leaving Naruto clueless of how to really feel. On one hand, he was overwhelmingly relieved to see that somebody else had sorted through Sasuke's belongings, leaving him with an organized assortment to work with, when he one day was ready for it. But on the other hand, somebody else had done it. Somebody else than him. And that, was unacceptable.

Frozen in place, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to feel, what to think or how to react. Maybe he could've figured it out, hadn't the sound of the front door opening and closing interrupted that important process. Half hysteric, half upset, he left the spot and rushed his way to the hallway. There he came face to face with the man he'd done his very best to avoid at all costs, the words escaping before he even decided to let them go.

"Why?" he asked. "Why did you do it?"

His voice came out both hurt and angry. Gaara, who stood by the door, turned to look at him in confusion. For a while, he said nothing. Simply watched Naruto stand there, surprised to see him in the first place. Then the frown fell on his face. The one questioning this sudden outburst.

"Do what?" the redhead finally asked, setting down the black duffel bag hanging off his shoulder.

Naruto's breath trembled with...several things. Crippling anxiety, mostly.

"_That_", he said, pointing towards the room he'd just exited.

Gaara glanced in the direction Naruto was pointing towards, before meeting his indescribable stare. Very little expression could be seen on the redhead's face. A hint of annoyance, if anything.

"Same reason I've been doin' everything for the past week and a half", the paler one then grunted. "Cause you're too drunk to."

The blonde's gaze turned less anxious and more angry. The redhead's indifference, that angered him.

"You had no right", he stated. "It wasn't your fuckin' job."

Gaara clenched his jaw in annoyance. He perhaps shouldn't have, but found the other's reaction ridiculous.

"Calm the fuck down", he growled. "It's all there. I didn't throw anything away."

Naruto couldn't have imagined anything more infuriating than being advised to calm down. How was he supposed to calm down? His best friend was dead. And the one person he'd thought he could trust was to blame. Stripped of any intellectual inputs, only immature insults escaped his mouth.

"I hate you."

The redhead barely even bothered to roll his eyes.

"What's new about that?"

Making his way past the blonde and into the kitchen, he blocked out any other childish remarks that might've followed. But the shove, one that barely budged him yet easily annoyed, was harder to ignore. Turning around, he didn't even try to hold back the attitude.

"The fuck's your problem?"

The blonde's face fell, as if astonished by how the other one even dared to ask such a question. But since he did ask, Naruto found no reason to return his ignorance with kindness.

"The fuck is my problem?" he snarled. "My best friend is dead cause of you, and you dare to ask what my fuckin' problem is?!"

Apart from a minor twitch of his brow, the redhead's face remained as blank as ever.

"How?" he asked lazily. "How the _fuck_ is it my fault?"

Judging by the vein just about to burst out of his forehead, Naruto found the question as ignorant as the previous one.

"You left him to burn the fuck alive. That's how", he growled. "You _killed_ him."

Finally, a flash of anger visited Gaara's otherwise plain features. But only briefly, before being subdued by indifference again.

"No, I didn't", he argued.

The blonde barely let him finish. "You could've saved him!"

Gaara shut his eyes in frustration. Maybe it was the other's screaming, maybe the days' worth of no sleep, but something caused an abrupt change in his mood. In a split second, he stopped caring about dignity and willingly descended to the same level as the drunken mess shouting at him.

"He wouldn't fuckin' let me!" he screamed back at the blonde. "You honestly think I didn't fucking try?"

Whatever remark the other one might've had waiting never made it out. Beyond caring about the fact that the blonde smelled like he'd soaked in a tub of whiskey for an entire week, Gaara brought his face close enough for a mere hiss to be enough.

"He didn't want to be saved", he assured. "He was trapped inside crushed fuckin' metal, couldn't feel his legs and was probably paralyzed from the waist down. He knew I wouldn't be able to carry both of you."

Naruto's narrowed gaze widened just enough for the mild horror to show through. But he never said anything. Not that he was given a chance to begin with.

"He died, so you'd live", Gaara continued. "So whatever the fuck you're drinkin' yourself to death for, I hope it's worth wasting his sacrifice."

The quietest, most oppressive silence followed. Naruto's angry eyes had allowed a vaguely ashamed look to join, but unfortunately, that shame didn't make it all the way to his brain. Whether he was already too deep in the bottomless pit of self-loathing, or simply too drunk to even try to see beyond it, his mind never wandered too far from himself. The bitter tone of his voice wouldn't sway.

"He made a mistake. And so did you", he mumbled. "I would rather have burned with him, than deal with this shit."

A sense of utter disbelief washed over the redhead. He could not believe how egocentric the blonde could be. Rarely had he felt as taken aback by somebody's inability to see beyond their own pathetic existence.

"Do you ever think about anybody else but your fuckin' self?" he questioned, sincerely amazed. "Has it even crossed that tiny mind of yours that maybe this ain't fuckin' easy for me either?"

A mere scoff was all he received in return.

"Since when have _you_ given two shits 'bout anyone else?" Naruto sneered.

Gaara felt himself tip over the edge of absolute disgust. It was an entirely new kind of disgust, one he'd never felt towards the blonde before. Suddenly everything about him was repulsive to him. The man's self-centered attitude, his refusal to even try dealing with what had happened and instead letting it rot him from the inside out. But above everything else, he hated what the blonde medicated his psychological wounds with. He loathed what it turned him into. There'd been an instance at which Gaara had assured he'd beat the other one unrecognizable, were he to ever drink again. So far, he hadn't acted out on that promise. But the threshold for it was rapidly lowering. And he knew that if Naruto did not disappear from his sight in an instant, it'd seize to exist altogether.

"Get the fuck out."

It was no request. Naruto could've come up with a million different reasons why not to do as told, but amazingly, didn't abuse a single one. Why bother, when he wanted to be there no more than Gaara wanted him in his view.

"With fuckin' pleasure."

Turning his back to the other man, he stumbled his way to the front door. As he was stepping out, the redhead's thoroughly angered voice still managed to reach him.

"Unless you pull your fuckin' shit together, don't come back."

No vocal reply happened. Only an extended middle finger, followed by the sound of a door violently slamming shut. Left alone to deal with the blood in his veins about to reach boiling point, Gaara found release in nothing other but ramming his fist into the cabinet door beside him. His anger left noticeable marks on the surprisingly fragile surface. As a way of achieving a stable state of mind, his outburst did very little good.

There were many things in the world he disliked, but very few that he truly loathed. And somehow, every last one of those few things managed to culminate in the blonde. Even on a good day, he usually found at the very least one infuriating element worth picking a fight for. But adding repulsive amounts of alcohol into that already disastrous equation turned that man into a walking definition of everything Gaara found enraging. And he was fucking sick of it.

Every inch of him about to explode like a ticking time bomb, the redhead pulled open the cabinet he'd just struck his fist into, revealing the reason behind most of his current problems. Watching at the alarming amount of alcohol stored inside, he wondered why he'd let it all just sit there for so long. Deciding that there was no need for it to be there in the first place, he took out every last bottle and placed them on the counter beside the sink instead. Not a hint of hesitation crossing his mind, he began to empty them one at a time.

He'd expected to find even a little joy in watching the liquids of several colors, but all of the same foul smell go down the drain. Yet he didn't. If anything, he only felt angrier. Maybe it was the smell he'd grown so incredibly tired of, maybe all the enraging things it reminded him of, but it didn't make him feel any better. Before he even realized it, he'd stopped calmly emptying the bottles, and instead begun shattering them against the bottom of the metal sink.

Every last loud crash, every big and small shard it resulted in, it all channeled his anger far more efficiently than any silent sulking. The mental image of the target being the blonde's face instead of an inanimate sink brought him far more joy than watching it slowly go down the drain. His anger far exceeded the amount of bottles he actually had to shatter. And even more disappointingly, he never made it to the last one. After seven or so, the one in his hand managed to break awkwardly enough to cut open his hand. Though he couldn't feel it, the sight of blood beginning to coat the small mountain of glass alerted him of it. Reluctantly, he stopped to watch the surprisingly deep gash traveling across his palm.

"Fuck."

The word left his lips tiredly. Only then did he realize his hand was shaking. As was the rest of him. Suddenly, all of him felt tired and shaky.

He no longer felt angry. He felt exhausted. Anxious, somehow helpless. Instead of continuing his outburst, he found himself taking as many steps back as the space let him, allowed his back to hit the counter behind him, and eventually sunk down to the floor. All anger gone and only emptiness left behind, he remained seated. He was burning out, and knew it. It'd never happened before. Considering his less than carefree profession, this seemed like such a useless thing to burn out for. Yet there he was, standing on the brittle edge of a mental breakdown. He hated it.

He hadn't slept in days. Most of his time he'd spent away from the house, away from all the misery it'd trapped inside. Unfortunately, it was the kind of misery to follow him wherever he went. It wasn't guilt he really felt. Or sadness. A very rare occurrence of second-hand pain, maybe. He hated seeing the blonde suffer. How he'd ended up being so pathetically sensitive to that man's pain, he didn't know. And didn't care, as knowing wouldn't have made a difference in it being a fact.

He was angry, too. Not just at Naruto for being miserably drunk around the clock. But at himself, for not having prevented it from happening in the first place. He didn't feel responsible for Sasuke's death, yet still felt like he'd failed. He'd known how much that man had meant to the blonde. As someone who would've brought the moon down from the sky for him, he should've been able to save what'd mattered to him the most. The feeling of failure, it was something he'd never get used to. Not that he was supposed to. If it ever came to that, it'd mean he was failing more often than not. That wasn't an option that existed.

Gaara was the first one to admit he was terrible at reading human emotion, but was fairly certain that Naruto hadn't even attempted to mourn. He hadn't cried. Had he, his eyes wouldn't have looked as dead as they did. All of him had seemed hollow ever since that day. The anger from a moment ago was the first flash of anything human within him in a week and a half. For what it was worth, witnessing it had been a relief of sorts. Perhaps not a pleasant experience in general, but a relief nonetheless.

The redhead grunted bitterly. Realizing that he'd spent a full five minutes staring emptily at nothing at all, he supposed he should get up. It turned out to be easier said than done. Staying on the floor and allowing himself to wither away until only a skeleton remained seemed far too tempting of an option. And it was while battling the urge to do just that, when his gaze happened to catch the one bottle still left intact. There it sat on the counter, staring back at him despite lacking that ability. And he just couldn't help but wonder, did a drunk oblivion really solve problems that seemed otherwise permanent?

Probably not. But it was worth a shot. Or twenty.

Pulling himself off the floor, Gaara decided to extravagantly flip off the entire universe, and grabbed the unopened bottle from the counter. Lazily he made his way over to the kitchen table, slumped down on a chair, and stopped to just scowl at thin air. He soon took notice of the picture left to lie at the center of the table, next to the half-burnt candle. His scowl deepened.

One hand reaching out, he took hold of the picture frame and flipped it over. Too angry with the blonde, he consciously blocked the man out of the photo, and instead stopped to gaze at the other one immortalized within it. The redhead couldn't help but smirk. Judging by the picture, Sasuke had looked unimpressed with the world his entire life. Admirable dedication, he supposed.

Gaara had found the picture by chance. He'd happened to come across it while sorting the man's belongings. The only picture of Sasuke he ever found. Only picture of anyone, in fact. Just him and Naruto. But then again, that was all he'd ever had. Or needed.

It was strange, really. Gaara had felt more or less annoyed with the man, from start to end. But he supposed that it would've been obnoxious of him to claim that the pain in the ass hadn't grown on him at all. He had, in his own infuriating way. Only a handful of people had managed to do that. Ironically, most of them were dead by now. And like always, it'd take a while to get used to this one being gone as well. He would, eventually. He always had. It was one of those things a man got used to happening after a while.

Setting the picture down to stand, the redhead dug out a pack of cigarettes. He then flipped open the lid of his lighter, intending to light one up, but paused at the mere intention. Instead of lighting it right away, he instead lit the candle. The way he had for a week and a half so far. He'd never tried honoring anyone's final departure in such a way before, and after ten days of doing so, he still couldn't claim he quite understood the idea behind it. Maybe he wasn't supposed to. Maybe just giving it a try was enough. And if nothing else, the dead dumbass better appreciate the effort.

Finally lighting up the cigarette, he also opened the bottle left to wait on the table. Only briefly did he scowl at the idea of drowning his problems in overpriced whiskey. Shrugging the though off, he turned to glance at the picture once more, and lazily raised the bottle in its direction.

"Cheers, fucker."

* * *

Naruto stood in front of the building he'd concluded to be the funeral home. Everything about it made his stomach turn with nausea. The look of it, the feel of it, the very idea it represented. The boxing up and burning of dead corpses in exchange of a small fortune. He would've rather been absolutely anywhere else but right there and about to step inside. And in all honesty, he wasn't sure he'd be able. It felt like too big of a step towards finality and acceptance. He didn't want either of those things. He didn't want to do this at all.

He wasn't ready. But then again, when would he possibly be ready to bury his best friend?

He'd stood there for two whole hours by then. And he already knew that no time in the world would make it any easier to deal with. Just as the blonde had swallowed down the anxiety clogging his throat and gathered up courage to face the facts, a familiar voice from what seemed like another lifetime startled him.

"Naruto?"

Jumping at the sound of his own name, he turned around. His surprised gaze met a familiar set of dark eyes, the mildly amused look in them causing him to feel embarrassed. Somewhat overcome with surprise, and perhaps a distant sense of nostalgia, he barely managed any reply at all.

"Itachi", he finally said, shaking off the initial pause.

The man smiled, weakly. And Naruto felt his knees go equally as weak at the sigh of it. He'd forgotten how alike the two brothers had always looked. Unprepared, he hated it.

"How are you?" Itachi asked, as a short while of silence had gone by.

Wondering if they really were going to go through with this polite bullshit, the blonde didn't know what to say. Shifting uncomfortably, he tried to force out the proper kind of reply.

"I'm...", he began, but instantly trailed off and broke the act. "I'm sorry, I can't do this shit. How the hell do you think I'm doing?"

The words fell off his lips so tired, so weak. And looking at him, Itachi could tell that was exactly how he felt. Tired and weak, that's how he was doing.

"Probably as terrible as you look", Itachi supposed, then pointing at his own face. "Don't worry. There's bags under this makeup, and they ain't designer."

Naruto couldn't help but raise an amused brow.

"Makeup?" he snorted.

Itachi scowled. "Don't you dare tell anyone."

It might've been that the man was simply trying to lighten the mood however little it was possible, but Naruto did appreciate the effort. Suddenly, it was as if the ten years of no contact between them had never happened. And that made facing the inevitable just an ounce less terrifying.

Naruto surprised himself by how well he was able to handle the business part of it. The place itself was one of the most depressing environments he had ever stepped foot inside. Overflowing with coffins and urns of all kinds, set up like an extravagant parade for death and sorrow. But the personnel at the funeral home, they were polite and kind. Trained to handle grieving customers, taught to only ask the absolutely essential and avoid the unnecessary. It made it easier, the little it could.

For the entire time there, all the blonde could think about was how much he would've hated to be there all alone. Having Itachi there was a blessing like no other. He spoke when Naruto clammed up, made decisions the blonde couldn't. The hour or so they stayed there seemed to drag on forever, but in the end, they ended up with a well thought out plan. It would be kept simple and traditional, the way Sasuke would've wanted. They faced no troubles compromising and agreed to split the cost. With an estimated timeline given to Itachi by the forensic team in mind, the date was set a week away. By then, Sasuke's remains should have been released from the investigation. And for reasons Naruto had decided not to think about, no open casket wake would be held.

When they finally left the funeral home and stepped back outside, Naruto felt like he could breathe again for the first time in an hour. Perfectly happy to set the whole idea of a funeral aside for the week to come, he'd been prepared to go back home and curl up under a pile of blankets for another seven consecutive days. Exactly how Itachi managed to persuade him to have a cup of coffee in public instead, he couldn't say. Upon finding himself at a café far too busy for his anxious mind, he hated himself for agreeing. If there was any silver lining to be found, it was the cup of coffee he'd ended up not having at home now in front of him. Clinging onto that small positive element, he almost did not mind the crowded surroundings.

Taking advantage of the momentary silence between the two of them, Naruto took a while to subtly study the other man. There wasn't much new to notice. He still had the same pale complexion, lean figure and long, black hair, though now neatly tied back. His clothes looked smart and expensive, as expected from a man in his position. Really all that'd changed in the decade or so was the rehearsed dialect and cleaned up appearance. Maybe, just maybe, a few faint signs of aging. Developed in the same dignified way that fine wine aged.

"How's work?" Itachi asked, taking a sip from his overpriced cappuccino.

Staring into his cheap cup of plain, black coffee, Naruto shrugged.

"Haven't been there in a while", he admitted. The other's smile lessened just slightly.

"Ah, that's understandable."

The blonde huffed. "Yours?"

"Fine."

Short silence fell. Though short, it was quick to grow mildly uncomfortable. And after a while, Naruto couldn't stop himself from pointing out the issue he'd so far kept silent.

"How are you so...okay?"

The last of Itachi's smile fell, replaced by a far more serious look. And it was only then, when the mostly plastic smile was gone, that Naruto noticed how tired the man truly looked. The bags he'd mentioned, they appeared. And the faint lines that the late thirties tended to cause, those became visible as well. A broken sigh fell from his lips.

"I'm glad you ask that, actually", Itachi mumbled. "Means my act hasn't crumbled yet."

"Your brother died. Why act?" Naruto scoffed. Itachi sighed yet again.

"It's the job. The status. All that bullshit", he muttered.

It wasn't perhaps the best of reasoning, but at least it was honest. Knowing what the pressure of keeping up the appearance was like, Naruto could understand. Itachi seemed somewhat relieved to receive no harsh judgment for it. Perhaps as a sign of gratitude, his voice was free of judgment as well upon bringing up the elephant in the room.

"You've been drinking, haven't you?"

Naruto sighed. Since it seemed to be so obvious, he supposed there was no need for him to lie.

"Hn. Yeah", he admitted. "I don't know what else to do."

Itachi tilted his head curiously.

"You got anyone to talk to?" he questioned. "A girlfriend? Wife?"

It was instantaneous, the darkening of the blonde's gaze. Obvious enough for Itachi to have noticed it, no doubt. Yet out of courtesy, the man never mentioned it. Fighting back the anger beginning to crawl back to the surface, Naruto forced out a reply of the civil kind.

"It's...complicated."

Keen to change the subject as soon as possible, he brought up a topic he'd so far avoided at all costs. Partly because he didn't want to risk exposing his involvement, partly because he just didn't want to know anything about it.

"How's the investigation going?" he asked, stifling the stutter he nearly let slip.

Itachi released a deep, tired sigh. One that clearly told he'd had to deal with the subject far more than he would've desired to.

"It's...a dead end, mostly", he grunted. "Three crashed cars, bullet casings, four deaths. A link to yakuza, but nothing that'd explain my brother's involvement."

Naruto frowned. A dead end? They had literally left an entire untouched crime scene behind, and no useful information could be gathered from it?

"What about witnesses?" he asked cautiously. "I mean, it happened on a highway. There must be witnesses."

Itachi shrugged. "Nobody's come forward. Not as far as I know."

Weird. No, more than weird. Was this truly the level of forensic science these days, or was yakuza slithering their way out of the investigation again? If so, undoubtedly with the aid of Akatsuki.

"There's something weird about this", Itachi stated, very confidently. "Corruption, maybe. I don't know. But I know that my brother was a good man. He didn't deserve to get involved."

The bitterness coming through in his voice was so tangible, it sent shivers of guilt down the blonde's spine. Swallowing down a knot in his throat, Naruto carried on conversing. If only to hide the lurking nervousness.

"You think it was just that?" he asked. "He became collateral damage in a mafia feud?"

Itachi's empty gaze turned somewhat helpless. As if he didn't know what to say anymore.

"I don't know", he said, shaking his head. "That's what I was told."

His eyes fell shut, a brief look of pain visiting on his usually plain features.

"I almost wish he'd been involved", he admitted. "Cause otherwise, he died in vain. Died for _nothing_."

Naruto found himself skipping a breath. He suddenly was reminded of what Gaara had told him. How Sasuke had refused to be saved. How he'd rather been left behind and died, so Naruto wouldn't. And it took everything he had in him not to correct the other man. To tell him that Sasuke hadn't died in vain. Only barely could he catch himself about to do it.

"Have you been involved in the investigation?" he asked instead, forcefully keeping up the interested tone. Itachi shook his head.

"No. Not really", he told. "The family relation prevents me from getting involved. Not that I really want to be."

The blonde simply nodded. He could see why the other man would've felt that way.

"But I did go through the reports", Itachi then revealed. Naruto frowned.

"And?" he pried. The older one shrugged.

"Nothing worth mentioning."

Another stiff nod and silence was all Naruto could offer in return. Itachi didn't seem to mind. He seemed thoughtful, perhaps even distracted. For a long while, neither one spoke. And it wasn't until the visible hesitation on the paler man's face finally lifted, that the silence came to an end.

"I lied", Itachi suddenly admitted. "There are some things that don't fit in."

The blonde frowned. "Such as?"

"The car he was driving, for starters." Short pause, askance glance. "Stolen."

Naruto had never realized how difficult shock was to fake.

"Stolen?"

Itachi nodded, not noticing the forced tone of surprise laced between the blonde's speech.

"Remains of a semi-automatic rifle were found inside as well", he then told, further complicating Naruto's display of reactions.

He probably should've been prepared for a discussion of this nature, but somehow, hadn't even considered it. It made him feel uncomfortable, to say the least.

"It couldn't have been his", he stated, confidently. "I can't explain the car, but the gun couldn't have been his."

Surprisingly, Itachi nodded in agreement.

"I know", he muttered thoughtfully. "That's why I suspect somebody else was with him."

Never before had Naruto fought anything as hard as he did the flinch about to slip. He feared his voice might give away the lie.

"Nobody could've survived that crash."

The stutter was almost inevitable. Almost.

Itachi scowled. "Why else would my law-abiding brother have been found dead in a stolen car, not to mention with illegal weaponry?"

It was a moment Naruto hadn't anticipated. A moment at which he had no idea what to say or how to react. He could only hope his silence was interpreted as sincere shock. Since Itachi fell silent as well, it seemed he did accept it as that and nothing more. After a short while of quiet contemplating, the man frowned in a confused manner.

"It's not just the stolen car and rifle, you know", he then spoke. "What puzzles me the most...is that he quit his job two weeks prior. Without notice."

For the first time during their conversation, Naruto finally felt and displayed sincere shock. Looking confused, he wasn't certain if he'd heard correctly.

"He what?" the blonde asked, though knew it was unlikely he'd misunderstood the older one. Itachi nodded.

"Yeah", he stated, then raising a questioning brow. "You didn't know?"

Naruto took his time, before shaking his head slowly. He looked as deeply confused as he felt.

"No", he replied. The other man scowled.

"Hn. I see", Itachi grunted. "I contacted the forensic team he worked with. But nobody could tell me why he'd resigned so suddenly."

The blonde said nothing. There was nothing he could think of saying. He truly hadn't expected to be presented with such shocking news, and wasn't sure how to react. Eyes filled with silent questions, he paused to wonder why Sasuke would've done such a thing. And kept it a secret, nonetheless. No explanation felt plausible enough to be taken seriously. But since Sasuke had been a strictly rational man, there must've been a reasonable explanation behind his every action as well. Right?

Naruto's silent questioning came to an end as the keen gaze laid on him became harder to ignore. He turned to face the other man, meeting the intense stare. There was no harsh judgment in the look given to him, but the stern, contemplating look wouldn't sway. And after a while, Itachi spoke in a manner that matched the look.

"I'm only gonna ask you once, Naruto", he spoke, slowly and firmly.

The blonde wasn't sure what to expect, but knew it wouldn't be a question he'd feel comfortable answering.

"You knew him better than anyone", Itachi reminded. "Are you, or are you not hiding something regarding his death?"

Two things happened. The pain, that came first. And it struck right where it hurt the most. But then came the guilt. And balancing on the thin line between the two, Naruto forced out yet another lie.

"No", he assured. "How can you even ask that?"

It felt so wrong, to lie to this grieving man's face. But knowing how skilled and experienced Itachi was at his job in the forensic science field, Naruto had no choice but to fake an offended attitude. His guilt only grew stronger, as the other's harsh gaze softened with sympathy.

"I'm not trying to offend you", Itachi assured, just a hint kinder. "But try to see it from my point of view. My brother got torched alive, was literally scraped out of a car seat. And I need to know _why_."

The mental image of that sent chills of disgust down the blonde's spine. He could feel himself crumble under the other's watchful gaze. Too focused on trying to hold himself together, he failed to realize that for the first time since the accident, the void surrounding him was beginning to crack.

"I know", Naruto said, voice weak and weary. "Trust me. I want to know why this had to happen just as much as you do."

It wasn't a lie. Not really. Though he knew how it'd happened, he still did not understand why it'd had to. It was doubtful he ever would. Itachi turned to gaze out the window beside them, falling silent. For a while, he seemed detached, as if stuck in another time and place.

"Last time I saw him...", he spoke quietly, "...was seven years ago, Naruto. _Seven years_."

The blonde felt a vague sense of surprise. He hadn't realized it'd been so long. A sudden string of bitter laughter shooed his brief surprise away.

"You know...sometimes I wish we'd never left the streets", Itachi revealed unexpectedly. "Life wasn't good, but at least it felt like living."

Naruto's eyes fell shut, for no other reason but relief. Why he felt so relieved to know that he wasn't the only one missing old times, he wasn't sure.

"All this", Itachi grunted and gestured around, "It's shit. Not worth the effort."

Naruto glanced around. Surrounded by people who all seemed perfectly normal, so very comfortable with their mediocre lives and material goods, he felt out of place. The way he always had. And he knew exactly what Itachi was talking about. The endless hunt for socially constructed perfection that in the end always fell short of a life stripped of all unnecessary flamboyance. Money couldn't buy happiness. Status didn't compare to freedom. And achieving the invariant standard of normalcy never seized to disappoint. Sometimes, less really was more.

"But I guess it's too late to regret that now", Itachi supposed. "Regret won't bring Sasuke back. Or all the years I wasted building this useless life."

Naruto said nothing, only watched the thoughtful man seated across him. It was astonishing, really. Though on the outside Itachi had remained almost unaltered, the inside had been renovated in its entirety. The Itachi he'd known all those years ago had been much colder and decisive. In the cruelest of ways. He hadn't held much appreciation towards his fellow men, hadn't really cared to even act like he did. Would never have spoken in such a sincerely vulnerable tone. But looking at him now, Naruto supposed that it'd all been just an essential part of his self-defense system. Left alone to care for his brother in a world that knew no mercy, it couldn't have been easy.

A sigh left the older man's lips, his gaze turning back towards the blonde. A somewhat artificial smile very typical to him lifted the corners of his mouth.

"Better not get too depressed", he said, forcibly carefree. "Sasuke would hate that."

Naruto stifled a scoff. Though Itachi might've been right, he wasn't anywhere near to accepting that his best friend was gone forever. But in the name of good manners, he wouldn't argue it aloud.

"Hn. Probably."

Itachi tilted his head curiously, the smile on his lips lessening. After a while of what seemed like hesitation, he voiced a request.

"Please don't turn up drunk to the funeral."

Naruto instantly grew awkward under the demanding gaze, but nodded nonetheless.

"I won't."

It was mildly doubtful, the look Itachi gave him. Distantly realizing what kind of image he gave out of himself, Naruto felt determined to prove him otherwise. Determined, yet just the slightest bit afraid he was promising too much. But that wasn't something he would've admitted aloud.

"When you gonna fly home?" he asked, subtly turning the discussion into a less uncomfortable direction.

Itachi took notice of the swift swerve, but apart from a lopsided smirk, didn't bring it up.

"Tonight", he then told. "I still have a few things to organize. Gotta visit the grave site, fill out forms...shit like that."

Naruto nodded, paused, and wished he hadn't felt so inclined to offer assistance.

"You need help with those?" he asked, though audibly reluctant.

Itachi shook his head, appreciative of the gesture, yet well aware of how badly the blonde wished he'd decline.

"Thanks, but no. We both know you're not ready for all that yet."

The sigh of relief Naruto released wasn't one he even tried to stop from escaping. And he received no judgment for it.

"I don't know how I'd handle this if you weren't here", the blonde very openly told. Itachi chuckled kindly.

"Well, I am. So no need to worry", the man reminded.

The cup in his hand had been mostly emptied. Taking one last sip of now lukewarm coffee, Itachi set it down on the table and began reaching for his jacket.

"I hate to abandon you, but I need to get going", he explained, pulling the clearly designer coat on. "A lot I need to get done before my flight takes off."

Naruto nodded, glancing down at his own cup. He'd barely gotten through half of it, and frankly, didn't feel the least bit excited to finish the rest. Willingly abandoning what'd been left, he too put on his jacket and rose from his seat. Itachi was properly clothed and seemed ready to leave already. Not wanting to slow the busy man down, Naruto opened his mouth to say a goodbye of some sorts, only to realize that no words seemed to fit his mouth with ease. In the end, he went with a perhaps slightly pretentious option.

"Thanks, for everything", he quietly told. "And sorry for your loss."

Itachi's gaze softened, as if pitying the blonde's struggle to maintain a sense of composure. Sighing, the older man shook his head.

"Thank you. But I think we both know who suffered the bigger loss here."

His speech flowed out part sympathetic, part guilty. Sympathetic for the sake of Naruto, guilty for having been such a lousy brother. Not that guilt would've made a difference anymore.

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot", Itachi then said, reaching into the pocket of his jacket.

From there he took out a small plastic bag. Naruto laid a curious look on it, but said nothing. The older man brought it closer to him, as if offering it.

"It's not much, but there's the few things they found on him", he told and sighed. "I thought you might want to keep them."

Naruto's lips parted, mostly out of surprise. But then closed again, a sense of uncertainty taking over. He wasn't entirely sure if he did want it. At that moment, he didn't. But knowing he'd one day regret not accepting it, he shook off any hesitation and took what he'd been offered. Not pausing to look at its contents, he put it into the safety of his pocket and flashed Itachi a weak smile.

"Thanks. I'll take care of 'em."

It was bittersweet, the way their long overdue reunion came to its end. Itachi left to run essential errands, and Naruto was left to figure out his next move. Having watched the other man disappear behind a corner along the busy street, the feeling of emptiness was quick to return to him. Finding himself all alone again, he felt lost. He did consider going back home. But as the idea of having to face the redhead stirred only instant anger and nothing else, he abandoned the option at mere consideration. The list of actions his tired and tortured self was capable of taking remained as steadily short as it'd been so far. And thus, for several hours to come, Naruto would spend his time sitting on a lonely park bench, hugging a bottle of lukewarm sake and watch life drift by. It was every bit as sad as it sounded.

* * *

It was eight in the evening. Maybe nine. Gaara couldn't tell for sure, as his interest towards time and life in general fell nothing short of nonexistent. But it was dark. So definitely past six.

An entire day had gone by, yet it'd felt like the blink of an eye. After the first hour or so, he'd sat himself down at the furthest corner of the kitchen floor, but for the ten that'd followed, he hadn't moved an inch. The candle had burned out hours ago, leaving him without light. It was pitch dark and he couldn't see a damn thing, but neither did he want to. Temporary blindness to the surrounding world made it easier for him to pretend it didn't exist at all.

That was his new favorite game now. Refusing to believe in the real world. He'd considered telling other people about this revolutionary idea, but had then realized it already existed and went by the name of schizophrenia. Not that it stopped him from thoroughly enjoying the dissociation.

He no longer felt as angry and miserable. Partly because he refused to acknowledge such emotions existed, partly because he was tweaked off his balls on booze and sedatives. Either way, he was feeling exceptionally fine. Not much he'd done, apart from sitting on the floor and staring into the darkness, but that was just fine. The majority of time he'd spent thinking about nothing at all, a small part of him wondering if he should've been packing his shit – since Naruto undoubtedly would throw him out sooner or later – and the rest acknowledging the fact that he was horny as hell. All in all, quite a wide range of wonderment going on.

Gaara wasn't certain if the blonde would come home. Tonight, tomorrow, ever again. He suspected the first, doubted the last, but couldn't say for sure. Assuming that the man would appear at one point or another, he'd tried to figure out how to greet him. From what'd initially been a long list of varying options, he'd eliminated all but two. He supposed it'd largely depend on how he'd feel about seeing the blonde's face again. Only two outcomes seemed probable. Either his high and drunk self would feel less angry than horny, proceed to beg on his knees to get laid out of pity if nothing else, most likely fail, and end up twice as miserable as before with no dignity left whatsoever. Or, he'd feel less horny than angry, find the other's face to be the most annoying thing the world contained, smack some life into that virtually lifeless mug, and finally, repeatedly smash it against something unpleasantly solid.

Two outrageously different approaches, yet both equally as tempting. Could go either way.

Gaara came to find that Naruto possessed quite the ironic timing, as at the exact moment he finished his latest thought, the front door slammed open. Since it was dark, he couldn't see the blonde stumble in, but judging by the noise alone, he could tell the man was twice as drunk as he'd been in the morning. A series of definitely drunken actions followed, starting with less than stable walking, and ending in an awkward search for the light switch. Much to Gaara's dislike, Naruto eventually succeeded in locating it, bringing the darkness to an abrupt end. Closing his eyes tightly shut, he let out a displeased groan. The sound caught Naruto's attention, his glassy gaze turning to glance at the redhead.

Now, Naruto wasn't sure exactly what he'd expected to find upon returning home, but this definitely wasn't it. The sight of Gaara lazily seated on the floor, leaning against the wall, tightly holding onto a mostly devoured bottle of whiskey as if it was about to run away. And no matter how drunk he himself might've been, he could tell right away that whiskey wasn't the only poison running through that man's veins. His eyes sat in their sockets still and dull, pupils dilated, as if channeling a sedated animal. He was absolutely, positively high as a kite on something or other. Naruto dared to guess that were he to check, the bottle of Valium in the medicine cabinet would've mysteriously disappeared.

There was this strange ten second long moment that followed, both of them just silently staring at one another, the number of eyes open at the same time alternating from one extreme to another. It was ridiculous, really. To any onlooker, it would've been absolutely ridiculous. But to the two of them, being wasted beyond belief, it was less hilarious and more simply challenging.

Naruto leaned heavily against the wall, most of his focus put into staying on his feet. Gaara remained seated on the floor, contemplating on whether or not to attempt getting up. He was distantly aware of the likeliest outcome, were he to give it a go, but not aware enough of anything in general to actually care. Thus he did make a move to haul himself up, and amazingly enough, succeeded. His footing seemed about as reliable as a hooker's compliment, yet against all odds, he stayed upright. Impressive, in the strangest of ways.

Gaara tilted his head curiously. Though he'd been staring at the blonde's face for a good ten seconds by then, he still wasn't sure how he felt about it. In his delirious mind, very few things made sense. And this, this was no exception.

For a long while, not much happened. Since both of their minds continued to drift in and out of the room, and reality in general, it was no big surprise. Naruto found himself wondering whether the strange feeling located somewhere within him meant that he was about to pass out, or throw up. Gaara still tried to figure out if he felt more angry than horny, occasionally getting distracted by the headache already creeping its way up his neck. Whether it could be called fortunate or not, both of them found the answer to their wonderment simultaneously. Naruto concluded that he absolutely, definitely was about to throw up, and while he stumbled his way over to the kitchen sink to do just that, Gaara decided that he was absolutely, definitely not at all horny anymore.

Were there any upside to the blonde emptying his stomach into the sink, it was that he hadn't eaten in days, and thus, it could've been worse. But that hardly made it any more fun for anyone involved.

Naruto had to admit, there was very little dignity attached to leaning against the kitchen counter and gagging out poison out of his system. But if nothing else, it made him feel less like shit. He did take a moment to stare at the pile of broken glass he'd apparently purged over, but cared nowhere near enough to ask about it. Lazily straightening his hunched over posture, he turned to face the one still deliriously staring at him. And despite the glare being glassy and out of focus, it was a clear statement. A threat, even. One Naruto could've ignored and walked away from, had he been smart.

But he wasn't smart. He was angry, miserable and three sheets to the wind. He would've fought a rabid tiger just for the sake of it.

It was hard to tell which of them was the first to charge at the other one, but the blonde definitely put more force into it. For someone as absolutely hammered as him, he did possess remarkable strength. And for someone as ridiculously plastered as Gaara, the lack of balance shouldn't have come as such a surprise. Not that he let it bother him much. An indisputable upside of abusing diazepam was the dulling of physical pain. Even that of getting crushed between a hardwood floor and 170 pounds of belligerent maniac. And while Naruto might've been fucked up on nothing else but good old booze, he certainly did not feel – or at the very least didn't care – about the pain in his arm anymore.

It was astonishing, really, how quickly their nearly comatose minds shifted gears from standby to overdrive. And it became very clear, very quickly, that this confrontation was far from drunken wrestling on the floor. In the short span of a few seconds, anger escalated into rage and a desire to overpower into sincere will to harm. Nearly achieving the unanimous goal of trapping the other one in a choke hold alternated between them in turns, the one close to failing always finding a way out. Unimaginable creativity became involved as quickly as they ran out of ideas how to win the fight using their bare hands only. Naruto utilized a cabinet by violently smashing its door against the other's head until the thing became unhinged, Gaara found a friend in the set of house keys he managed to snatch from the table. Trapped inside his fist, a few of them sticking out from between his fingers, they made a brutal variation of brass knuckles.

Any humor the idea of two drunken morons fighting might've normally stirred, definitely did not reside under that roof. The blonde could've assured to any doubter that having his face torn open by dull keys was not his idea of fun. And the redhead definitely did not enjoy the feeling of getting assaulted with an unhinged cupboard door. It seemed never-ending, the back and forth abuse. And might've been, hadn't one of them eventually made a mistake.

Naruto should've known better than to try and get up. Maybe he'd underestimated the redhead's reaction time, or overestimated his own, but regardless of the reason behind it, Gaara managed to bring him back down long before he had a chance to avoid it. In an instant, he was on the floor and in the worst position imaginable. Trapped under the other's weight and a merciless hold tightening around his throat. It wasn't the kind he'd gotten used to in the past months, but instead reminded him of the first time they'd fought. It possessed no hesitation, left no loopholes. It was fueled by pure rage and homicidal intention.

Naruto quickly realized, whether it was because of the drugs or simple rage, Gaara had lost his sense of reality. And if he didn't do anything about it, the man wouldn't stop before he was positively dead.

Panic was as quick to settle in as breath was to leave. And it took Naruto a considerable amount of concentration to deny his body the right to go into shock. The less air traveled to his brain anymore, the harder it became to think and the more tempting he began to find the idea of giving up. But still distantly aware that it was only the alcohol talking, he refused to listen to it. He knew he had to get free, but being straddles by the other man and dangerously close to suffocating, there were very few actions he could take. Really all he could do was gather up all the strength he had, use it all at once, and hope it'd be enough.

Holding in the little breath he still had, Naruto moved one of his arms over those reached out to strangle him, forcibly pushed his hips upwards, and tilted his body as much as he could. It might've been nothing but luck, but came as a big enough surprise to the redhead for his balance to fail him. He was forced to let go. Realizing that he'd managed to throw the other one off him, Naruto wasted no time to get away. He didn't care if it made him a coward, for he knew that if he stayed still, Gaara would kill him.

Finally free to breathe again, he desperately gasped for air, while already pulling himself away from the other one. His head felt light and heavy at the same time. He knew his legs wouldn't carry him, and thus didn't even try to get up. Instead he crawled across the floor as fast as he could, towards the counter and the knife block placed on top of it. He felt a hand grasp him by the leg and attempt to pull him back, but managed to kick it off. And it was only by a single second that he outran the other one.

In that one second, he forced himself on his knees, reached up his arm and grabbed the handle of a kitchen knife sticking out of the wooden holder. The blade slid out, his body turned, and equipped with all the strength he possessed, the knife sliced into the first thing in its way.

Gaara didn't get a chance to dodge. Didn't really even see it coming. Only barely had he pulled himself to his knees and lifted his gaze up, when it'd already happened. And unlike any other pain so far, he felt it. Felt the blade hit the left side of his face, travel across his cheek, and slice open his skin. The sturdy edge, that sunk the deepest. And the tip of it, it didn't cut neatly, but instead tore through skin and flesh like a dull canine. The instant the blade was gone, the blood was free to flow.

It was rare for him to react to pain in any way elaborate. But as it felt like his face was on fire, he instinctively pressed his hand against the wound and stumbled to his feet. It might've been the surprise, might've been the shocking amount of blood suddenly exiting his face, but all the previous rage and anger gripping him was quick to let go. As he backed his way into the corner behind him and slid down to the floor, holding his face and staring emptily ahead, he finally realized what he'd done.

His gaze eventually turned to look at the blonde. Now on his feet, still breathing heavily and the knife tightly held by a shaky hand, Naruto returned the stare. He eyed the hand pressed against the fresh wound, watched the blood spill from between pale fingers. Neither one spoke, neither one was sure what would happen next. Gaara had an eerie feeling that he should've felt nervous. But even when the blonde finally began to take slow steps towards him, he still did nothing to stop the man. He let Naruto reach him, let him drop down close to him. There wasn't much to read in the other's blue eyes, but as he then felt the knife's blade press against his throat, the need for such disappeared.

For a while, nothing happened. Gaara let the blade rest against his throat, Naruto showed no sign of lowering it. Everything stood still.

The redhead took a moment to wonder if he would've minded dying there. And as he realized that he wouldn't, he questioned if he'd lost his desire to live altogether. Considering what life had become, he might've. He had made mistakes lately, many of them irreversible. He'd found someone he'd reinvented his entire self for, only to succumb to his old ways after all. He'd wanted to give him the world, but instead had let half of it burn into the point of no return. Watching the blonde, he realized that only a shadow of him remained anymore. He'd broken him, beyond repair. And by doing so, he'd lost his purpose in the world. Even if he'd wanted, he didn't deserve to live.

The hand pressed against the wound twitched. As if hesitant, maybe nervous. It then slowly left its place, moving down. The blonde's hold on the knife's handle tightened, obviously assuming Gaara would try to take it from him. But he didn't. Instead he placed his bloodstained hand on the one gripping the knife, and gently took a hold around it. His hold only ever tightened to pull the blade firmer against his skin. And he felt it cut. Just enough to let a single drop of blood out, left to run down like a lonely tear.

Naruto flinched, surprised. His gaze dropped down to glance at the hand, then moved back up. And it wasn't until he saw the look on the redhead's face, that finally dread spread across his own. Perfectly calm, a reflection of absolute ease. That was the look on Gaara's face. And it was terrifying. Naruto released a sound he hadn't planned to, hurriedly pulled away the knife and threw it away as if burned by it.

What the hell was he doing? What the fuck was wrong with him?

Glancing at the other man, he saw in his eyes what seemed like disappointment. They watched him tiredly, as if asking why he'd cowered away after all. Naruto stared back at the other man, an expression of horror slowly settling onto his features. At first, he wasn't entirely sure what it was that horrified him, but then realized that there was very little that didn't. He couldn't help but wonder, how had he been so blind to it for so long?

As far as timing went, a groundbreaking revelation made next to no sense at all right then. He was incoherently drunk, sleep deprived beyond belief and had come only an inch away from murdering the only one he still had left. Yet despite it all, that became the moment at which the void surrounding him finally shattered under its own weight. Weighed down by bottled hurt and sorrow, it could no longer protect him, and fell apart with a sound only he could hear.

He couldn't lie to himself anymore. Sasuke was dead. And no power in the world would ever bring him back.

Naruto felt his body begin to tremble. The knot in his throat was quick to tighten and the burning behind his eyes grow uncontrollable. And the second he finally let the first tear run down his bruised face, an unimaginable sound escaped his lips. Body attempting to cave in on itself in pain unlike any other he'd ever felt, he wrapped his arms around himself and screamed out in honest anguish. It was a sound he'd never thought he would make, and one neither of them had ever heard before. It was the sound of his insides being crushed by something intangible, trying to murder him from the inside out.

Gaara's lips parted in surprise. For a split second, he let himself feel frightened. Not for himself, but for the blonde. He had seen countless people in agony of all kinds, seen so many lose all they had, seen so many die. But never before had he heard a sound as pained and tortured leave a human being. And though he didn't quite know why, the sound alone felt like a stab through his heart.

The fright was quick to fade. It was relief that replaced it. No matter how much pain the blonde might've been in, he was relieved to see him feel. Feel anything at all. He was hurting, but he was hurting for the right reason. He was crying, nearing hysteria, but only because he should've. And that was the exact moment Gaara knew that one day, everything would be okay again.

He wasn't hesitant to reach out, take a hold of the blonde and pull him as close as possible. And Naruto never even considered fighting it. Instead he pressed himself as tightly against the redhead's chest as he could, face buried in the front of the man's shirt and every last inch of him desperate to feel every last inch of the other one. His fists closed tightly around any part of the man they could find, nails dug into his skin. Perhaps painfully, yet not once did Gaara say he minded it. Distracted by the realization of how much he'd missed holding the blonde, he didn't care.

Naruto cried the entire night. And Gaara held him even after he ran out of tears to shed. They didn't speak, didn't even try. Though it was a night filled with hurt and sadness, it had to happen. And while neither one realized it at the time, both of them faced the next day as men very different than the one before. When morning finally came, the first rays of sunlight beginning to stretch out from behind the horizon, the blonde had finally fallen asleep in the other's arms. And that would be the first day he'd no longer wake up alone inside the void, but instead peacefully between love he didn't want to waste, and a ghost he'd have to accept.


	52. A Sabbath From Sorrow

**Hola, amigos. **

**Last time I uploaded a chapter, a couple of readers PM'd me that they got no notification of an update. I've heard this site occasionally suffers from issues with story/update alerts, which again would explain the unusually low stats the previous chapter got. And here I thought ya'll just died. In case anyone notices a similar problem with this one, let me know or notify the site's support yourselves. **

**Without further ado, have a chapter, loves.**

* * *

_It is cold again. That Naruto had expected. The darkness, too. But the silence he hadn't. The fire isn't present either. There is no sound, no screams. No pain. Only him. It confuses him, perhaps even scares. He shivers._

_The figure is nowhere to be seen. Not that the darkness would've allowed such in the first place. But he cannot feel it either. It is not there. Nothing is. He exists in a void, floats inside the physical impossibility of nothingness. He feels uneasy, yet comfortable. He is awake, yet asleep. He feels, but forgets it in the blink of an eye. He is everything and he is nothing. _

_Only then does he realize his eyes are closed. He frowns. How could he not have noticed he isn't even trying to see?_

_Naruto opens his eyes. Nothing changes. He still cannot see. And he realizes, open eyes cannot always see. He is blind, like most of the world. His healthy eyes are blind to the lies. The thought awakens his curiosity._

_Is that where he is? Floating in a sea of lies and deceit? _

_It no longer is cold. And the space around him, it no longer is as empty. He moves his hand slowly, carefully. He is surrounded by water. Warm and soft, like the water of a womb. He wonders where it came from. And then he wonders if he perhaps only was blind to it as well, and it never appeared. If it always just was. His train of thought feels slow and clumsy. He feels high. There suddenly is so much he knows, but cannot say why. It is strange. _

_For reasons he cannot name, he knows there is a surface above him. He also knows he should swim to reach it. But he doesn't want to. He feels too comfortable to abandon the safety of whatever sinful it is he is cradled by. A low hum has begun to circle him. A low-frequency tremble, like one the pressure of deep waters create. It makes him sleepy. He wants to close his eyes again, he wants to fall asleep. He knows he shouldn't, but the desire is strong. _

_His eyes fall shut again. His head nods off, his arms spread to his sides, gently supported by the weightless water. And then, he starts to sink. Slowly, as if cautiously pulled by someone from below. It doesn't alarm him, he feels safe. The safeness probably should feel alarming. Nothing ever feels that safe. Such comfort never fails to be too good to be true._

_A hand grabs his wrist. Only then does he realize how far down he has been dragged by something that he cannot see nor feel. And he notices how cold it is down there. How not at all comfortable and safe it is where he was headed. The hold around his wrist tightens. And before he knows it, he has reached the surface. He has been pulled out of the delusive water. _

_He coughs up water. It tastes bad. Vile, disgusting. Rotten. It tastes like everything he'd been blind to beneath the surface. And he wants it out of him. _

_He turns to look at the water. As he does, he begins to feel nauseous. The bad taste of it, the sinful feel of it…he finds a reason for it all. He sees dead bodies, everywhere. For as far as the eye can see, the surface of the water has turned into a raft of corpses. And as he watches, he knows that all these bodies are there because of him. He doesn't know how, he cannot tell why, but he knows. He knows they are dead because of him, he knows he swam in a sea of murder. It makes him sick. He wants to vomit. Yet he never does._

_A hand lands on his cheek. It makes him flinch. As he flinches, he forgets the water. The hand feels familiar. He recognizes it, the touch of it. As always, around him is dark and cold, and he cannot see. But it is not because he is blind. It's because he doesn't have to see to know it is there. The figure, it is there. With him, touching him. It doesn't mind the water he coughs up, nor the stale tasting blood that begins to mix into it. It wants him to get rid of it. Once he does, it seems pleased. It smiles. Naruto doesn't see, but he knows._

_That is when the darkness shifts. Unexpectedly, a faint shimmer of light starts to grow somewhere in the distance. He can tell, for a dark outline of the figure begins to form, illuminated by the light. Faint, yet just clear enough to be seen with the naked eye. The figure, it still has no face. But it has arms, one of which reaches out and points a finger towards the light. Naruto frowns, but turns to look._

_The light. It is fire. _

_Something is ablaze. Something other than the house he is used to seeing. This is not a house, it is nothing inanimate. It is another figure. As obscure and faceless as the other, but not the same. No, definitely not. Naruto can't say why he knows, he simply does._

_The burning one, it does not move. Only stands still, maybe facing him, maybe not. Flames lick its dark body, dances on pitch black skin. And there is something about it that makes him feel uneasy, sick even. Something that makes him want to face the other way and return to the safe water. He cannot tell what, and wonders, why does it feel so wrong to watch?_

_He never learns why. He never asks why. He fights the need to turn away, tries not to miss the warm water. And though he suffers, he suffers calmly, for he is not alone._

It came as a shock, how quickly seven days could go by. Like dry sand falling from between bony fingers, time had vanished, no matter how hard Naruto had tried to slow it down. He hated it. The day of the funeral, it came too fast. He wasn't ready yet. But then again, he never would be.

The dull, flat ceiling stared back as blankly as he watched it. The room was dark and quiet, as it were too early in the morning for the rising sun to force its way through the curtains. He'd been awake for a while already, but hadn't bothered getting up. Partly because he didn't want to face the day still ahead, partly because he knew he was home alone. He had no desire to roam rooms uncomfortably large all alone in the morning of a day as miserable as this. He rather waited. Waited for Gaara to come home.

It'd been a strange week. Not necessarily bad, but not a particularly good one either. For obvious reasons, days hadn't gone by exactly cheerful. Yet all things considered, it could've been worse.

Naruto hadn't touched any type of intoxicants in seven days. For several reasons. The hangover a week and a half's worth of consecutive drinking had caused certainly was one of them. Without such self-harm, many things had changed. Time had moved faster, unnecessarily so, yet still somehow felt heavier than before. He'd been able to sleep, but not peacefully. The dreams, they were back. Slightly different, somehow even more abstract, yet still definitely the same. He'd been unable to decode their meaning, but was fairly certain they reflected much of what his subconscious was going through. All in all, sobriety had come with its ups and downs, though for the most part he was happy with his abstinence.

He liked to think he'd made progress otherwise as well. Though he still hadn't answered calls, still hadn't left the house, at least he'd no longer spent as much time locked inside the bedroom. He'd forced himself out of bed every morning, even if the most he could do was go downstairs, have a cup of coffee and then retreat back under covers. He'd even sent a short text to Sai last night. And while he otherwise hadn't been very talkative, he no longer put as much effort into avoiding Gaara. When he did, it wasn't personal. It was just...grief.

A handful of times he'd willingly sought for the redhead's company. For comfort, consolation, solace in general. He hadn't been denied it, but it was clear to both of them that it wasn't quite what it could've been. The resentment between them, that no longer existed. But a certain kind of discomfort still was present. And it was difficult to overcome. Gaara would hold him, if he asked him to. Naruto would spend time with him, if the man suggested it. Yet it all felt forced and awkward. As if an invisible force stood between them, separating them. They hadn't discussed anything of importance, hadn't even mentioned the fight they'd had. To put it simply, a mountain of unvoiced issues stood in between them and neither one had made a single move to bring it down.

As much Naruto hated it, he could no longer remember the last time he'd kissed him. It bothered him, yet he'd done nothing about it. Neither had Gaara. And he couldn't help but wonder if it was the beginning of an end, or just understandable. Not knowing made him uneasy.

Naruto let his eyes fall shut. He'd kept them open for too long, the sudden coverage causing them to sting. But not water. The blue eyes opened anew.

He hadn't cried. Not since the night he'd most definitely wept himself to the verge of dehydration. And that was okay. He wouldn't have been surprised if he'd ran out of tears to shed anyway. Even if he hadn't, he knew Sasuke wouldn't have wanted him to cry his eyes out all day and night. He'd always been a man of reason and dignity. Mourning his death any other way but accordingly would've felt wrong.

It was no later than six in the morning. The funeral wouldn't start before two in the afternoon. Though time so far had seemed to fly by far faster than necessary, Naruto could already tell that the hours in between would move painfully slow. Unfortunately, he lacked the means to distract himself from the dreadful wait. Gaara wasn't home yet. He'd lately spent the wee hours of mornings outside, mostly just walking around aimlessly. At the gym, if the weather was bad. And it had been, for the most part. Naruto could tell by the man's unusually shaky hands and stiff posture alone, he'd spent countless repetitive hours abusing either people, or a punching bag. Perhaps naively, he'd decided to believe it was the latter.

Naruto didn't blame him for avoiding the house at night. While he'd been able to get some sleep, Gaara had spent that time even more restless than usual. And it absolutely was beginning to take a toll on the man. No matter how little sleep he might've required, he still required it. The fact that Naruto had caught him involuntarily nodding off whenever he sat down indicated he hadn't had enough of it. In case that wasn't indication enough, he was quite positive he'd once witnessed him sleep eyes wide open. Creepy, strange, and definitely not normal. But not much there was he could've done about it.

A mildly frustrated sigh left the blonde's lips. He was growing tired of staring at the ceiling all alone. A part of him wanted to get up, maybe take a shower. Do remotely normal things. But another part of him was strongly against all things normal. It felt too early for normal. Also, the idea of doing anything at all by himself seemed overwhelming in the worst of ways. Had he had the choice, he would've gladly avoided living altogether for a while and slipped into a coma for a few months. Unfortunately, it seemed such bliss wasn't an option. With that out of the question, not many others he was left with.

It took him a few more minutes of silent bemoaning and an eventual groan of discomfort, but eventually he forced himself to roll towards the edge of the bed. Swinging his feet to the floor, he paused for a short while to sit still and sigh. How he ever managed to get moderately dressed, drag his ass downstairs and load the coffee machine, he truly could not say. Regardless of the miracle behind it, he did all that, and might've then used his success as an excuse to postpone the shower. With all the painfully long hours still ahead, it wasn't as if he was in any hurry.

The silence, it began to bother him in a matter of minutes. Apart from the sound of coffee dripping and a clock ticking away on the wall, it was perfectly quiet. And he hated it. He always had. The times he'd been forced to live alone had always been the worst of times. Sounds of life and other people, those he'd always enjoyed. Though he had to admit, the older he got, the less he preferred big crowds anymore. Which also was something he dreaded about today. He had no idea who would be attending the funeral. Having left Itachi in charge of invitations, he could only hope it wouldn't be an extravagant event. Not only would he himself have hated it, but Sasuke was certain to come haunting were his funeral to turn into a circus.

Naruto found himself pausing. Then frowning, then smirking crookedly.

It was the first time he'd allowed himself to think in such a humorous undertone about his friend's funeral, and death in general. Astonishingly, he didn't feel like punishing himself for it. Maybe he truly had come to accept the tragedy. Though not sure how that made him feel, he supposed it was a good sign. He didn't know. Couldn't quite remember. It'd been a long while since someone close to him had passed away. Which was preferable, of course.

The coffee seemed to be taking forever. Either that, or time truly had slowed down just to make the day as miserable as possible for Naruto. Quickly growing bored of stupidly watching the black liquid brew, he decided to find himself a pack of cigarettes instead. Realizing that he hadn't smoked in several days, he wondered where he might've left them. Not too inclined to search the entire house, he reckoned he'd find some in the pocket of his jacket. Thus he made his way into the hallway, searched the pockets and found what he'd been looking for. As well as something he hadn't been looking for.

In the same pocket as the crumpled cardboard pack of cancer lay, he came across a plastic bag. The one Itachi had offered, he'd accepted and then forgotten all about. Partly deliberately, partly not.

Frowning, Naruto grabbed the plastic bag as well and made his way back to the kitchen. Stopping at the same spot he'd just left, he first treated himself with the cigarette he'd craved for, and only then turned to study the small bag of items he'd so far decided not to go through. Only for a second did he dread the idea of touching something that could be considered as a part of Sasuke's inheritance, before forcing the shudders away and taking a better look at it.

The plastic was clear, thus see-through. It wasn't much larger than the palm of his hand, so not much was inside it either. Just a lighter, a few keys, a ring, and what'd been left of Sasuke's driver's license. Looking at them, Naruto wanted to either cry or throw up. Potentially both. The license had partially melted. The metallic items all had traces of char on them. And it made him feel nauseous. Everything about it only reminded him why he'd avoided going through Sasuke's belongings in general. In hindsight, starting with those that were literally smudged with his remains might not have been the best of ideas.

It would've been easy to not follow through with what he'd started. But as much as he wished that denial was the answer to every problem, he knew it was time to grow a pair and face the facts. Taking a deep breath, Naruto worked up his courage and carefully opened the seal on the bag. He then gently took out one item at a time, stopping to watch each and every one with care. Not because he really wanted to. But because he needed to.

The mostly destroyed driver's license looked like it wasn't even worth saving. Yet he would, anyway. The keys he wanted to keep as well. Though two of them were made to open the lock on his front door, he would never use them again. They'd been Sasuke's. They'd only ever be his. The lighter he might've used, had it functioned anymore. He didn't have to even try lighting it to know it was unusable. It had been for years by then. Sasuke had received it as a gift a long while back, if he remembered correctly, but wasn't sure from whom. And though it'd malfunctioned at some point, the man had refused to let it go. It was the one, extremely rare instance of sentiment Naruto could remember Sasuke ever expressing.

Fond memories. One of those he'd definitely always remember of him.

The ring was the last item left. Naruto wasn't sure he'd seen it before. Mildly curious, he took it out, gently held it between his fingers and took a proper look at it. For a while, he was certain he'd never seen it before. But as he then went to brush away some of the dirt and char still left on the inside rim, he reconsidered. Underneath the black dust, there was a carving in the once shiny silver. A very short, simple one.

'_S_'

Nothing more, nothing less. And that was when Naruto remembered that he, too, had a similar one. One he'd received at the end of high school. A class ring. Not common practice, but something their air head teacher had been keen on making happen. While he and Sasuke hadn't graduated at the same time, they had gone to the same school. It could be that he'd been forced to accept one as well. But why on earth the man had actually kept it, Naruto couldn't understand. He hadn't seen his in well over ten years. Then again, he hadn't been as interested in school as Sasuke. He'd lacked not only the patience, but the brains as well. And though he'd made up for some of it, he obviously still didn't possess the dedication that his friend had.

A weak sigh left the blonde's parted lips. Overcome by a sudden wave of bittersweet memories, he carefully placed the items back into the plastic bag. Gently he pressed the seal shut again, paused, and then pushed the bag further away. And though he didn't really want to, he stayed to watch it. Quiet and motionless, as if idling. The silence was quick to begin weighing him down once again. The low hiss of the coffee machine, the clock ticking on the wall. They did very little to disturb the otherwise oppressive silence. The heaviness, it was a difficult one to shake off.

The sudden sound of his phone ringing caused Naruto to jump in surprise. Whether it was the relief of hearing the heavy silence break, or simply a matter of habit, he reached for the device without really intending to. Glancing at the caller ID, the blonde frowned. It'd been weeks since he'd accepted a single call. And in all honestly, didn't feel like accepting one now. But realizing that it'd be a challenge to avoid it forever, he silenced the voice telling him to ignore the call and slightly hesitantly picked up. The words left his throat dry and reluctant.

"Hey, Shika."

He was barely granted the chance to finish his greeting, before the other end of the line already scolded him for a number of things.

"What the hell, blondie? I've been callin' you for days. Why the hell aren't you at work? Also, you owe me 12 000 yen, douche. You never called."

Somewhat overwhelmed, all Naruto could offer in return was silence. He considered answering all of the man's questions with specific answers one at a time, but in the end, realized that the answer to all of them was the same. Swallowing down a knot of instant anxiety, he forced the words out. Words he realized he hadn't uttered out to anyone yet.

"Sasuke died."

The fast paced steps that'd echoed from the other end of the line came to an abrupt halt. An eerie quiet fell, and continued for the while it took for Shikamaru to find his voice anew. The shock and guilt, it was tangible.

"I am _so_ sorry, Naruto."

The words flowed out more as a gasp than anything else. Sympathetic and shocked, undoubtedly sincere. But though appreciative of the condolences, Naruto had nothing to say in return. Thus he fell silent. Being the smart man that he was, Shikamaru was quick to fill the uncomfortable pause.

"What happened?" he asked, audibly cautious.

Naruto took his time to answer. He felt strangely detached from the subject, yet still found himself choking on the words he eventually forced out.

"Car crash", he told, voice monotone and empty. He must've sounded as detached as he felt.

Another pause followed. Even without knowing for sure, Naruto could tell that Shikamaru felt uncomfortable in the most respectful of ways. At a loss of words, if in the mood for idioms. It was understandable. It wasn't every day news as unexpected and tragic took place.

"I...I don't know what to say", the other man admitted. "How are you doing?"

Though compelled to roll his eyes, Naruto didn't blame his friend for the generic question. He'd been prepared for it.

"Not good", he told honestly. "But a little better every day, I guess."

"That's...that's good", Shikamaru supposed. "Uh, when's the funeral?"

Naruto almost felt bad for how carefully the other one tiptoed through the conversation. If only not to make it any more uncomfortable for either one, he did his best to remain unfazed by it.

"Today."

Shikamaru said nothing comprehensible in return, only cleared his throat in a nervous manner. As if he were afraid he'd say the wrong thing. Nobody could've blamed him for it, but Naruto did find it a tad bit condescending. As if he was a child, unable to hold himself together. Sighing, he decided to point the issue out.

"I can hear you literally hold your breath, dude. Stop it", he grunted, though not rudely.

"Yeah, I just...fucking hell. I feel like shit now", the other man mumbled regretfully.

The foul words, they almost made Naruto smile. Having grown up to be a firm believer in political correctness, very rarely did Shikamaru resort to bad manners. To hear him use such language was a testimony of sincere shame, and certainly worthy of a little reassurance.

"It's okay. You didn't know", the blonde kindly reminded.

All the man did was sigh. And then fell silent, for the while he gathered the courage needed to make demands in his position.

"I wanna see you. Just...to make sure you're even half as okay as you make it seem", he finally said.

Naruto stifled a sigh of the tired kind. Not because he didn't want to see his friend. But because he didn't really want to see anyone in general. As much as he hoped he could've spent the rest of his life only withstanding his own company, it was a wish too unrealistic to waste time trying to achieve.

"Yeah, okay", he succumbed. "But not today. Cause...well, the funeral."

Shikamaru was quick to agree. "Of course. How about tomorrow? I could drop by after work."

Naruto nodded. "Sure. Tomorrow's good."

No, it wasn't. But neither would any other day be. Probably for the rest of his life.

"Great. I'll see you then", the other one promised. "You need me to bring you anything?"

A short, few seconds long pause followed. One that Naruto spent stifling his inappropriately dark humor urging him to ask for an executioner. He managed not to. Besides, he already shared the house with a man akin to one.

"Nah. I'm good. See you tomorrow", he said instead, skipping the politically incorrect jokes.

"Alright", his friend complied. "Stay strong, blondie."

"I will. Bye."

The call ended. Left to listen to the sad little beep at the end of it, Naruto sighed. He put the phone away, scowled, and listened to the surrounding silence yet again. It might've been an inevitable aftermath of the call, perhaps just general misery, but he quickly became aware of just how alone he was. More so than before. As a desperate attempt to distract himself from it, Naruto glanced at the coffee he'd planned on having. A plan was all it ever became. In a matter of seconds the quiet grew unbearable, the stillness overpowering, and the loneliness a destructive power. It became clear to him, his tolerance of withstanding solitary sadness had reached its limit. He had to get out. He had to find Gaara.

Abandoning the perfectly good coffee, he rushed to put on shoes and a jacket, before opening the door to the outside world. Only for a brief moment did he hesitate to step out. But the instant he was greeted by the rising sun and a surprisingly warm breeze, a sense of relief washed over him. The fresh air traveled to his lungs much easier than the stuffy kind inside. The sky he hadn't seen in a week was slowly growing cloudy, but even that didn't bother him. A sliver of clear sky still remained in the horizon, allowing the waking rays of sunlight to stretch towards him. That was fine. That was enough.

The walk towards downtown felt more refreshing than he'd expected. Though the morning rush hour was nearing, he didn't mind the people and traffic. Not as much as he'd thought he would. There were other things he rather focused on. The sounds of birds singing, the smell of upcoming spring. The dogs on their morning walks. Watching them, Naruto was reminded of how he actually missed his own, but at the same time was grateful that Kiba had agreed to take care of it for a while longer, no questions asked.

After about thirty minutes, give or take, Naruto had made it downtown. Only two blocks away from where he supposed he'd likeliest find the redhead, he picked up his pace as the sky now covered by a sheet of clouds began sprinkling down drops of water. Though not icy, the rain still turned the air colder. Fortunately for him, at the exact instant the sprinkling turned into vertical downpour, he reached the building he'd aimed for. Allowing the entrance's large glass doors to automatically slide open, he scowled at how long it'd been since he'd last visited the place. Though perhaps understandable, he'd definitely slacked off when it came to dragging himself to the gym. The look on the receptionist's face only proved that to be true.

"Look at that", the familiar man behind the counter hollered. "Haven't seen you in a while."

Naruto mustered an awkward grin and made his way over.

"Yeah", he muttered, clearing his throat. "Been busy."

The man flashed a smile in return. A kind and genuine one. He was a nice guy. Had worked there for as long as Naruto could remember. For the eight or so years he'd gone there, not once had he seen the man look anything but absolutely overjoyed about his job. It was an enviable trait, for someone to enjoy their profession so wholeheartedly.

"I feared you'd gotten fat by now. But still looking good, it seems", the man assured with a wide grin on his face, holding a up a thumb.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle. A nice guy, indeed. It only made sense that he went by a name suitable for him. Gai, he was called. Funny looking man, really. Black bowl cut, brows bushy enough to be mistaken for a pair of fat caterpillars. Yet in an enviably spectacular shape otherwise. Naruto wouldn't have been surprised if the man slept in a handstand.

"Hn, thanks", the blonde said, before frowning. "Actually, there's someone I'm lookin' for. You seen a guy with red hair?"

The other man frowned as well, seemingly thoughtful. He looked unsure, causing Naruto to sigh. Not for the lack of response, but for the description he'd have to give of Gaara that was the least bit accurate.

"Tall, doesn't smile, looks like he kicks puppies for fun."

Naruto could almost see the light bulb turn on above the older man's head. A sound of recognition slipped the grinning lips.

"Ah, yes. I remember him", he told excitedly. "Very dedicated. Has been here all night."

That didn't really surprise the blonde. Not as much as something else did.

"Have _you_ been here all night?" he asked, too curious not to. The man chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, of course. How else could I combine leg day with cardio?"

Naruto could only smile awkwardly. He didn't dare point out that it wasn't necessary to dedicate twenty-four hours to a single workout. It was likely that even those bushy brows possessed more muscle power than the average human, so perhaps it was best not to even attempt an argument.

"Right. Of course", the blonde mumbled instead. "So, where is he?"

"In the cage."

The blonde paused to stare at the other man in silence. The cage. The fighting cage?

"Alone?" he finally asked, deeply confused. Gai laughed.

"Oh no, no. He's challenged every man who's walked in."

Naruto blinked, slowly. He opened his mouth, only to stay silent for another few seconds. A short while of fear went by as he wondered how many had left straight to the hospital. Finally he chuckled nervously.

"Excuse me."

Leaving the cheerful man behind, the blonde left the counter and made his way down the hallway and towards the room dedicated to punching both people and inanimate objects. Upon reaching the doorway, he was quick to find the redhead exactly where promised. Inside the smaller scale fighting cage, accompanied by a stranger the size of a bulldozer. Naruto's first reaction was horror, though he wasn't sure for which one. But it was quickly replaced by mild confusion and curiosity. Intrigued enough, he went to lean against the door frame and stayed to simply watch.

The stranger was a man of unusual build. As tall as Gaara and wide as a barn door. Definitely much bigger and heavier than the redhead. But despite the size and strength the man must've possessed, he seemed somewhat clumsy and slow. Even though Gaara was strong and moderately brawny, he wasn't like this hormone infused bull attempting to land a hit on him. He was much faster and more coordinated, leaving him with the option to easily dodge the fists thrown at him. And that was what he did. By the looks of it, he had for a while already. The big guy looked tired and out of breath. Naruto could already tell that by the time Gaara grew tired of him, a single strategically executed hit would be enough to take him down.

It wasn't the most fascinating fight the blonde had ever seen, and thus grew bored of it fairly quickly. But there were other things he found worthy of his attention. The redhead's shirtless appearance certainly was one of them. Quite openly staring, Naruto wondered if he'd just forgotten what a trigger of sexual frustration that man was, or if he through some miracle could've still improved in past few weeks. He might've, if this was where he'd spent his time. Either way, the blonde was pleased to know he owned the exclusive rights to all of it. Even if he hadn't taken advantage of it in a wastefully long while.

Exactly like Naruto predicted, Gaara was fairly quick to grow bored of the clumsy giant. A bit sooner than expected, really. But that might've had something to do with the fistful of anabolic steroids unexpectedly making contact with his face. It did result in a bloody nose and visible annoyance. Obviously displeased that he hadn't been able to dodge it, the redhead finally stopped only blocking the other's hits and instead sent back each and every one that followed. Forty seconds later, the wall-sized stranger took a hit he hadn't been prepared for, lost his balance, and crashed to the floor. Game over.

The redhead stayed to glare down at the man, while letting his heavy breath even out. Distantly aware of the blood running down his face, he used the back of his hand to wipe some of it off, then stopped to stare at the mess with a scowl on his face. Only by chance did he glance in the direction of the door, finally noticing the blonde leaning against the frame, watching him with a curious gaze. Whether it was planned or not, a very brief smile of surprise visited on the pale man's bloody face. Naruto returned it with an equally as brief crooked smirk. Without even glancing at the guy still on the floor, Gaara exited the metal cage and made his way over to the blonde.

"What you doin' here?" he asked, stopping to stand a small distance away.

"Lookin' for you", Naruto admitted. The redhead frowned, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Why?" he asked, mostly just curious. The other one shrugged.

"Why not?"

Gaara said nothing return, but instead only stared silently. The look on his face was slightly odd. As if surprised, yet somehow disbelieving. And after a while, Naruto could no longer not question it.

"What?" he asked, wondering if there was something wrong with his face.

The redhead flinched, looking like he hadn't quite been listening. He then slowly shook his head, still staring.

"Nothin'. Just...", he began, but trailed off to briefly hesitate. "You're lookin' me in the eyes. You haven't done that in weeks."

It was Naruto's turn to flinch. Whether it was because of how strangely weak the other's voice was, or that he hadn't even realized he'd avoided eye contact for that long, he wasn't sure. Neither did he quite know what to say in return. Only one thing came to mind.

"I...I'm sorry."

Before he could even finish, the redhead shook his head vigorously. He took a step closer, reached an arm out, but caught himself before he could touch the other one. Naruto found himself questioning it, but didn't get the chance to point out the oddity of it.

"No, don't be, I just-" Gaara hastily began, only to hesitate again. "I just miss you."

The blonde's lips fell apart. Out of surprise, mostly. But out of uncertainty as well. He didn't know what to say. Not least because of how rare it was to hear this man utter such a sincere confession. Yet what puzzled him the most, was how cautiously the redhead seemed to behave. He'd made a move to touch Naruto, but cowered away after all. And it could be that the blonde was simply imagining things, but wanted to test it anyway, never mind the unfairness of it. Thus he took a small, but sudden step closer. And as if burned by hellfire, Gaara took an instinctive step back. It was then Naruto let himself look openly bemused, perhaps even a little offended.

"Touch me."

The demand left his lips before he even realized it. And it left perhaps just a tad harsher than was necessary. But as he saw how uncomfortable it made the redhead, he didn't regret in the least. Shifting awkwardly, Gaara mumbled out an excuse why not to do as told.

"You don't want me to touch you", he grunted. "I'm sweatin' like a whore in church."

Naruto fought the urge to roll his eyes at the ridiculous excuse. But then scowled again. He couldn't understand why the man was so reluctant to come near. He'd held him before, when asked. And though things undeniably had been awkward between them, was it really that bad?

"Don't fuck with me", the blonde grunted. "Why won't you touch me?"

The redhead grew even more uncomfortable. Avoiding eye contact and nervously running his fingers through red hair, he mumbled a barely coherent reply.

"I...I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

At first, Naruto looked deeply confused. But a tired sigh of realization was quick to follow.

"Fuck's sake. Is this 'bout the fight we had?" he groaned, mildly frustrated. Unappreciative of the jaded attitude, Gaara shot him a glare.

"How the hell am I supposed to trust myself?" he asked. "I almost fuckin' murdered you."

"Hn. Don't flatter yourself", the blonde grunted, remaining unimpressed. "I slashed your pretty face open. We're even."

The paler one briefly brushed his fingers against the cut still visible on his cheek. It'd healed for the most part, but would undoubtedly leave a faint scar. He didn't say anything in return, but judging by the grim look on his face, felt no less guilty. Naruto realized that he had only two ways of handling the situation. Either they could argue about it till the end of time, or they could deal with it the only way they knew how to solve problems. Taking into count how immensely tired he was of the tension between them, the latter option quickly became the only option.

Naruto never said anything. Instead he confused the redhead by starting to take off his jacket and shirt, all the while staring at the man with a clear challenge reflected in his eyes. Once stripped of excess clothing, he wandered further away to find himself a roll of hand wrap, before starting to bind his knuckles with it. Gaara watched him from a distance, but said nothing. Naruto ignored him for the time being. Only after he'd successfully bound his hands, pulled on a pair of grappling gloves and stepped inside the cage, did he finally turn to meet the gaze directed at him. Leaning against the metal fence, he beckoned the other one over. Though obviously reluctant, Gaara eventually did as told, even if he did stop at the entrance. Pleased enough, Naruto nodded. The instructions fell from his smirking lips crystal clear.

"Get in the cage, love."

Gaara remained still and silent. He briefly glanced in the general direction, but was quick to lower his gaze to the floor and shake his head in disagreement. Naruto didn't let that sway the smirk on his face.

"Either you get in, or I kick your ass outside it", he stated firmly. "Your call."

"Your arm's still shit, ain't it?" the redhead reminded.

An amused snort and obnoxious gaze was what he received in return.

"I don't need two."

Just as he'd predicted, his bold claim was one Gaara couldn't ignore, no matter how hard he might've tried. Naruto could visibly see the man's eyes light up with what he could only call enthusiasm. It'd been a while since he'd last seen it. The annoyingly over-confident claim would most likely have been enough to convince him, but the poorly stifled snort of a third wheel assured it. Instantly irritated, Gaara turned to glare at the hormone monster that'd dragged his beaten ass to a bench. Despite the murdering glare directed his way, the man refused to look less amused. As someone who didn't handle mockery very well, Gaara was exceptionally quick to face the blonde anew, step into the cage and slam the chain-link door loudly shut. His self-assured steps made their way towards the other one. Naruto met him half-way, in the center of the cage. Silent staring ensued, accompanied by over-confident attitudes on both sides.

"You get off on havin' your face smashed to shit?" the redhead sneered. Naruto chuckled.

"No. But I know you do", he scoffed in return. The other's smirk grew more crooked.

"I guess I ain't gettin' off today then, am I."

The blonde narrowed his eyes, grinned wider and brought his face as close to the other's as humanly possible without touching.

"Trust me. I will pound you into oblivion."

Gaara matched the other's obnoxious look and hummed tauntingly.

"Hm, funny", he commented. "Cause I'm planning to bang the fuckin' life out of ya."

It wouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone familiar with them, how quickly their taunting grew an undertone of innuendos. Seeing an opportunity for a challenge within a challenge, the blonde tilted his head slightly to the side and decided to share that thought.

"Winner pitches?"

The redhead's smile grew to be an unhealthily motivated kind.

"Loser catches."

Partly as a sign of an agreement happening, partly to have an equal point of start, they pressed the knuckles of their right fists against the other's. Judging by the stupid grins on their faces, it was safe to say that neither one possessed a healthy sense of fun. There was no point in stating rules. First one on the floor would be fucked in every sense of the word. There were worse outcomes to losing a fight than that.

If only to assure the element of boredom excluded, no count to three took place. It all boiled down to who was the first to draw their fist back and bring it the fastest forward again. Amazingly enough, there barely was any difference between their reaction time, but the difference in number of usable arms remained. For that reason alone, Naruto quickly found his fist stopped by the redhead's left hand, while the right fist was still free to aim for his face. Since the blonde wasn't an utter idiot, he'd seen it coming. Perhaps even counted on it, as he was able to dodge it with a simple head tilt.

Mildly surprised by the swift move, Gaara didn't foresee the following. Not only did the blonde put at risk the last of his wounded arm's functionality by tightly locking it around the other's head, but used it to force him still, before proceeding to knee the living fuck out of his stomach. Three consecutive times. As much as Gaara hated to admit it hurt, he might as well have been hit with a baseball bat of solid titanium. Fortunately, three strikes was all he got before the blonde loosened his death grip. _Un_fortunately, it was followed by an impressive right hook to the jaw and an efficient kick square in the chest. Whether he liked it or not, the force sent the redhead several steps back and left him nothing short of dumbfounded.

For a few seconds, he paused. Stopped and stared, not really even minding the pounding ache in his face. For a guy who'd spent the majority of three weeks in bed, the blonde possessed incredible stamina. Not only was he impressed by it, but in fact overjoyed. Whatever fear he'd had of hurting Naruto flew out the window faster than a virgin finished. The surprise on his face faded, leaving a blank canvas for a twisted grin to spread itself on.

Naruto could tell just by looking at it, the fist now coming at him wasn't going to hold back. More than pleased, he didn't even try to dodge it. He took it like a man, endured the pain and made the best of it. Though fairly certain it cost him a cracked tooth, it was his best chance to catch the other's arm by the wrist. The only way he'd ever get close enough to take the redhead down, was by forcing him still. Managing a hold around the man's wrist, he was quick to twist the arm into an awkward enough angle for it to be a challenge to break free from. The brief pain of that distracted Gaara from being able to kick away the leg trying to sway his balance.

It might've been a little premature of Naruto to think he'd succeed in getting the redhead down that easily. But though that he could admit, nobody could've blamed him for not foreseeing exactly why it was such a premature assumption. Even though Gaara had one of his arms forced uncomfortably behind his back, the other one was still very much free to move. As Naruto stood partly in front of the other one, mostly to the right, he hadn't even imagined the man would attempt using the left hand. But as the redhead suddenly lowered himself a head shorter and wrapped the free arm around him, he was reminded of just how ridiculously strong the man was.

The floor suddenly no longer was a thing that existed. And only when it was too late for him to do anything about it, Naruto realized that Gaara had literally hauled him off the ground. Somewhere between yelping in surprise, and understanding that he would get thrown over the other's shoulder, he finally remembered why close combating this man was rarely a good idea. He'd witnessed Gaara throw grown men around like dollar store frisbees. Of course it was a terrible idea. And all he could do there in midair was hope he wasn't too old for this shit.

Maybe it was pure luck. Maybe his guardian angel was jerking off to this in the corner. Whatever the reason, through some miracle he landed on his feet and even narrowly avoided face-planting into the chain-link wall. Somehow, he had performed a perfect flip, despite being about as flexible as a table leg. For a second or two, he stood perfectly still, arms spread to the sides and a dumb look on his face. He then glanced over his shoulder to meet a look even dumber on the redhead's face. Silent yet mutual wonderment of how the hell he'd pulled that off ensued. It lasted the few seconds it took for Gaara to step out of his usual comfort zone and actually voice his admiration.

"I would literally carry your child if I could."

Turning around, the blonde snorted.

"Good thing you can't. We'd fuck it up bad."

Barely having finished his sentence, Naruto already charged at the other man anew. Prepared for it, Gaara had his fist ready to greet him. But as it turned out, both of them were several steps ahead of the present. After all the times they'd fought, they'd learned to read and predict the likeliest solutions the other one would settle on. Thus it wasn't difficult for the blonde to dodge the incoming hit, just like it wasn't difficult for Gaara to make up for missing with a kick at Naruto's weak side. The question of who'd thought further steps ahead was quickly answered. The blonde was able to avoid the kick by stepping to the right. Again, the redhead was left surprised enough for Naruto to make it past the man and behind him. Even more so, when he felt the weight of a grown man unexpectedly climb him like a ladder and stay tightly twisted around his upper body.

Gaara rushed to shake the surprise off. Realizing what would follow, he hurriedly pressed his chin as tightly against his chest as he could. Only barely could he stop the blonde from wrapping an arm around his throat. But though he initially avoided the choke hold, it didn't mean Naruto wouldn't try again. And in a matter of seconds, he'd managed to force the other's head to the side just enough to fit his forearm underneath. That was the moment Gaara realized he was terribly close to losing.

Aware that it wouldn't take long for the lack of air to make it impossible to stand, let alone carry the weight of someone else, he was in a rush to come up with a way to throw the clingy thing off his back. The question of how became a big one. And after a few seconds of doing his best to detach the limbs around him, only to fail at it, not many options remained. Thus he went with the best one. Mustering all the strength and willpower he had, he backed into the wall behind them. Despite the loud metallic rattle and what couldn't have been anything but the blonde's head smashing against the chain-link fence, the tight hold around him remained the same. He must admit, Naruto wasn't one to give up easily. But neither was he.

For another three times, he forced the both of them against the wall as hard as he could. And a split second before the fourth, Naruto finally let go. Back and head slammed to shit, he had no other choice but to admit defeat. A pained groan escaping his lips, he jumped off the other one. But the instant his feet hit the ground again, Gaara kicked him mid-turn. Feeling his body hit the wall for the fourth time, and seeing that the redhead was merciless enough to already follow the kick with a punch, he knew it was no use even trying to dodge. Instead, he pressed his body tightly against the wall and shut his eyes in preparation for further pain.

The redhead's tightly clenched fist did make impact. But not with the blonde's face. Hearing the sound and feeling the vibrations of something colliding with the chain-link wall yet again, Naruto opened his eyes. He came to find that the hit had intentionally missed him by mere inches. That explained the lack of pain, which he could not complain about. But he had to wonder, why had Gaara missed on purpose?

Naruto turned his gaze away from the fist still pressed against the wall, and instead turned to look at the redhead. He was close, seemed calm. Unnecessarily so. Didn't do much, just stared. So Naruto stared back. Finally, the redhead broke the silence.

"Sorry I almost killed you."

The blonde's gaze softened. He was distantly aware of how deranged his conception of normality had become, but it was perhaps the sweetest thing Gaara had ever said to him. It was only considerate to return the gesture.

"Sorry I almost slit you throat."

Just like that, everything was okay again. Well, for the while it took for Naruto to flash a twisted grin, take advantage of the redhead's distracted state of mind, and bring the fight to an abrupt end. It could've been deemed unfair, the violent smashing of his forehead against the other's face. But really, Gaara had only himself to blame. Feeling his nose begin to bleed like an open faucet for the second time that day, the surprise sent him stumbling back a couple of steps. Creating that little distance between them was exactly what the blonde had hoped for. The two second window he had before the redhead would pull his act together, he made the best of. Arm bending back for full force, he kicked himself away from the wall and brought the arm forward with all he got. The palm of his hand landed hard against the other's chest, just below the neck. And with force like that, he took them both down in the blink of an eye.

Gaara could've assured to any doubter, it wasn't the most pleasant of sensations to crash against the floor back and head first. But even worse than that was to simultaneously have half the weight of a grown man land on top of him. All air exited his lungs in a strangled gasp, eyes closing to suppress the pain of several different things. Not only had he obviously lost, but upon opening his eyes again, was forced to meet the unnecessarily pleased grin on the blonde's face, barely two inches away from his own. Not surprisingly, Naruto wasn't the least bit shy to rejoice his victory in the most annoying manner imaginable.

"Loser."

Too short on oxygen to speak, Gaara could only give a dirty glare in return. The blonde hardly was bothered by it. One hand still pinning the redhead to the floor and the rest of him hovering above the man, he let his grin turn into a crooked smirk.

"Bend over, bitch. I told you I wouldn't need tw-"

Naruto found himself abruptly silenced. Whatever nonsense still might've followed was devoured by lips he'd almost forgotten the feel of. And whether it was because of the two and a half weeks since he'd last tasted them, or the three since he'd made it any further than that, it certainly shut him up. Had he been self-aware enough to care, he might've felt embarrassed by how quickly he felt himself melt from the inside out. About as quickly as his lower self was to realize its potential involvement, no matter how determinedly he tried to stop that from happening. After three weeks of living like an abstinent monk, he probably could've gotten off at the mere idea of the nails digging into his sides. Which again made him realize, Gaara seemed suspiciously okay with having lost. It didn't take a genius to figure out why that was. But the reason definitely called for a timeout.

"You fucker", the blonde grunted and broke away. "You wanted to lose."

Gaara smirked. "Me? I would never."

Naruto barely even bothered to roll his eyes. It was the most unconvincing tone of voice he'd ever heard anyone use.

"Yeah, you did. It's that time of the month again", he sighed and rolled over to the floor.

The redhead turned to his side and rested his head against the palm of his hand. The annoying smirk on his face remained the same.

"What time?" he asked, supposedly innocent. Which fit him and his bloody face just as poorly as one could've imagined.

Naruto scoffed. "The time you turn into a submissive whore. I fuckin' swear, I am _not_ blood chokin' you for kicks the same day I'm burying my best friend."

Gaara tilted his head curiously. "Did I ask you to?"

"Not yet", the blonde huffed.

The other one chuckled, got on his knees and moved to hover over the blonde. While Naruto watched him with suspicious eyes, he returned the look with an amused one.

"Whatever. I'm goin' home now", he informed. "I need a shower."

With that, he got up and turned to walk away. Naruto was left to frown, somewhat puzzled for a while. Eventually he pulled himself up to sit, glanced over his shoulder at the other's turned back and raised a brow.

"Is that an invitation?"

The redhead didn't bother looking back. "It's an order."

Naruto was exceptionally quick to get up. "Yes, sir."

They both exited the room, leaving behind silence and an audience they'd mostly forgotten about. The stranger, still seated on the bench in the furthest corner of the room, stared at the now empty fighting cage with his mouth hanging open. It wouldn't have been bold to claim that he hadn't expected the fight to end in a case of face sucking. Regardless of whether that alone was the cause of his shock, or if it'd perhaps dawned on him that shit like this could actually be considered foreplay by people allowed to walk around freely, he remained stunned silent for a long time after.

A few hours later, Gaara sat by the kitchen's island counter. Alone and hesitant. Alone, because Naruto was still in the shower. Hesitant, because the blonde's phone sat there right beside him, barely a foot away. For the past ten minutes or so, he'd tried not to acknowledge its existence, yet repeatedly found himself glancing in its general direction. The coffee he'd been drinking had gone cold in the while he'd wasted pondering whether or not to reach out and grab it. The day's paper he'd supposedly been eyeing he no longer even pretended to have any interest in.

The whole thing was ridiculous, really. And after another three minutes of nervously tapping his fingers against the counter, he made the firm decision to get rid of the distracting element altogether. He grabbed the phone, got on his feet, walked across the room and laid the phone on the dining table instead. Content enough, he made his way back to the counter to reclaim his previous seat. Determined to forget about the phone, he reached for the paper again and unfolded it to continue reading. For roughly thirty seconds he convinced himself that he understood every word he read. Another thirty he was certain that at least half of it made sense. And somewhere between that moment, and being forced to admit he might as well have been reading the damn thing upside down, it became clear just what a pathetic attempt of distraction it'd been in the first place.

He got up and dashed back to the phone embarrassingly fast. Quickly confirming that Naruto wasn't in his range of vision, Gaara grabbed the device and attempted to unlock it. Thanks to the seven years he'd spent in prison, he wasn't exactly accustomed to fancy smart phones, but even a technological moron like him could tell it was password protected. Staring at the numbers on the screen, he frowned. From the top of his mind, he went through the likeliest combinations Naruto would've used. He tried the date of the blonde's birthday, but found it declined. He gave a shot at the two most generic combination used by complete idiots and almost sighed in relief upon having them rejected as well. After a few failed tries, he began to feel annoyed and frustrated. And as one more attempt flashed rejection in return, he came to find that he was only one try away from being robbed of any more attempts for fifteen minutes to come.

The redhead scowled. He flipped the phone around in his hand a couple of times, tilted his head curiously. It was fairly new, couldn't have been more than a couple of months old. It was fair to assume that the password might've been updated along with the phone. Following that thought, a look of realization visited his otherwise annoyed features. Though slightly hesitant, he lit the screen up once more. And with slow and unsure taps, inserted a five figure code. With only one try left, it might've been somewhat of an egoistic move to use his own name as the last shot, yet he did anyway. Prepared to sigh in frustration, he pressed 'ok'.

With a soft click, the phone became unlocked. And Gaara couldn't help but grin like an idiot. Partly for having unlocked it, but mostly for now knowing what a disgustingly cute piece of shit Naruto actually was. He felt obnoxiously pleased with himself for a short while, before remembering what he'd violated the blonde's privacy for in the first place. Feeling less than comfortable stealing something he actually could've just asked for, the redhead clicked his way into the contacts and scrolled down the long list, hoping he'd find a number very specific. Having felt skeptic of finding it, he was surprised when coming across the name. Pleased enough, he hurried to grab the closest pen and then scribbled the number down on the corner of the newspaper he'd supposedly been reading. Double checking the number he'd written down, he then placed the phone back where and how he'd found it, before seating himself down again. Going back to waiting for the blonde to return, he continued drinking the lukewarm coffee and carried on pretending interest in the day's insight into current tax policies. Why he bothered, was anybody's guess. He hadn't paid taxes in years.

Naruto stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at the reflection with weary malaise. Had he been asked to condense the sight into just one word, he would've gone with 'disappointing'. He looked tired and unhappy. In fact more so than he felt. His usually tan skin fell miserably short of being even close to a healthy color anymore, mostly due to weeks' worth of seclusion from sunlight. The front of his hair, still damp from the shower, was but an overgrown disaster hiding most of his face. And the face itself was something he rather wouldn't have even commented on. Not only did it make him look internally sick, but the faint marks still visible from the fights he'd deliberately put himself into only enforced this silent implication of general carelessness. Even the slight bruising caused by the crash remained visible on the side of his head and across his chest. All in all, he regretted ever having stopped to look in the mirror.

The clock was nearing noon. He had exactly an hour to get ready, before he'd have to leave the house. Usually an hour would've been more than enough. But on that day, he wasn't all that sure. Not only would he have to come up with unimaginably creative solutions to fix the disaster staring back at him, but the very real chance of him still reaching a mental breakdown in the process would be inconveniently time consuming. Not that simply staring at himself virtually actionless was a much better usage of terribly limited time.

The longer he stared, the stronger he felt the overpowering urge to repeatedly smash his head against the mirror. Only barely did he avoid acting out such self-destructive desires.

Sighing for perhaps the millionth time that day, he forced himself away from the mirror and up the stairs to the bedroom. His movements and overall existence being as slow and unmotivated as they were, it took him fifteen long minutes to find a suit decent enough for a funeral. And another fifteen to stop utterly hating the way it felt on him. Forty-five minutes in, and only ten minutes before the exact moment he'd have to be out the door, Naruto finally decided he looked as moderately human as he ever would again. Dressed in attire he'd forgotten the absolute discomfort of, the overgrown disaster he somehow dared to call his hair slicked back neatly enough, he took another look at himself in the mirror. Against all odds, the reflection looked only half-bad anymore. Hadn't he known better, he wouldn't have been able to tell how horribly he'd treated himself for the past few weeks. That was an accomplishment it itself, he supposed.

Uncomfortably aware of time running out, Naruto begrudgingly dragged himself downstairs and towards the kitchen. His assumption of finding the redhead there proved to be justified. Appearing in the doorway, he stopped to lean against the frame with his hands down his pockets, and settled on watching the other man in silence. There he sat by the island counter, scowling at the day's paper and drinking from a cup of coffee that looked disgustingly cold even from a distance. It took the man a good ten seconds to even realize he was being stared at, and another three to meet the watchful gaze. As he finally did, it became clear he hadn't expected to see what stood in front of him.

Roughly half a sip of admittedly stale coffee he'd just managed to trap inside his mouth exited from between lips he hadn't intended to part. Yet there he was, face leaking coffee and brain noticing that only when most of it'd already traveled down his jaw. Finally realizing how big of a moron he looked like, Gaara swallowed the coffee he'd managed to keep in, wiped his face dry of the coffee he hadn't, while already rushing to his feet. Why he stood up, he wasn't really sure. But if nothing else, it made the blonde laugh.

"I ain't a fuckin' lady. Sit down", Naruto chuckled.

Gaara said nothing, only stared. Also, didn't sit down. Perhaps he was acting ridiculous, perhaps not, but one thing was as certain as hell was hot. He definitely, absolutely, without a doubt was the luckiest man alive. Feeling just dumb enough to forget how to speak, he didn't say anything at all. Instead he made his way over, ignored whatever it was the blonde intended to say, and silenced him with a tangible form of appreciation. Which Naruto didn't exactly mind, but found worthy of another chuckle.

"Hn. Guess I don't look fuckin' terrible, then", he said, once granted the chance. The other one watched him with a look that declared his guess an understatement.

"You look...fuckin' flawless."

Naruto snorted dismissively.

"Man, you gotta raise your standards", he huffed. Gaara narrowed his eyes in disagreement.

"They're already unreasonable", he assured, then smirked. "But so are you."

The blonde couldn't help but feel amused and shake his head somewhat disbelievingly.

"Exactly who's taught you to say shit like that?" he questioned, though humorously. "Makes me wonder what you were doin' those six months. Or who."

The redhead rolled his eyes. "Missing you and doin' my right hand. Need to know more?"

He really didn't. For that alone was enough to make the blonde pause and stare at the other man in slight surprise. Gaara questioned it, but only silently. Eventually, Naruto did speak.

"Really?" he asked. "You waited for me all that time?"

The other one frowned and shrugged.

"Yeah", he told, following it with a curious look. "And you didn't?"

The blonde nodded, a small smirk on his lips. "Hn. I did."

Gaara seemed pleased enough. At least so the gentle bite on his neck indicated.

"Awesome", the paler one mumbled. "I could do you right about now."

"You already did. Twice", Naruto reminded, subtly glancing at the time. "Besides, I need to get goin'."

The redhead grunted in a disappointed manner, but followed it with a hesitant frown. He voiced his thoughts shortly.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" he asked. The blonde sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sure", he assured. "I need to do this on my own."

Gaara's gaze narrowed discreetly, but he voiced no arguments. They'd gone through this once already. Naruto informing that he wanted to attend the funeral alone, Gaara declaring it a bad idea, followed by fifteen minutes of useless bickering, only for it to end in the blonde getting what he wanted as per usual. It was no use repeating such an ordeal, thus the redhead let it be. He couldn't say he particularly wanted to go along, as he wasn't a fan of funerals in the first place. He'd always found them more or less pretentious. But he did worry about Naruto and how he'd get through it all alone. As much as he would've wanted to trust the man's mental health enough not to worry, it was easier said than done. But then again, though he might've not trusted the blonde's unstable mind, he did still respect it.

"Okay", he finally complied.

In return, Naruto mustered a weak smile. But it only visited his lips briefly, before leaving again. It was easy for Gaara to detect the gradually growing distress taking over the blonde's features. In the little less than a year he'd known Naruto, he'd learned how to handle the man at his weakest.

"You can do it", he guaranteed. "And when you come back, you can scream and cry and throw things at me all you want."

"You're deranged", the blonde laughed with a weary, dry chuckle. "I've treated you like shit for _weeks_. And still all you want is to take on my misery."

The redhead tilted his head to the side, looking unusually serious. "I ain't here just for the good, y'know. I'm here for the bad as well. For all of you."

Naruto shut his eyes and defied the urge to melt from the inside out. He could've sworn, had this man not been a blood lusting contract killer, global wars would have been fought over him.

"Oh, screw you", the blonde groaned. "Screw your perfect face, and perfect smile, and perfect fuckin' everything."

Gaara smirked, but said nothing. And Naruto found even that infuriatingly appropriate.

"How are you not constantly followed by an army of women?" he mumbled in an annoyed manner.

The redhead shrugged. "Cause I look like I eat small children. Alive."

Naruto could hardly argue. "Hn. That you do."

A short moment of silence went by. That brief time the blonde spent thinking back at the past few hours, and everything they'd consisted of. He hadn't realized it so far, but the time he'd feared would go by slowly and utterly miserable, had actually flown by much faster and easier than expected. Though he felt guilty for having felt peaks of joy on a day as tragic, he knew it'd been for the best. And hadn't it been for Gaara, he would've let the misery slowly rot him away for yet another day.

"Thanks. For today", Naruto suddenly said. "I needed it."

The redhead smirked crookedly, but with a kind undertone.

"I know."

Naruto returned the smirk with a brief smile, before both of them let a more serious look take over. Time was up. The blonde would have to leave and face the saddest day of his life so far. Gaara would have to stay behind and only hope the other one would make through it all alone. After a fleeting moment of silence, and an exchange of stiff nods, Naruto finally made his way to the door, and stepped out into the pouring rain. The redhead stayed to watch the door close after him. With a soft click and no glance back, he was gone.

Gaara exhaled tiredly. Only for a moment did he pause to stare at the closed door, before shaking off the intangible heaviness on his shoulders. After all, there was something he needed to get done. Whether he liked it or not. And he didn't. He really didn't.

Making his way to the counter he'd spent most of the day seated by, he grabbed the newspaper left to lie on it. His gaze caught the number he'd scribbled on the lower right corner. A reluctant frown settled upon his features. He really didn't want to call it. But also knew that nobody else would've been appropriate for the occasion. Thus he sucked it up, grabbed the phone Naruto had left behind to avoid distractions, and dialed the number written on the paper. For the four rings it took for the other end to pick up, Gaara began regretting the whole thing. And right before the fifth, when he was about to hang up after all, an answer unfortunately enough brought that plan crashing down.

"Yo, brother-in-law. What's up, pretty boy?"

Gaara shut his eyes and fought not to brutally claw them out. How he'd ever thought this was a good idea, he no longer remembered.

"Don't make me listen to this bullshit, fuckface."

A short pause happened on the other end, indicating a somewhat slow thought process. Not that it was surprising, coming from Kankuro.

"Oh. It's you", the older man eventually grunted, as if disappointed. "Where's the cute one? Cause you ain't cute at all."

Ignoring the annoying remark, Gaara scowled. "Blondie's at a funeral. His friend died."

Another short pause followed, this time ending quicker and on a more serious note.

"Shit, man. Those always hit hard", Kankuro sympathized. "He okay?"

Gaara rolled his eyes. "The fuck do you think?"

"Hn. Forgot you are literally never pleasant", the other one mumbled. "The hell do you want?"

Now this was the part the redhead had loathed the most in advance. He wasn't entirely sure exactly how and when he'd sunken low enough to willingly call his asshat brother for help, and could force himself to do so only by silently reminding himself that fundamentally speaking it was necessary. For half a second, he held his breath. The other half he used to shove the word out as quickly as humanly possible.

"Advice."

A third pause in the time-span of five minutes happened. And ended in the most annoying, most infuriating and definitely the most shiteating laughter the human history had ever heard. Gaara instantly felt his body twitch with murderous intent and he thoroughly hated that there was nothing he could do to make the man shut up. But even more he hated that had they been face to face, Kankuro would never have dared to act like the dick he was. After ten seconds of this terrible noise continuing, Gaara's tolerance of unnecessary bullshit reached its limit.

"Literally nothin' is stopping me from buying a flight there just so I can rip off your limbs one at a time, before I set your ugly face on fire, cunt."

His less than subtle implication did its job to a certain extent. The other man stifled his howling laughter, even if a few snorts still escaped here and there.

"Sorry, bro", Kankuro chuckled. "Just...just let me have this one."

Had Gaara known how to feel pity, he certainly would have felt sorry for this simple creature's cheap joys.

"Whatever", the redhead grunted. "You gonna help me or what?"

He could clearly hear the annoying grin plastered across the other's face, but supposed it was no use pointing it out. After a while of silent grinning, Kankuro finally spoke in a tone just a tad too pleased.

"Sure, baby brother. What's up?"

* * *

Boring. So utterly, miserably and painfully boring. That was the only way Sai could describe the work day so far. Given the day of the week, it wasn't unusual for business to happen at a slower rate. But after an astounding four customers, out of which only three actually purchased anything and one appeared only to sleep partly on the counter, it wasn't just slow anymore. It was comatose. And thus, absolute hell for him.

It wasn't before the clock struck two in the afternoon, when the door opened for the fifth time that day. Pathetically excited, Sai straightened his hunched over posture and turned to greet the potential customer. That excitement continued for about two seconds. The instant he saw who'd waltzed in, his face fell into the deepest of scowls and posture slumped back to its previous state. But despite Sai's sour face, the visitor didn't look an ounce less cheerful. Which just made it that much worse.

"Ugh, the hell are you doin' here again?" Sai groaned tiredly at the one taking a seat across the counter.

"Came to see you", was the joyous reply. Thoroughly annoyed by the deliberately chosen tone of voice, Sai narrowed his gaze suspiciously.

"Fuck off, Haku. I'm not in the mood", he declared. It merely encouraged the younger one to smile even wider.

"You're always in the mood", he argued.

Sai said nothing in return, only glared. After a while of that, Haku finally sighed in a defeated manner.

"Fine. I'll buy something", he promised. "Happy?"

The other one cracked a sly smirk. "It's a start."

Not bothering to ask for an order, Sai went on to pour the drink Haku most often was seen with. And he'd been seen there quite a bit lately.

At first, Sai would've rather licked the inside of a toilet bowl than watched that face on regular basis. But as it'd gradually become clear that there was no getting rid of him, he'd learned to just live with it. Not that he still understood why the man so persistently appeared there. He always came alone, never seemed to know anyone else but Sai. And despite how badly he'd treated the boy for the first week or so, he still visited nearly every day. It was as if nothing could chase him away. After coming to terms with that fact, Sai had found it surprisingly easy to withstand Haku's company. At times, he'd come close to finding it enjoyable. Well, that was the most he could admit to.

"Here", Sai stated, as he placed a glass of colorful contents in front of the younger one.

A happy smile on his face, Haku tossed the bartender a payment for the service, and went to take the first sip. But before he made it that far, a frown appeared on his petite features. He stopped to glare at the glass clearly unhappy about something or other. It took Sai roughly two seconds to catch on and roll his eyes at the other's pouting face. Lazily he reached out to grab a straw, stuck it into the glass, and watched the other's eyes light up as usual.

"Suck, bitch, suck", Sai mumbled, and went to tiredly lean his elbows against the counter.

Haku swallowed a mouthful, before smirking crookedly. "Better than you could ever imagine."

Sai said nothing, only narrowed his eyes at the boy's teasing smile. It wasn't anything new, to hear him say such questionable things. In the past few weeks, he'd been introduced to a shockingly dirty vocabulary, apparently usually hidden beneath all that innocence. The first few instances had left even a man like him nearly choking on thin air upon hearing the foulness that pretty little mouth could come up with. But he'd gotten used to it fairly quickly. Yet even then, he still couldn't figure out what it meant, if anything at all. And that annoyed him more than anything else. Once again defeated in the search for a clue of its meaning, Sai simply huffed and turned his gaze the other way.

"You dirty little thing", he grunted.

"Hn. Says you", Haku muttered in his defense, taking yet another sip. Sai turned to face him anew, his trademark smirk finally appearing.

"Damn right. You'll never beat me in my own game, twinkie."

"Wouldn't dream of it", Haku chuckled in return.

Comfortable silence fell, as it now habitually did. Haku spent the time happily sipping his drink, and Sai created his own fun by flipping through his phone. While searching for messages to delete, mostly sent by one night stands he had no intention of ever seeing again, he came across one he felt was worth sharing. One he'd received that very morning.

"Cutie texted me this morning", he told, suddenly sounding somewhat gloomy. Haku took notice of that.

"Oh. How's things over there?" he asked cautiously. Sai glanced at him askance, visibly dejected.

"It's bad news", he sighed. "His friend died."

Haku's face fell with shock, hands moving to cover his gasping mouth.

"Sasuke?" he asked, sincerely upset. "That's horrible. He must be devastated."

"Must be", Sai agreed. "He told me not to call, so I didn't."

Haku frowned, somewhat worried. "I hope he's okay. You sure you shouldn't try calling?"

"No", Sai admitted. "But I ain't gonna disrespect his wish. Besides, he's got the crazy one, don't he?"

"I guess", the other one muttered quietly, definitely not convinced.

Another moment of silence followed. Not exactly comfortable that time around. As the quiet continued, Sai watched the younger's face slowly turn thoughtful. Not about to interrupt whatever it was he pondered about with such intensity, he simply waited patiently. Eventually Haku lifted his downcast gaze up again and glanced at Sai with a mildly curious look.

"He told not to call", the younger one spoke with an undertone of anarchy. "But he never said we couldn't drop by, did he?"

Sai raised a brow, partly out of curiosity, partly condemnation. Yet he couldn't help but find some strange truth in the other's logic. Still, the idea had its down-sides.

"Trapped in a car with _you_ for _hours_?" he huffed. "I'd rather fuck a woman."

Haku made a face. "Oh, c'mon. We could take the train?"

"Ha, I'd rather fuck a dog."

"Plane?"

"I'd have to fuck a lot of things to afford that."

"Don't you do that already?"

Sai shot a sharp glare at the other one, only to be further disrespected with a poorly stifled snort. But upon realizing that he was merely making the matter worse, Haku dropped the grin and whined desperately instead.

"Please?" he begged. "I'll pay for your ticket."

Sai paused, giving the man a weird look. "Exactly how the hell much do prostitutes make?"

"That don't make shit", Haku assured. "But breaking into houses does."

The older one frowned, then sighed. He'd nearly forgotten about it, the job they did. But once reminded of it, he could recall Naruto paying Haku quite a generous amount in return of his unique skills. Sai did wonder just why the boy wanted to use his money on something as unnecessary as a plane ticket for him, but since granted this rare opportunity, he found no real reason to decline. Cracking a smirk, he caved in.

"Hn. Fine", he agreed. "But only cause I miss cutie. And cause you're payin'."

Haku barely listened till the end, too busy releasing an excited squeal. Admittedly, Sai found the other's childlike joy somewhat adorable. Even if the boy was swift to ruin it.

"This is awesome", Haku declared. "Now all you gotta do is sleep with me."

Sai's face had perhaps never been as quick to drain of all existing color.

"_What_?!"

"Just kidding. I have standards."

* * *

**All you lovemuffins, I have a weird, but sincere question.**

**How are you?**


	53. Eternal Damnation

**My goodness, is it just my imagination or have I been weirdly efficient with updates? Where is this shit coming from?**

**Speaking of shit, I hope this chapter isn't as full of it as I feel it is. Meh, read and find out.**

* * *

It was cold. Freezing. At least so his shivering body seemed to believe.

Naruto sat in the car, hands tightly clasping the steering wheel. The way he had for ten long minutes by then. He could've, and should've, stepped out a long while ago. But every time he reached towards the handle, dread washed over his already rigid body, paralyzing it beyond functionality. The safety of the car wasn't something he wanted to abandon. The expensive box of metal isolated him from what he could only call the embodiment of all his worst nightmares put together. And through the windshield left wet and streaky from the rain, he could see all the things he wasn't ready to face.

The gray skies, the gloomy and repellent crematorium. The people dressed in black, most of whom he'd never even met. All those things stirred crippling anxiety within him. But nothing made him as nauseous as the sleek, black hearse parked on the side of the road. The mere sight of it compelled him to succumb to sorrow's will and break down.

Watching it all from across the street, Naruto knew nobody was aware of his presence yet. Spotting Itachi standing by the hearse and glancing around nervously, he knew postponing the inevitable any further would've been not only disrespectful, but unfair. Already a few minutes late and well aware of it, he took a deep breath, released it slowly and finally went to open the door. His legs felt weak and unreliable beneath his own weight, but that was something he couldn't allow unnecessary power to. However shaky and weak his steps might've been, they slowly but surely took him across the road and towards the most miserable moment of his entire life.

The moment he'd carry his best friend for the last time and watch him burn yet again.

His heavy steps halted in front of the hearse. He felt the watchful gaze laid upon him, but didn't turn to look. Nor was he expected to. Moments later, a gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder. The touch didn't bother him, as he barely noticed it. Finding himself afloat in a strange bubble of denial and detachment, nothing felt worth noticing. Only barely did he hear the words spoken to him.

"It's a sad day. But we have to get through it, for his sake."

Itachi's voice, it sounded weak and hoarse. As if it'd been worn dry by salty tears and sleepless nights.

"I know", Naruto spoke quietly. "We will."

Only briefly did he shut is eyes to stop the sting behind them from escalating into a genuine reaction. Upon opening them again, he quickly glanced around. There weren't that many people present, fewer than he'd feared. Roughly fifteen. Only a handful of them did he recognize, and none of them would he have been able to name. Many must've been Sasuke's co-workers, a few perhaps old friends from school. Really the only one he knew was Itachi. And in fact preferred it that way. Less close acquaintances meant less pretentious condolences.

It definitely was the saddest he'd felt in his entire life, the moment Itachi pulled open the backdoor of the hearse, revealing the casket. Dark wood, silver handles. That was all Naruto could make sense of, before his gaze dropped to the ground. Yet again forced to shut his eyes, he felt his throat tighten and chest begin to ache. In an instant, his already tense body grew completely rigid. A light tremble was quick to begin crawling up his spine, as he felt his aching chest start to pound with the most brutal pain he'd ever experienced. It took every last shred of self-discipline for him to remain in a dignified state.

The casket, it felt so much heavier than it should've. Maybe it was because of what lay inside, maybe because of how weak his body had turned at the sight of it. Regardless of the reason, even with the aid of five grown men, it still remained the heaviest weight he'd ever carried. Thus began the slow walk towards the repellent crematorium, and as if the skies had known to mourn, the falling rain grew into heavy downpour. None of those present minded, as it easily veiled any tears that might've escaped.

Naruto couldn't say the place was terrible inside. But neither did it feel welcoming. Having known fairly well what Sasuke would've wanted for his own funeral, he and Itachi had done their best to keep it as simple, traditional and convenient as possible. No wake had been held and no separate location for the funeral had seemed necessary. Thus they'd agreed to hold the ceremony at the crematorium, where they would've lastly ended up anyway. The priest had arrived already and stood waiting next to the cremator. Despite the otherwise formal and appropriate look of the place, Naruto couldn't help but feel sick at the sight of the tray that would shortly slide the casket into the cremation chamber. Only barely could he force himself to lay the casket down on said tray, instead of loudly refusing to let his friend burn into a pile of ashes.

Everything that happened in the following twenty minutes, he barely even registered. He stood there among all other guests, respectfully silent and pretending to listen to the priest's mantra. But in reality, he didn't hear a word of it. He wasn't really there at all, in that room and among those people. Where he was, was a place and time where Sasuke was still alive. In a place and time well over fifteen years ago. He hadn't thought about it in a long time, but remembered it like yesterday. The day they'd ran away from the orphanage.

They hadn't planned it. Had never before even thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. Nothing special had happened to trigger such an idea, really. It'd been but a fleeting thought, the result of a boring Sunday evening and childish misery over early bedtime. Naruto had been the one to suggest it, even under the fear of being slapped by the much more mature Sasuke. Yet amazingly, he'd agreed in a heartbeat. Naruto had been surprised enough to ask why he'd agreed, and Sasuke had given an answer he'd never forget, never in his lifetime.

"_Where you go, I go. Anywhere in the world. Around it, if you want to_."

They never did travel around the world, never even left their hometown, but knowing that they could've was what gave them the courage to leave. And it was the best decision he'd ever made. There was so much he got to see, so much he got experience. Much he wouldn't have, had they stayed and gone through the system all the way to an average life. He'd collected years' worth of irreplaceable memories with his best friend, moments incomparable to anything else. And nothing, absolutely nothing, would ever replace the life he'd shared with Sasuke. Nothing would ever replace Sasuke himself.

Naruto broke out of his thoughts to glance around. The people there, they weren't individuals to him. He didn't know them, didn't know what Sasuke had meant to them. But looking at those nameless faces, none of them seemed to have been very close to him. Though everyone looked sad and down, some even going as far as shedding the occasional tear, they all still came across as detached and only appropriately miserable. All, but one.

There was a man, most likely around his age, whom he'd never seen before. He stood some distance away, on the other side of the casket. It would've been easy for him to blend in with the rest of them, hadn't the look in his eyes differed so greatly from all the others'. Looking past the very unusual color of them, something truly dark and sad could be seen. Genuine grief and pain, coated with weary distress. The man's gaze was firmly locked on the casket, most likely had been for a long while. Everything about him screamed misery. The way he stood, the way his head hung low, the way he obviously was holding back tears. And that was how Naruto knew, this man wasn't there just because he was expected to be.

A curious, yet confused frown appeared between the blonde's brows. He didn't even notice himself staring at the man, taking in his appearance. Wondering about the extraordinarily light hair, the unusual color of his eyes. Probably classed as blue, but definitely leaning towards a purple hue. He wasn't very tall, but neither was he short. Maybe half a head shorter than Naruto. He was of lean build, but by no means petite. And the way he stood with his back naturally straight as an arrow neared militant posture. Why Naruto was so intrigued by this man, he couldn't say.

Suddenly, the man turned to meet his stare. As if he'd sensed someone watching. The instant their gazes locked, both men flinched. Naruto flinched, as he felt embarrassed for having stared so rudely. But why the other one flinched as well struck as strange. For the short, nearly insignificant moment their eye contact continued, confusion filled the air between them. And even after the stranger finally looked away, Naruto couldn't shake the odd feeling the moment had stirred. Somehow, he felt as if the man had recognized him. How that was possible, he didn't understand.

Right after Naruto finally tore his gaze away, the priest finished the last of his mantra. Then followed the traditional giving of a new name for the deceased, to prevent their return from the afterlife if called by their name given at birth. Considering the amount of money temples charged for these names, Naruto found the practice ridiculous. As had Sasuke, his entire life. Yet judging by the length of it, Itachi hadn't held back with the cost. He supposed the man hadn't been able to let his brother's last day above earth be as cheap and chaste as Sasuke might've wanted. That was fine. It was understandable.

As time for goodbyes finally came, Naruto purposely waited till the end. He let everybody else go first, watched all these strangers pay their last respects and lay flowers on the casket, all the while holding back the scoff the pretentiousness of it would've deserved. A few minutes went by, people did what was expected of them. And lastly, right before Naruto's turn, stepped forward the man he'd shared the strange exchange of looks with. Again intrigued, he watched the man stand beside the casket. Gaze laid upon the heavy lid, hands down his pockets and lips pursed tightly together. For a long while, he did and said nothing. Only watched calmly, silently. It was then Naruto realized, the man had no last gift prepared. Not like everybody else before him had. The blonde's lips slowly parted in sudden realization.

This man had known Sasuke well enough to understand that he wouldn't have wanted any flowers or other vanity. But how could that be, when only Naruto had known him well enough not to bring anything?

The stranger's silent stillness finally came to an end, as he gently placed a hand on top of the closed casket. His lips, they parted to let out words too quiet to be heard by anyone else. As he spoke, his so far tense shoulders began to shake. Subtly, but Naruto noticed it nonetheless. And though he couldn't hear the man, the blonde could tell he never finished what he'd intended to say. Interrupted by a tear rolling down his face, one that seemed to surprise him, the man suddenly broke down. He wasn't loud, wasn't a mess, but cried genuine tears. The blonde felt an instant rush of sympathy run through him.

Seeing that the man felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for not having kept himself together, Naruto made his way over and stopped to stand beside him. He laid his hand on the other's shoulder, causing him to flinch. As the man then raised his head to face the blonde, he looked very surprised. Surprised, yet gradually more grateful than anything else. He stayed there for a moment longer, before nodding silently and stepping aside to allow Naruto his chance at goodbyes.

Pushing away his wonderment of this strange man, the blonde turned to face the casket. For a long time, he didn't know what to do or say. Even when he did open his mouth to speak, the words got caught in his throat. His chest felt tight, lungs filled with pins and needles. Keeping a straight face became an honest struggle. He realized, there was no easy way of doing this. No easy way to bid farewell, no honor or privilege greater than the chance to do it in the first place. For another short moment, he remained still and silent, until finally forcing out the only quiet goodbye he could muster.

"Thank you. I love you."

The last of his whisper flowed out strangled and broken. Before he could catch himself, a lonely tear had already escaped. It rolled down his cheek, down to his jaw and fell onto the casket. A sad smile lifting the corners of his lips, he let it stay where it'd landed. Knowing he'd stood there and made people wait for quite a while, Naruto forced himself to step back and took his previous position. Everything that followed— the last words from the priest, the sliding of the casket into the cremation chamber— it all drifted by as a hazy fog. And as Naruto stood there alone in the middle of that haziness, all he could think about was how badly he wished Gaara had been there with him.

It would take two hours for the cremation to be complete. The one and a half so far Naruto had spent secluded from everybody else, literally counting seconds. Knowing that his mind and mouth weren't to be trusted, he'd even avoided Itachi. Of course, that didn't last till the end. Roughly fifteen minutes before the given time estimate, the older Uchiha finally found Naruto in the deserted and quiet hallway he'd been hiding at. Hearing the man's footsteps echo through the corridor, the blonde fought not to sigh.

"Here you are", Itachi's voice spoke. "I've been looking all over."

His fight was useless. The sigh happened, whether he liked it or not.

"Sorry", he mumbled. "I just...needed some time alone."

"Nobody's blaming you", the other man assured upon reaching him.

Naruto grunted. "Hn. I guess."

The look on Itachi's face had a worried tone to it, but soon enough was replaced by a kind smile.

"You did good, Naruto."

The blonde flinched, surprised. He turned to meet the other's friendly eyes, wondering if the man knew how much hearing that truly meant to him. Regardless of whether or not he did, Naruto returned the smile the best he could. But said nothing. Not that he was expected to, either. After a while, Itachi let his proud smile lessen to a more neutral one.

"Listen...I was thinking", the man began, before pausing. Naruto frowned, supposing he was meant to encourage the man to continue.

"Yeah?" he asked. Itachi sighed, as if hesitant.

"You're free to decline, if you're not interested", he told upfront. "But I thought you might want to handle the burial alone. If you do, I'll allow that."

Naruto's eyes filled with mild surprise. He paused to think about it in silence. It was a generous offer, considering all the people there. Accepting it might've been somewhat rude and selfish. But since it seemed that Itachi still could read him like an open book, it would've been wasteful to decline the offer. The man was right, he would've preferred to have one last moment alone with Sasuke. Knowing he would be granted that, a weak smile spread across his lips.

"I'd like that."

The other one flashed a smile in return.

"I thought you might", Itachi admitted. "Don't worry about the others. I'll let everyone know."

Naruto released a sigh of relief. "You're a fuckin' angel. Thanks."

"No problem, kid", the older one assured, already turning to walk away. "Come back once you're ready. Take your time."

Not bothering to reply, Naruto merely waved his hand in return. For a few minutes longer, he stayed there by himself. Just for the while it took for him to gather his strength anew, take a deep breath and face the pain of collecting his friend's remains. When he finally re-entered the room he'd abandoned, only few people remained anymore. He supposed Itachi had already gotten the word around and sent the guests home. He briefly searched for the strangers from before, but failed to find them. Though he'd hoped to exchange a word or two, he didn't stop to dwell on it and instead carried on with what was still left to be done.

Together with Itachi, he brought to completion the last of traditions still left. The collecting of bones into the urn that he would then take to the burial site. With care and caution they handled what was left from the cremation, moved the remains into the urn and finally sealed it tightly shut. It was strange, to be handed the urn. Holding it, watching it, Naruto was distantly aware that his friend lay in his hands. That he was holding him, all of him. It didn't feel like he was. And maybe that was the moment when he finally came to accept that Sasuke was gone. This being the closest he'd ever get to him anymore and it feeling like thin air in a vase, it would've been difficult to think otherwise.

With everybody else gone, only the two of them were left at the door when the time to leave finally came. There they stood, facing one another, but neither of them saying a word. It was difficult to find words fit for a time as sad and strange. Naruto knew he wouldn't be the one to break the silence, and thus Itachi was left to find a way to do it. It took its while, but eventually the man sighed.

"We did it. It's over now."

Naruto nodded, though barely.

"Yeah. Somehow we did."

Another silence gathered around them. It truly was the most speechless either of them had ever been. Yet somehow, it wasn't uncomfortable. Just understandable. As a sudden thought crossed the blonde's mind, he finally brought the quiet to an end.

"I nearly forgot to ask", he told. "Who was the guy with white hair?"

Itachi frowned, pausing to think back. After a while, his thoughtful gaze briefly cleared up, only to then turn deeply confused.

"I don't know", he unexpectedly said. "I thought you invited him."

Naruto became visibly taken aback, before shaking his head slowly and unsure. The confusion on his face matched the other's, as reality seemed to dawn on both of them simultaneously. Nobody had invited the man. Nobody knew who he was.

"How...strange", Itachi eventually commented. The blonde deemed it an understatement, but could hardly disagree.

"I wonder who he was", he thought aloud, mostly to himself.

"No idea", Itachi muttered. "He seemed quite sad, though."

He certainly had, that Naruto couldn't deny. They could've stayed there for the rest of the day to wonder about this mysterious man, but really no benefit would've come from it. So instead of wasting further time, the blonde changed the subject to something more relevant.

"I probably should get going. It's gonna get dark in a while", he sighed. The other one nodded and smiled.

"Of course. I won't keep you any longer", Itachi told. "I'll trust you to lay my brother to rest now. But I'll make sure to visit you in the near future. Both of you."

The blonde chuckled. "So, in about fifteen years, give or take?"

Itachi's gaze grew firmer. "Sooner. I promise."

He seemed serious, so Naruto decided to believe him. Not that he would've blamed the man even if they were never to meet again. After all, life was what it was. Just a string of fleeting moments after another, gone faster than really seemed fair. But then again, that was another indisputable truth of life. The unfairness of it. Which largely explained why he stood there carrying the ashes of his best friend. Life wasn't fair, and never failed to remind him of it.

Little less than an hour later, Naruto found himself at the grave site and in front of the exact spot chosen for Sasuke. The sun hadn't gone all the way down yet, but definitely was beginning to tip below the horizon. It'd stopped raining and the clouds had begun to shift, allowing the slowly lessening light to cast its rays across the graveyard. The ground remained wet, making it unfit to be seated on. But Naruto wasn't one to care. He kneeled down on the ground, directly in front of the stone monument, despite the water seeping through his clothes.

He glanced down at the urn still in his hands. Paranoid about dropping it, he gently laid it on top of the small crypt meant for it. He wasn't ready to place it inside. Not yet.

It was strange. To just sit there in silence and stare at what was left of his friend. He felt sad, but at the same time relieved. He was sad that Sasuke was gone and able to fit in a jar the size of his head. Yet relieved, because he knew that he wasn't actually inside that jar. He was somewhere else. Somewhere better, hopefully. Naruto wasn't one to know where, and thus wouldn't claim he did. But he wanted to believe that wherever his friend might've gone, he would one day follow and see him again. Naive or not, he refused to believe otherwise.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke."

Naruto didn't realize he'd decided to speak, before it'd already happened. Though surprised for a short while, he supposed he might as well finish what he'd started. Taking in a deep breath, he gathered all the thoughts he'd had for the past few weeks, and began to share them. With whom, probably didn't even matter.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you", he spoke quietly. "You're dead now. And I still feel like it's my fault."

How odd it was, the instant sting behind his eyes.

"I...I know you'd beat me up for sayin' that. But I don't care. I don't care, because I miss you, and I love you, and I hate that you're dead."

It was pathetic. Not the tear that escaped, but the futile fight he put up against it.

"You were more than my best friend. You _are_ more than that. You're my _brother_. But most of all, you're a fuckin' prick for dying."

He stopped fighting it. Stopped fighting the tears, the tremble in his voice, the crippling sorrow. Who cared how he should've handled his loss? It was his, and he was free to ugly cry all he wanted. His quiet whispers grew into something much louder and more emotional.

"You had _no_ right", he claimed. "_No_ right to leave me alone. How could you fuckin' do that to me?!"

Whoever might've been there to witness his outburst wasn't given two shits about. He didn't care if he was seen and heard. What he cared about was the pain he'd bottled up for weeks, now erupting in less than dignified ways. He was angry. Angry that death had taken Sasuke from him. Angry that he hadn't been able to save him. Furious, that he would never get him back. And absolutely enraged for being just a little more alone in the world.

"It ain't fair", his broken voice accused. "I can't do this alone. I can't do this without _you_."

It was a confession he'd so far refused to utter. To anyone, even himself. Not only was he angry, but he was afraid. Without Sasuke, the world seemed like a much bigger place. Bigger, emptier. Darker and more dangerous. And no matter how many dangers he'd faced, how many men he'd fought and killed, Naruto would never stop fearing what life was in its purest and barest form. The world was a cruel place, even at its best. And at its worst, he dreaded he hadn't even witnessed it yet.

"What am I supposed to do now, huh?" he questioned, less angry and more desperate. "The fuck _can_ I do? I feel fuckin' useless."

He did. Maybe it was just an inevitable aftermath of Sasuke's passing, but knowing what kind of sacrifice the man had made, he felt absolutely selfish and useless. Martyrdom of that kind wasn't something he ever could've rendered.

"Please, come back", he pleaded. "I miss you, Sasuke."

He knew he pleaded in vain. Yet he wanted to say it, just once. Of course it didn't, nor ever would change a thing, but the effort itself meant something to him. And maybe it was allowing himself to pitifully plead there on his knees which finally brought him a vague sense of peace. And if not peace, at the very least silence. He'd ran out of words to say. For some time to come, he stayed there in the quiet, watching the urn and letting his tears dry. By the time he finally forced himself on his feet, the sun was nearly down. The last rays it still cast painted the sky a fiery shade of red. And underneath that burning sky, Naruto finally laid his friend to the final rest.

The blonde stayed even after he'd placed the urn inside the crypt. He stood there silently, watching and remembering. Watching the still stone monument before him, and vividly remembering the life he and Sasuke had shared. It saddened him to know that never again would he see him smile, hear him laugh or witness him in any physical form whatsoever. And though he wasn't okay with that just yet, he wanted to believe he one day would be. If not for his own, for Sasuke's sake.

Naruto raised his downcast gaze towards the setting sun. It was beautiful, that he could not deny. Not a winter sun anymore, but instead a promise of approaching spring. Only the slightest sliver of its round edge remained visible above the horizon, yet the intense shades of red and orange only grew stronger. The sight somehow reminded him of the sunset from several months ago. The one he'd shared with Gaara. The one that'd also signified something sad and unfair. And it made him wonder, why was it that beautiful sunsets and tragic turns in life seemed to go so well together? A matter of balance, perhaps. Like most everything was.

From the corner of his eye, Naruto caught movement. As well as a flash of red hair. He wanted to feel surprised, but couldn't bother. Didn't even turn to look. Just waited for the uninvited, but not necessarily unwanted visitor to appear beside him. A while of silence went by, the two of them standing there and gazing at the colorful sky. Finally, the blonde felt a hand take a hold of his.

"Didn't I tell you not to come?" he asked. Not harshly, but mildly disenchanted.

"You did", Gaara admitted, tightening his hold. "I decided not to give a fuck."

The blonde couldn't help but chuckle. "You never do, do you."

Wasn't much of a question, really. A statement, more than anything. The redhead didn't seem bothered by it, as it was a difficult one to prove untrue. But then again, even the most truest of truths had their flaws.

"There's a few exceptions", he said and shrugged. The blonde huffed, as if offended.

"A few?"

"One."

It would've been unfair of Naruto not to smile. Thus he did. And it felt right. The smile faded as his lungs filled with a deep breath of fresh air. Keeping quiet was too easy not to do, so that was what they settled on. It wasn't uncomfortable or even sad anymore. Bittersweet, maybe. And though Naruto refused to admit it, he was glad Gaara came after all. As proud as he was of himself for having made it through the funeral all by himself, he was relieved to have the man beside him. Not just because it made him feel less alone. But because in just a few hours apart, he'd already managed to start missing him.

"I'm not sorry", Gaara suddenly spoke. "I'm not sorry for what I did."

Naruto said nothing, but let his gaze grow dark as he waited for the man to continue. And he did, eventually.

"I am sorry that he's gone. I'm sorry that you're hurting. But I will _never _be sorry that I saved you."

Hearing him say those things made the blonde feel uncomfortable. Not because he condemned this unusually honest confession, but because he wished it wouldn't have been necessary. For that, he had only himself to blame.

"I would do it a million times over, if I had to. I will _always_ choose you."

The words, they sounded so genuine, so certain of their message. Naruto couldn't have felt angry even if he'd tried. Not that he wanted to.

"I know", he spoke quietly. "I don't deserve it. I don't deserve yo-"

"Shut your face."

He did. Fell silent, stayed silent. After a while, he finally turned to glance at the other one. The man had gone through the effort of putting on a suit. Knowing how much he must've hated it, Naruto had to give him a little credit. Even if it did annoy him as much as it made him weak at the legs. The blonde couldn't help but smirk.

"You put that thing on just to fuck with me, didn't you?"

"No", Gaara argued, then paused. "Maybe."

Naruto chuckled. "You look good."

"I know."

Not a modest man, by any means. But then again, that was part of his charm. Being big enough of a dick to actually pull it off. And to think that Naruto had fallen for a trap so obvious. That definitely made him feel like a moron at times. But for the most part, lucky. And why wouldn't it? Admittedly, Gaara wasn't exactly the poster boy for social norms and political correctness. Didn't really know what the hell he was doing when it came to human interaction, wasn't good with emotions and sucked at anger management. Not to mention, he was genuinely dangerous. Yet despite all his flaws, or perhaps because of them, he somehow outshone every other human the blonde had encountered. Perhaps because he fell just a little short of really fitting the idea of one. Reasons aside, to Naruto that man was inhumane in the best of ways.

Gaara turned to meet the curious gaze on him. As always, he became somewhat stunned by what met him. The blue eyes, blonde hair and that face of a fucking angel. By all logic, none of it should've been something to call his own. Yet somehow, all of it was. And though it was likely that being destined to act as a vessel for evil was a form of payment for that privilege, he still considered it a small price for what he'd been given in return. For nothing in the world could be as vile and rotten as the blonde's smile was absolutely perfect. Of that he was certain enough not to care how irrational of a claim it was.

Gaara swallowed nervously. Why he felt nervous, he wasn't sure. Yet he was very certain that he had never felt as nervous in his entire life. The thing was, he hadn't come there purely out of spite. He'd come there to tell something. And truthfully, was absolutely terrified of how the blonde would react, as he had no way of knowing in advance. All he could do was hope that his dumbass brother wasn't as useless at everything as he tended to be.

For a moment longer, Gaara watched the blue eyes that'd slowly grown to question the silence. He made the conscious notion of how the last time he'd seen the blonde under a sunset as vibrant and unforgettable, he'd left him without knowing if they'd ever meet again. It definitely, without a doubt had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. And as he'd come to learn, perhaps the hardest thing the blonde had ever had to allow to happen. But this time, under this sunset and at this specifically chosen location, he might finally be able to make up for it.

And so, after having spent his entire life prepared to mutilate anyone who would've dared to suggest he'd do such a thing, he swallowed his pride and went down on one knee.

Naruto's jaw instantly dropped, long before he even realized what was going on. And when he finally did, all of him remained too dumbfounded for any sound to leave his open mouth. He could only stare at the kneeling man, whose gaze stayed on the ground for a while to come. When the pale green eyes finally turned to look up at him, he saw in them a look he'd never seen before. A look so nervous, so scared, yet so determined and certain at the same time. And it was captivating in a way incomparable to anything else. So much so, that Naruto nearly missed the redhead take out the one thing he'd told the man to never offer him again. The ring he'd declined.

Dread was quick to wash over his tense form. He came so close to stopping him. So close to telling him not to do this. And he would've, hadn't Gaara been so quick to wreck his entire reason to do so in the split of a second.

"I love you. Will you wear it?"

In an instant, whatever terror that'd momentarily held the blonde in its clasp, vanished. As if he'd never had a reason to feel any at all. And for a few skipped heartbeats, he forgot to breathe. His stare shifted between the redhead and the ring, until settling on the one watching him. Just by looking at him, Naruto could tell he was only barely stopping himself from shaking. He was absolutely petrified, nervous beyond belief. Intentional or not, the blonde couldn't help but smile.

"Didn't you promise you'd never do this?"

It was a sight worth seeing, Gaara too nervous to speak without trembling.

"I'm not askin' you to marry me, am I?"

The blonde chuckled. "Now that's just cheatin'."

He was being a dick, and knew it. But teasing the man was just too tempting not to be done. Perhaps it was a bit unfair, given the shaky breath of desperate frustration the redhead released.

"Don't torture me, angel. Will you wear the fuckin' thing or not?"

Naruto's gaze softened, as did his smirk. For a short while longer, he still gave hesitance and reluctance a chance to return. Neither one ever did, didn't as much as try. And he realized, he'd run out of reasons to decline. Seeing just how thin of a line between plain nervousness and absolute terror the redhead balanced on, he finally nodded.

"Yeah. I'll wear the fuckin' thing."

The redhead shut his eyes, a sigh of relief leaving his lips. Naruto was almost certain he'd never seen an invisible weight leave anyone's shoulders as clearly as he did then. With the weight finally off of him, Gaara pulled himself up from the ground and onto his feet. He wasn't granted a chance to do much more, as an unexpected hold on his shirt collar already pulled him forward and into a kiss he couldn't say he minded. He was fairly certain he'd deserved it.

It could've gone either way, really. And while he'd been equally as poorly prepared for both, this way certainly was preferred.

He'd spent the entire week wondering why he was the way he was. Why he'd felt fear only a handful of times in his life, yet cowered at mere idea of a real relationship. Why he had no problem taking human lives to keep the blonde safe, yet was too afraid to tell him the one word he wanted to hear. Such he'd spent seven days and nights thinking about, only to finally realize that there was in fact nothing stopping him from doing all those things. Nothing, but himself. So on the last night of that past week, he'd gone to bash the living shit out of every guy in his vicinity, just to prove to himself that if he was man enough to do that, he was man enough to admit he loved the blonde son of a bitch.

The moment Naruto had showed up at the cage that morning, had been the exact moment he'd decided he would do exactly what the blonde had told him not to do. And though it'd required roughly two and a half packs of cigarettes, extremely awkward discussing with his brother about extremely awkward subjects, and a borderline anxiety attack, he'd pulled his shit together and gone through with it. Without a doubt the most terrifying moment of his entire fucked up life.

There was a reason why he'd chosen the place he had. He'd promised Sasuke he'd be there to see it happen, even if it were in the next life. Since the man had passed on, no other place but his grave would've felt appropriate. While Gaara wasn't a man of sentiment, he was a man of his word. This way, he felt he'd kept his promise. He'd even prepared himself to do it in front of other people, if that was what it'd come to. But perhaps to everybody's luck, they'd been alone. The way they now would always be, with just the two of them left.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle. He backed away just enough to meet the redhead's gaze, even if it did slightly displease the man.

"I've officially ruined you, y'know", the blonde claimed with a smirk on his lips.

"You have no idea", Gaara grunted, almost bitterly. "I actually called my brother for this. That's how low I've sunk."

Naruto raised an amused brow. "You did?"

"I don't fuckin' know how to do shit like this", the redhead said in his defense. The other one snorted, admittedly amused.

"You literally are the cutest piece of shit on the planet", he declared with certainty. Gaara was quick to narrow his gaze at the blonde.

"You're one to talk", he huffed. "You use my name as your password, dickhead."

Naruto's face fell, partly out of embarrassment, but mostly out of offense.

"You broke into my phone?" he asked disbelievingly. In return he received an arrogant smirk.

"Hn, I did. And what you gonna do 'bout it, huh?" the redhead sneered.

The blonde said nothing for a while, only stared with a mildly sour face. Eventually, he simply huffed in defeat and held out his hand, as if waiting for something.

"Give me the damn thing", he demanded, referring to the ring.

Gaara chuckled at the other's immature attitude, but did as told. The blonde took it from him, quickly glanced at it and then placed it where it belonged. Only after he'd put it on, did he realize he hadn't sopped to hesitate even for the briefest of moments. Which was reassuring, for both of them.

"Huh, look at that", Naruto mumbled, honestly surprised. "It actually fits."

"Hn. Of course it does", Gaara scoffed, just a tad too confidently to come across exactly credible. The blonde gave him an amused look.

"You totally winged it, didn't you?"

A breath the other man hadn't been aware of holding in escaped his lips in defeat.

"I totally did. I can't believe it fuckin' fits."

Naruto chuckled, but said nothing in return. Instead he stopped to stare at the thing on his finger, wondering how he felt about it. Surprisingly good, if entirely honest. The fact that his left hand was now worth around a million yen wasn't something he was about to complain about. He was just vain enough not to. The sound of the redhead's voice woke him back to reality, even if he realized it wasn't directed at him.

"See, dickface? I did it."

The blonde turned to look at the other man, only to witness him speaking to the grave beside them. It dawned on him that this arrogant sneer was directed to Sasuke, causing him to frown somewhat unimpressed.

"Seriously? You did this just to shove it in his dead face?" he asked, though only halfheartedly.

"No", Gaara replied. "But it's a plus."

The blonde let out a sound between a snort and a scoff. "Typical."

"So, you still gonna shoot me?" the redhead asked, tilting his head in a curious manner. Naruto dragged out his answer for a while, if only to be a bit of a prick.

"Nah, not today", he finally assured with a light chuckle.

"Nice."

The blonde merely smiled in return, and Gaara only barely caught it anymore. Darkness was finally beginning to settle in around them. The sky had turned from a bright red to a less offensive hue of purple. The air wasn't cold, but definitely leaning towards chilly now that the sun had gone down. Not that either of them really minded it. There was really no need for them to decide that it was time to go home, as it was obvious. But before they could make it any further than that silent intention, a voice that belonged to neither of them suddenly spoke in the near distance.

"Well, well...if that wasn't the most charming moment I've ever witnessed."

The two men flinched at the unfamiliar voice, both turning to look in the direction it'd traveled from. Gaara made an instinctive move towards his gun, but was stopped by a gentle touch on his arm. Somewhat displeased, he glanced at the blonde from the corner of his eye. Naruto's blue gaze was firmly set forward, towards the shadow standing next to a tall tree only a leap away. His tense posture had relaxed and turned more curious than anything else. Though suspicious, Gaara decided to trust the other's silent advice and let the gun be.

Naruto already knew. Though they hadn't yet stepped out of the shadows, though he couldn't make out their face, he already knew. It was him. The man from the funeral. It had to be. As the dark figure finally stepped forward, revealing a vaguely familiar sight of white hair and that distinctive set of peculiarly colored eyes, the last of his doubt disappeared. And with that, so did his healthy skepticism.

"You", he stated. "I know you."

The man smirked. "Hn. Do you?"

Something about it, about the tone of his voice, sounded off. As if balancing on the subtle edge of a sneer. It confused Naruto, yet he never said anything of it. He said nothing of anything. Simply watched and waited. Finally, the stranger released a sound akin to one of realization.

"Ah, how rude of me", he spoke, offering his hand for a proper greeting. "I'm Suigetsu."

Naruto glanced down at the offered hand, hesitating to accept the gesture. After a while of careful consideration, he took a step closer and did anyway. He shook hands with the man, but never introduced himself in return. Turned out, he didn't have to.

"Nice to finally meet you, Naruto."

In an instant, the blonde's body grew tense. He was as quick to let go of the man's hand as Gaara was immediate to draw out his gun and step in between the interaction he now condemned positively unsafe. The stranger took a healthy step backwards and inched his hands higher as a sign of surrender. But the look on his face, a mix of amusement and arrogance, that remained the same. His voice matched the look almost too well.

"I assure you, I'm no threat", the man calmly stated.

His reassurance did very little good. He could've grown a halo over his head and still have received no further trust. The look of him, the feel of him, it all seemed too comfortable for someone in his position. Gaara didn't like that. Didn't like him. And for that reason alone, he kept the guy tightly in his aim. His determination seemed to intrigue the man, as the look on his face turned curious and a faint smirk tugged on the corner of his pale lips.

"I was warned 'bout you, y'know", the stranger's voice hummed. "Heard you'd kill any man in the blink of an eye for the only man you can't."

The redhead's eyes flashed with something akin to surprise. But that was quickly subdued by a very honest form of loathing. Positive that he'd heard enough of this useless bullshit, he decided to get rid of the nuisance altogether.

"It's true. And you're no exception."

Finger laid on the trigger and the usual excitement of a kill sparking, he would've taken the shot. If only Naruto had kept his mouth shut.

"Wait", the blonde hurried to say.

As if having trusted Naruto to interfere, the stranger smirked smugly. Caught there between an even greater urge to blow off this bastard's head, and the only person on earth he couldn't say no to, Gaara could only swallow his pride and do as told. Thus he waited. For what, he was never told. There was a curious look in the blonde's eyes, balancing out the suspicion. He couldn't help but wonder why this man, one whom he'd never met in his life, seemed so familiar with him? And most of all, why had he attended Sasuke's funeral cradled by genuine sorrow? After a while of silent questioning, he could no longer help his curiosity from breaking free.

"Why?" he asked. "Why were you at the funeral?"

Gaara's breath paused in surprise, gaze turning to glance at the blonde. His quiet curiosity went unnoticed. All of Naruto's focus was set on the man who's so far arrogant smirk dulled into a straight line. Not a scowl, but in fact something much darker. When he spoke, his voice flowed out low and resentful.

"Hn. He really never even mentioned me, did he." Not a question, merely a statement followed by a bittersweet chuckle. "What a cunt."

The blonde felt conflicted. Part of him wanted to feel angry for the disrespectful words spoken of his dead friend, yet something stopped him. The something about the man's voice that made it sound like he had every right to speak the way he did. Both confused and annoyed by it, Naruto's wide range of questions had shrunk down into just one, simple sentence.

"Who the hell are you?"

The man's eyes shifted up from the ground they'd gazed at, stopping to watch the blonde with a look that was perfectly neutral. Not smug, not sad. Nothing but thoroughly serious and placid.

"Told you already, didn't I?" he grunted. "Hōzuki Suigetsu. A widower at thirty-three, thanks to you."

A pause followed. The strangest, longest, most confused pause in the history of pauses.

"...Excuse me?"

The blonde's deeply confused question received no answer. Only that same blank stare and a hint of silent hostility. The longer it continued, the clearer it became just what this man was implying, and the less Naruto found a reason not to laugh in his face. He'd so far given this man the benefit of the doubt, a chance to prove no connection to yakuza or Akatsuki. But an elaborate lie such as this made it seem as if they weren't even trying anymore. A disbelieving chuckle flowing from his throat, the blonde went into full on denial.

"Damn, you people are turnin' desperate, ain't ya? Comin' up with shit like this", he marveled. "Sasuke was single as shit. Even an idiot would've figured that out."

The stranger's scowling lips let through a condescending scoff, one directed exclusively to the blonde.

"He always did call you a fuckin' moron. For good reason, I see."

Naruto's amused expression lingered for its short while, before slowly turning into one of doubtful anger. No matter how hard he might've tried to maintain his ridiculing attitude, the shameless personality of this man made it impossible. Eventually, he could no longer keep the offense strictly on the inside.

"It ain't fuckin' funny", he growled, shaking his head in disbelief. "Even for Akatsuki, this is a low fuckin' blow."

The fair-haired man raised a brow. Not of the curious kind, but the kind that signified he found the blonde's accusations inglorious.

"I really don't give a fuck what you think", he informed, gaze narrowing. "I loved him. For ten long years, I loved him unconditionally. And for ten _long_ fuckin' years, I always came second to you."

The bitterness in his voice, it was hard to bypass as a simple lie. The sound of it convincingly molded Naruto's disbelief into stubborn denial instead, somewhat embrittled his confidence in logic. But though it was difficult for him to wholeheartedly believe the man was lying, he still refused to trust his word.

"I don't believe you", his now weak and uncertain voice uttered.

The man huffed. "Why?"

For such a simple question, it was an oddly valid one. Even if the answer was obvious.

"I don't know you", Naruto stated. The man's dark gaze grew back its arrogant gleam, as if he'd waited for an opportunity such as this.

"No. But I know everything there is to know about you. _Everything_."

Though his gaze told of arrogance, his voice didn't. The words fell out spiteful and venomous, as if he'd hated every last one of them. As if he'd hated that he did know about the blonde. And though Naruto had no reason to believe a word he said, it was difficult to entirely disregard the hatred that seemed so very sincere. Maybe for that reason alone, he didn't stop the man from continuing.

"He never shut up about you", the man muttered sourly. "Everything always was about you. He refused to commit, because he couldn't leave _you_ alone. He only ever visited, when _you_ were away for work. He always answered the phone when _you_ called, no matter what. He even quit his job for you. All he ever did, was for _you_."

The blonde couldn't help the flinch. He had possibly never been addressed with such bitter hostility, or been gazed at with such envious eyes. And it wasn't only him who felt taken aback by it all. Even Gaara, a man usually so skeptic and cynical, had lowered the gun in his hand. Out of surprise, if nothing else. As neither of them knew how to respond, the third one took the liberty to fill the silence.

"I wouldn't have come to see you, if he hadn't asked me to", he admitted, no less bitter. "So whatever the fuck it is that'll convince you I'm telling the truth, get done with it. The sooner this is over, the better."

It truly was a moment Naruto hadn't anticipated. He suddenly found himself having to evaluate a situation he'd never even imagined could happen. In front of him stood a complete stranger claiming they'd not only known Sasuke, but supposedly been in a relationship with him. For several obvious and valid reasons, Naruto had every right to doubt the man's claim. Yet at the same time, not an inch of this stranger told of dishonesty. Nothing indicated he was there to deceive, as all of him seemed to hope he'd been anywhere but there. Feeling uncertain and cornered, the blonde turned to glance at Gaara for advice. All he received in return was a shrug and a look equally as confused as his own. Very few choices that left him with. Supposing there was nothing he could lose by giving the man a chance, Naruto figured out a way to test him. A way which momentarily caused him to smile, even if it were only faintly.

"First time I ever met Sasuke, he punched the living shit out of me", the blonde remembered, mostly fondly. "Why?"

It was a good question. Had such an obscure explanation, dated so far back that no way could any true stranger have known the answer. And for a while, it seemed like this man didn't. Only as Naruto began to feel certain that he was lying after all, did a lopsided smirk suddenly appear on the corner of his lips. By the looks of it, he even came close to chuckling.

"You told him he looked like a girl, tackled him into a sandbox and forcibly kissed him. Absolutely _anyone_ would've punched you for that."

However ridiculous of an answer it was, it did force the blonde awfully quiet. Noticing that, Gaara slowly turned to look at him both disturbed and disbelieving. He didn't even have to ask to know it'd been precisely what'd happened. The look of surprise on Naruto's face told more than words ever could, as did the mildly defensive look he finally gave the redhead.

"What? I was _five_", he mumbled. "I also enjoyed eatin' crayons and thought that boobs were a kind of flightless bird."

The redhead shook his head in vague disbelief. "How the hell did you survive into adulthood?"

Naruto made a disgruntled face, but saved any nasty comebacks. Instead he turned back towards the stranger, sighing in defeat of some sorts. Though still hesitant to believe the man, he couldn't simply ignore how accurately he'd answered the question presented to him.

"Hn. I don't want to believe you", he grunted. "But I also can't explain how you could've known that."

The other man huffed, somewhat impatiently. "So now what?"

"Depends", the blonde shrugged. "What are you here for?"

Suigetsu sighed, tiredly. As if he didn't want to really even tell the reason for his presence.

"I'm here to help", he muttered reluctantly. "Help you out of the shit you got yourself into."

Naruto wasn't sure whether to feel annoyed, or hopeful. Annoyed by the tone of this man's voice, or hopeful of learning something new. Indecisive, he settled on both.

"You?" he huffed rudely. "The hell could you possibly do?"

Perhaps he, too, could've chosen the tone of his voice a little more carefully. As a look of loathing flashed in the other man's eyes, he feared he might've overestimated his position in this situation. If, –no matter how slim of a chance it was– the man was telling the truth and truly was capable of offering help, it would've been dumb of him not to take advantage of it. Perhaps Suigetsu saw that instant regret in the blonde's eyes, as he wasn't immediate to withdraw his helping hand.

"That's not something I'm willing to discuss in a place like this", the man informed. "So if you're done insulting me, redirect your energy into finding a place more secluded."

Forced to swallow his pride, Naruto nodded. He turned to Gaara, who again looked thoroughly unimpressed even before the blonde had a chance to voice his suggestion.

"No", the redhead growled. "You can't just let strange men into the house."

"Hn. I took you in, didn't I?" the other one reminded.

"Not the same thing", Gaara assured. Naruto had a different look on it.

"Well yeah, that was way worse", he said, in fact pausing to think about it. "I mean, you're a literal lunatic. Why the hell _did_ I take you home?"

Mildly annoyed, the redhead grunted. "Cause your dick makes an awful lot of decisions for you?"

"Is that a complaint?"

"...No."

"Thought so."

Gaara couldn't bother to even sigh. Talking sense to this man was about as useful as pedals on a wheelchair. Pleased with the redhead's overall look of defeat, Naruto turned to face the one still waiting for an answer.

"Congratulations. You're comin' home with me", he declared, already heading towards the car.

Suigetsu expressed no complaints and willingly followed behind the blonde. Gaara was left to glare at Naruto's turned back, his steps far lazier than the other two's.

"You really gotta say it like that?" the redhead grunted, only to be dismissively waved at.

"I am as committed to you as the law fuckin' allows. What more do you want?"

"Hn. I blowjob wouldn't hurt."

Gaara honestly thought he'd spoken quietly enough for Naruto not to hear. No such luck.

"Trust me, honey. I can make it hurt."

The ride home was silent and tense. Not a single word was spoken during the entire time. Naruto sat behind the wheel, the stranger claiming absurdities beside him, and Gaara on the backseat. Not concerned if it were perhaps a tad over-protective, he wanted to be perfectly aware of the stranger's movements at all times. He'd seen people get killed in situations less suspicious than the one at hand. And truly, none of it was anything but that, suspicious. As admirably confiding as the blonde still could be in other people, Gaara knew better than to let it happen unsupervised.

The moment after they stepped through the door of their home was a strange one. Somewhat awkward and timid. Even for the unexpected guest. He stood there in the hallway, glancing around curiously, yet obviously nervous. While Naruto was too unaware of life in general to read any further into it, Gaara tried to figure out whether the man seemed anxious for reasons perfectly acceptable, or because he was about to do something stupid. He failed to reach any definite conclusion.

"Uh...So, this good enough?" Naruto eventually asked the fair-haired man.

All he received in response was a nod. A short while of quietness went by, before the blonde cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I need to change. This thing is killin' me", he informed, tugging at the tie around his neck. "I'll be right back."

With that, he walked away and disappeared into the upstairs bedroom. The other two now left alone, the tension hardly lessened. Gaara's cold gaze remained firmly set on the other man, who in return did his best to avoid it. While the redhead would've wanted nothing more than to change out of the fashionable straitjacket on him, there wasn't a shot in hell he would've let this stranger out of sight. The longer he glared at him, the more interested he became in the bag hanging off the man's shoulder. It wasn't big, didn't seem out of the ordinary. But since it could've concealed inside anything from a severed head to a time bomb, he couldn't simply let it be.

"Open it", his low voice commanded.

The other man frowned, turned to look at him, and finally glanced at the bag. Though mildly taken aback by such a sudden demand, he eventually did as told. He laid the bag down, opened the zipper and revealed its contents. Gaara glanced down at it, finding nothing alarming. Just a stack of papers, a laptop and other items of irrelevance. It did ease his suspicions slightly. Yet nothing still assured that the man wasn't a hazard of any kind. Which the redhead gladly used as an excuse to show just how brittle ice the guy stood on.

"You armed?" he asked, perfectly calm. The man shook his head.

"No", he told.

Though fairly convincing, his voice did have a mildly nervous undertone to it. The clearly sadistic smirk lifting the corners of the redhead's lips might've had something do with it.

"Hn. Surely you don't mind if I check?"

It was clear to both of them just how little of a question it'd been. Perhaps that explained the nearly nonexistent resistance Gaara received as he crudely forced the other man face first against the nearest wall, a less than considerate hold pinning him to place. Though a quiet hiss of pain did escape his lips, he didn't dare complain and willingly let the redhead check him for whatever it was he worried he'd find. Upon discovering nothing to hold against the man, Gaara released an almost disappointed grunt and let go. But only to grab him by the throat as soon as he'd dared to turn around.

Only for a split second did Suigetsu try to break free, before catching the look in the redhead's eyes. For a reason he could not quite specify, his body froze still and rigid. The strangest of feelings overcame him, filled the air he only barely could breathe in. A feeling unlike any other he'd ever encountered, one that compelled him to fear something that couldn't quite be explained. Couldn't quite be put into words. It was almost as if pitch black darkness had fallen unannounced. And it took him a while to realize that the room hadn't grown any colder. Only the eyes watching him had. Thus it made no sense for him to shiver when the redhead finally opened his mouth to let out a voice darker than any night he'd lived to see.

"On this property alone, there are seven places where your body would never be found. Fifteen along the street. Twenty-five around the block. And forty-seven in a mile's radius."

It would've been unreasonable to expect an answer from the other man. Most of him was yet to stop marveling at the indisputable evil all around him. He could've sworn he visibly saw it slowly crawl out from the corners of the room, painting the ceiling and walls in shades of danger. He was quick to realize, everything he'd heard about this man had been but a tame and vague understatement. For no words in the world could've described the diabolic pressure slowly crushing him from all directions, and nothing explain the inhumane growl that fell from the redhead's lips.

"Lie to my angel, and you'll rot in all of 'em."

Might've only been because of the generally dangerous atmosphere, but it was worryingly easy for Suigetsu to picture his own body cut into forty-seven even pieces. He'd never heard a threat as convincing in his entire life, that he could say with certainty. It would've been dumb of him not to take it seriously. Thus he didn't hesitate to hastily nod as a sign of having understood what he'd been told. Immediately after, sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs could be heard. Gaara was quick to let go and turn to see the one now back downstairs. It was astonishing, how quickly the pronounced darkness in that room crawled back to the pits of inferno it'd risen from. The instant the redhead laid his eyes on the blonde, he turned into someone entirely else. The fallout of homicidal intent vanished, replaced by a sudden feel of genuine worship of a single focus point. And that indisputably was the most terrifying thing Suigetsu could remember having witnessed. It almost was as if he hadn't just seen the gates of hell crack open ever so slightly. Naruto never even as much as suspected that something strange had taken place.

"Don't you wanna get out of that terrible thing?" the blonde asked Gaara upon reaching them.

"I'm fine", the redhead said, though did shift awkwardly.

As terribly uncomfortable as he was, leaving the room would've made him a million times more uncomfortable.

"Masochistic moron, ain't ya", Naruto mumbled, as he stubbornly loosened the other's tie. The redhead smirked crookedly.

"I'm anythin' you want me to be", he assured.

"I can't even argue with that", the blonde admitted, while opening a few buttons on the man's shirt. A few seemed like a disappointing amount.

"Hn. That's all?" Gaara grunted, earning a disapproving headshake.

"You are insatiable", the blonde mumbled, and turned to look at their more or less awkward guest. "You. Take a seat."

He did. Walked past the other two, circled the redhead from as far away as humanly possible and took a seat by the island counter. Naruto took a seat across him and Gaara beside the blonde, after taking off his jacket and rolling up the sleeves of the shirt underneath. Amazingly, that alone made breathing less of a burden.

"Well. I think you got some explainin' to do", Naruto told the man across him, while placing a cigarette between his lips.

Suigetsu could've let the accusatory tone of voice get to him, but keeping in mind the redhead's trigger-happy nature, he let it slide.

"What you wanna know?" he asked and skipped all pointless remarks.

"Start with the obvious", Naruto suggested. "Let's pretend I believe everything you told me. When'd you meet Sasuke?"

Bluntness seemed to be the theme of the day. Though momentarily taken aback, Suigetsu was fairly quick to pull himself together and clear his dry throat to answer the question.

"About fifteen years ago", he estimated. Naruto was quick to follow up with another question.

"Where?"

The other one shifted awkwardly. "Sound."

The blonde's lips parted, eyes flashing with faint recognition. And instantly, he knew exactly when, where and why Suigetsu might've met Sasuke. Fifteen years ago in the small city of Sound, where he'd left to do some extensive and angsty introspection. A year and then some of their friendship Naruto had only barely forgiven him for.

"He lied, huh?" the blonde muttered. "Said he'd left it all behind."

Suigetsu grunted bitterly. "You're not the only one he lied to, y'know. Difference is, I believed him even when I knew he was lying."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

"No", was the immediate reply. "I couldn't care less how you feel about me."

The words certainly had a hostile tone to them, yet the blonde couldn't say he minded it. Found it intriguing, more than anything. He had to admit, this man did possess qualities Sasuke might've fallen for. General bitterness and overall arrogance, topped off with a hint of egoism. To put it simply, an exact replica of himself. Talk about conceit.

"Fair enough", Naruto stated, lighting his cigarette. "Tell me, exactly what was he to you?"

The man fell silent for a short while, clearly thoughtful. It seemed there was no clear cut way to describe what it was he supposedly had shared with Sasuke.

"Everything", he finally said. "That's what he was to me. Even if I was only a fraction of life to him."

Naruto hated to admit, for a split second he did feel bad for the man. How could he not? Liar or not, he undoubtedly was absolutely miserable.

"Widower", he then stated. "That's the word you used. But there ain't a shot in hell he was married."

"We weren't", the man admitted on the spot. "But always saying that we were was how I took the piss out of him. He hated it. And then again not. I'm not really sure how he felt about it."

The description admittedly did fit Sasuke. But then again, it would've fit a number of people. Naruto was beginning to feel too confused to be certain of anything anymore. He didn't quite know whether or not to believe him, even less since he definitely didn't like him as a person. Yet he seemed sincere. Everything else Naruto could've overlooked; the unlikeliness of Sasuke having maintained a relationship for over a decade, the convenient timing of this stranger's sudden appearance. But not the perfect invisibility of it all for such a long period of time. That was the one thing he found so hard to swallow. Whether it was because he was certain he knew everything there was to know about Sasuke, or because he now feared he didn't. Sighing, he had to point out the issue most obvious.

"Listen. He never even mentioned you", he told, though fairly kindly. "How the hell am I supposed to believe you?"

Suigetsu's so far neutral gaze turned weary and frustrated. The sigh that left his lips clearly echoed the way he felt.

"You don't have to", he told tiredly. "I'm not here to prove a fuckin' point. I came to help, cause he asked me to. Could we just get it over with?"

He certainly was beginning to grow quite tired of being interrogated and questioned. Naruto couldn't really blame him. But neither could he blame himself for feeling suspicious. Not that such a tactic seemed to be shifting the situation into any productive direction. Considering the situation as a whole, maybe it was best to set suspicions aside for a moment.

"Fine", the blonde agreed. "Now what?"

The other man said nothing, only turned to glance at the bag he'd brought with him and nodded in its direction. Frowning, Naruto put out his cigarette, walked over to grab it and brought it back to the counter with him. He set it in front of their guest, who silently went to open it anew and pulled out most of its contents. The laptop he placed beside the bag, and two separate stacks of paper next to the device. While the blonde had no reason to react to what was taken out, Gaara expressed mild surprise. The laptop, he realized he'd seen it before.

"That's...", he began, but trailed off. Suigetsu nodded.

"Yeah. It's Hyuuga's."

It was Naruto's turn to look surprised. Though given very vague hints of the bigger picture, it didn't take him long to connect the dots. As it all suddenly made more sense, he couldn't help but point out the obvious.

"It's you", he unexpectedly exclaimed. "You're the hacker. The one Sasuke sent Hyuuga's shit."

Suigetsu's features dulled into a jaded scowl. "You don't say."

As if suddenly having been showered with a bucketful of childish excitement, Naruto forgot all about his previous skepticism and went full on retarded with enthusiasm. Could barely stay still enough not to fall off his seat.

"Did you find somethin'?" he asked urgently. Suigetsu made a face that indicated uncertainty.

"Yes and no", he admitted.

Perhaps not the ideal answer. But to the blonde, who'd steadily sailed towards the vast sea of utter hopelessness, it was more than enough. Life had turned him into a whore for hope and the lack of it taught him not to mind being one.

"I have a sudden urge to undress you", he found himself mumbling in awe, though didn't quite realize it. Two unimpressed gazes turned to glare at him, one slightly more offended than the other.

"Don't let him anywhere near me", Suigetsu told the redhead, who again looked like the human equivalent of a Monday morning.

"I'd rather shoot him", he assured, in fact as serious as one could've. Naruto finally seemed to understand he'd thought out loud.

"Did I just fuckin' say that aloud?" he wondered.

Judging by the look on Gaara's face, yes. Yes he had.

"As certainly as you are dead if you say it again."

Leave it to Naruto to make awkward situations absolutely unbearable. Two tired sighs later, Suigetsu and Gaara unanimously decided it was easier to change the subject than waste time burying the blonde alive in the backyard.

"Hn. Let's start with the good news", Suigetsu suggested, opening the laptop's lid. "Good news is that I found several highly secured files and a kind of task management software I can't find any information on. Which means it must've been built for classified use."

The two others merely nodded. Considering that Gaara hadn't touched a computer in nearly ten years, and Naruto's knowledge on them didn't greatly exceed clearing his browser history for undisclosed reasons, not much was there for them to comment.

"The bad news is —", Suigetsu began, pausing to sigh, "— I haven't been able to access any of them yet."

Well. It didn't sound exactly promising. Which Naruto expressed by groaning in frustration.

"So...basically, you got nothing?" he questioned.

The desperation in his voice neared pathetic. But instead of pointing that out, Suigetsu turned around the laptop to show its screen to the other two. Naruto lazily lifted his head off the counter he'd let it fall against and glanced at what he was being showed. There was very little he could make sense of. There was a program running, that he could tell. But had he been asked to tell what kind would've been the same as telling him to birth a child. Impossible. All he could offer as a reaction was a questioning stare. Kindly enough, Suigetsu returned it with an explanation.

"The task management software I mentioned, it has _unbelievable_ security. All programs I tried to hack it with crashed almost immediately. I've never seen a defense system like it before. The firewall alone is impassable. This is the closest thing to perfection you can get without biometrics. Whoever built the security is a fuckin' genius."

Naruto wasn't entirely sure how this was supposed to lift his spirits. To him it sounded terribly discouraging in every way imaginable. Noticing the depressed look in the blonde's eyes, Suigetsu pointed at the laptop's screen.

"This is a multitasking cracking program I created", he told. "It attacks several different security measures simultaneously, wearing out and weakening the resistance. It's not an original, since building it from scratch would've taken me months. So instead I used the framework of a program I built a while back, combined it with elements of a few others and then added some."

Gaara scowled. "Is it working?"

"I don't know yet", Suigetsu admitted. "I only finished building the program yesterday. It's been running for just a few hours. But if nothing else, at least it's still running. All the other ones crashed within minutes."

"Hn. I guess that's good", Naruto sighed. "Is it possible they'll notice they're bein' hacked?"

"There's a chance. But it's slim", Suigetsu said. "Since I'm attacking just this one account and not the entire system, they probably won't notice."

Reassuring, the blonde supposed. Like hell did he know, or even understand.

"If it works, how long till it can break in?" Gaara asked. Suigetsu was quick to spread his arms in utter dubiety.

"No fuckin' clue", he admitted straight away. "I have never hacked a defense system like this. I've never built or used a cracker like this. Could take a few hours, might take up to a few weeks. _If_ it works. I have literally no idea."

It was quite the bittersweet feeling, to be both hopeful and devastated at the same time. For that was exactly how Naruto felt. Hopeful that there was some hope, yet devastated in advance if there was none at all. He couldn't help but fear that they'd just reached yet another dead end.

"Fuck. I don't wanna sound ungrateful, but is that it?" he mumbled, almost pitifully.

"Not exactly", the other one revealed and picked up the papers he'd taken out. "I did find a few shady things. Proof of financial transactions, for example. Bᶖtcoins, m-payments, and other things untraceable. Tried to track the coin trail, but after going through the first seventy-five BTC addresses it went through, I just gave the fuck up."

Naruto frowned, mostly out of curiosity. Untraceable transactions did hint towards blood money. And must've involved truly important people. Otherwise nobody would've have bothered to so carefully hide the trail.

"On top of that shit—", Suigetsu continued, grabbing the other stack of papers, "—there's the diary."

The blonde paused, narrowed his eyes, raised a brow. He'd joked about Hyuuga keeping a diary, but hadn't seriously thought they'd find one.

"Really?" Naruto asked. "How...terribly convenient."

"Well, it's more of a log, I guess", Suigetsu supposed. "Wasn't protected by anything, just sat there. It probably doesn't contain anything groundbreaking, but I did print it out for you anyway. Thought you might wanna take a look."

The man handed the stack of papers over, and Naruto took what he was offered. Deciding he'd read it later, he didn't stop to gaze at it for long. Somehow he felt surprised by the kind gesture.

"Thanks", he said, and actually meant it.

The other one simply nodded, not bothering to speak. Silence followed, indicating all things relevant had been gone over. As that fact settled in with all them, Suigetsu released a somewhat relieved sigh and got up from his seat.

"Well, guess that's all for now. I better start going", he mumbled, packing away his things.

Naruto stood up as well, waited for the man to finish packing up and then politely walked him to the door. Once there, they paused to think of a way to end this strange meeting. Easier said than done, they came to find.

"You stayin' in town for a while?" Naruto asked, as nothing else came to mind.

"Yeah, for now. I'm staying at a hotel downtown", Suigetsu told, as he took something out from his pocket. "Here's my card. Call me if you need to. If not, I'll contact you."

Naruto took the business card offered, but frowned in confusion. "You have my phone number?"

The other one smirked. "I have your social security number. Of course I do."

The blonde chuckled awkwardly. He truly wasn't sure whether to feel impressed, or mildly afraid.

"That's...unnerving", he admitted. Suigetsu merely grinned.

"Good."

Another short silence went by, as Naruto hesitated to voice his thoughts. He wasn't certain how they'd be received, nor did he know for sure he even wanted to express them. Yet in the end, he did anyway.

"Uhm, if you want to...you could stay here", he finally suggested. "There's an empty room. Obviously."

Suigetsu's smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful pout. He did seem to consider it, if only briefly.

"Thanks, but no", he declined. "No disrespect, but just bein' in this house makes me feel suicidal."

Judging by the tone of his voice, he wasn't exaggerating. Though Naruto still wasn't certain if he believed that this man had been in a relationship of that kind with Sasuke, it seemed obvious that he'd loved him. Whatever the hell that had meant for them. Perhaps that was why the blonde felt the need to show the gratitude he honestly felt for the help the man was offering, even if it was offered only out of a sense of obligation. Being the type of person that he was, the only way Naruto knew how to express that gratitude of his was by boldly ignoring the concept of personal space and daringly pulling this stranger into a hug. He had anticipated the flinch and in no way expected his hold to be returned.

"Thank you."

His quiet words, they helped the other man's stiff shoulders to relax. His hold never got returned, but just knowing that his gratitude was accepted was enough. Thus he let the other man go and flashed him a genuine smile. In return, Suigetsu gave a silent nod. After that wordless goodbye and a quick glance in the redhead's direction, the man left. Naruto stayed to watch the door even after it'd closed. A strange sense of peace had begun to settle inside him. Where it'd come from so unexpectedly, he couldn't say. But neither did he mind. He didn't have to know.

"Hn. You trust him?" Gaara's pessimistic voice asked after a while.

Naruto didn't let it bring his slightly lifted spirits down. The smile on his lips grew a little wider.

"No", he told. "But I'd like to."

The redhead scoffed. "You're too gracious for a world this cruel."

Naruto chuckled, turned to face the other man and made his way over.

"And you're too cruel to understand what it means to be gracious", he said and leaned a little closer. "That's why this works. We keep each other's dumb ideas on a leash."

Gaara gave him a certain kind of look. "Like you wantin' to undress other men?"

The blonde groaned. "I'm never gonna live that one down, am I."

Not a question, just a self-aware observation. Which the redhead gladly proved true.

"Never", he promised. Naruto huffed.

"I don't want to undress other people, dumbass. I let you mark me for life, didn't I?"

"Is that what we call it now?" the other one asked, somewhat amused. Pausing to think, the blonde found himself wanting to cringe at the alternative.

"Beats bein' engaged for life", he mumbled. "Cause that sounds like somethin' you end up with after skipping the terms and conditions, and signing shit anyway."

"Yeah, kinda", Gaara chuckled, not minding the nips on his neck. "How 'bout just eternal damnation? Sounds less boring."

The blonde hummed in a pleased tone. "Perfect."

And it was. For them, anyway. As strangely perfect in the oddest of ways, as things often seemed to be. That very day included. It'd been a sad day, yet a happy one too. After a soul sucking period of mourning, the blonde had laid to rest his best friend. It'd been sad, still was, always would be. But he'd also said yes to another chance at happiness. One he'd take, regardless of however long it might take for it to overpower the sadness. Summarized, it'd been a day of death, life and then some.

He supposed he'd reached a turning point of some sorts. Closed a chapter, opened a fresh one. Said goodbye to someone familiar, welcomed someone new. Someone unexpected. Welcomed them perhaps only to an extent of reluctance, but an extent nonetheless. It'd sparked a faint gleam of hope, one that had the potential to grow ablaze, or be smothered lifeless. One outcome of course exceeded the other, but regardless of how it'd turn out, he found no reason to feel afraid anymore. Not of death, not of life. Not even of the process between the two, dying.

Because no matter what hell still awaited him, the devil already was eternally damned to love him. He was in hell, but it was a hell of his own design.

* * *

_First ring. _

_Gaara couldn't quite breathe. _

_Second ring. _

_Neither could he quite stay still. _

_Third ring. _

_The door was right there, not even an inch away. The door which he should've exited through a while ago already._

_Fourth ring._

_Yet there he was, resting his forehead against it instead. So far he'd managed to avoid smashing his face flat into it. But the urge was strong._

_Finally, halfway through the fifth ringback tone, an answer. A very frustrated answer._

"_For fuck's sake, Gaara." Kankuro sounded annoyed. "This is the fourth fuckin' time you've called me today. The hell is it this time?"_

_The room felt so very small all of a sudden. Was he simply imagining things, or were the walls closing in?_

"_I can't fuckin' do it."_

_Breathing felt awfully painful. It wasn't supposed to be, was it?_

"_Why not?"_

_Questions. He wasn't capable of answering questions. He wasn't capable of even asking them, hence the problem._

"_I-...I don't know. I just can't."_

_A tired sigh, frustrated grunt. "Again, why?"_

_Why? Because he was terrified. What was he terrified of? Everything. Of every outcome imaginable._

"_Cause...what if he says no? What if he says **yes**?"_

_A short silence followed, one a tad disbelieving. "It's like you have no idea what you're doing."_

"_I don't."_

_Another sigh, less frustrated and more patient. A while of pensive silence later, Kankuro suddenly presented a side of himself Gaara couldn't remember ever having witnessed before. A side perfectly serious._

"_What if you don't do it at all?" _

_Gaara flinched. What an earnest tone of voice. One that aimed to put things into perspective. _

"_What if you don't do it, and he dies? Would you ever forgive yourself?"_

_Gaara flinched anew. He paused to think about it. Why he bothered, he didn't quite know. The answer was obvious, after all._

"_No."_

"_Exactly", huffed the older one. "Also, if you don't, someone else will. You really want your pretty boy ridin' another fag's cock?"_

_Clearly there was a very specific time limit to Kankuro maintaining a serious mood. If only it were possible to skin someone alive through the phone._

"_If I ever see you again, I will impale you with a fuckin' fencepost. Ride that, cumstain." _

"_...You'd be greatly improved by a sense of humor, y'know."_

"_You'd be greatly improved by death."_

_Kankuro sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't understand what he sees in you. You got the personality of a used condom. Repulsive and full of wasted potential."_

"_Hn. Too bad my personality wasn't there to stop you from happening."_

"_You see my fuckin' point?"_

"_No."_

_Short silence followed. Gaara sighed, finally moved his forehead away from the door and pressed his back against it instead. The ceiling he deemed unusually entertaining, mostly for its convenient placement. The bland color of it did somewhat even out the chaos inside his head. _

"_I can do it", he decided. "I want to."_

_The other end of the line smiled, crookedly. "I know. Now grow a pair and go propose the shit outta your pretty blonde boyfriend."_

_The redhead scowled. "I'm not proposing."_

_Kankuro groaned tiredly. "Well whatever the fuck it is you weirdos do. Just stop bein' a pussy and **do** **it**."_

"_Yeah, yeah. I'll fuckin' do it." A pause, a frown, a low grunt of reluctance. "Thanks."_

"_No problem, psycho", grinned the older one. "Remember. If you get laid tonight, it's all thanks to me."_

_Gaara was fairly certain he threw up in his mouth a little bit. A question and sincere concern; would he ever again get a boner without the thought of his brother killing all joy it could potentially bring? _

"_Go fuck a blender. I'm never having sex again, so neither will you."_

"_Don't be rude. I actually stopped havin' it just to take your call."_

_If Gaara hadn't thrown up in his mouth before, he definitely did now. About two thirds of the very short list of things that sincerely managed to disgust him was exclusively Kankuro. Always had been. Always would be._

"_I hope she has AIDS."_

"_I hope you never get laid again."_

_Short silence followed. Annoyed on Gaara's side, mildly amused on Kankuro's. The quiet ended in the older one's light chuckle and curious question._

"_You ready?"_

_The redhead shut his eyes, took a deep breath. One that didn't hitch, didn't get stuck in his throat. Opening his eyes, he smirked and released a disbelieving huff._

"_Yeah. I'm ready."_

* * *

**_This whole chapter is a dumpster fire of cute bullshit, I am aware. Feel free to purge all over your keyboard. I just couldn't help myself. Blame it on my unstable brain chemistry._**

**_Ya'll been so quiet for the past couple of chapters. Makes me miss all you sweet, fluffy potatoes. (I assure you, fluffy potatoes are a good thing. Or maybe I'm just really bad at this shit. Yeah, might be that.)_**


	54. Lex Talionis

**Miss me? **

* * *

Boring, informative at best. That's how Naruto would've described the painfully thick stack of papers containing Hyuuga's notes. Suigetsu had been right, it couldn't really be considered a diary. More of a log, a dull journal of short and flavorless entries. Much like Hyuuga himself had been like; somewhat bland and uninspiring. In the past four hours that Naruto had spent reading bits and pieces of it in between daily tasks, he hadn't really learned anything worth mentioning. The first half of it he'd deemed plain boring. The following ten or so pages he'd generously called readable. And the remaining part, the one he now eyed while drinking coffee and begrudgingly nibbling on a piece of dry toast, he finally considered vaguely interesting.

While none of the text so far had contained any direct mention of yakuza or Akatsuki, he'd found a few obscure hints every here and there. The kind only someone aware of the affiliation could've pointed out. The further he read, the more often these vague hints would appear. And the closer to the end he got, the less neutral was the tone that'd namelessly addressed them along the way. The clean and detached writing had grown darker page by page, entry after entry. The notes themselves had become longer and more detailed, indicating a more personal attachment to the written words. Knowing the state of mind Hyuuga had left this material world in, it didn't take Naruto much effort to understand that he was learning the story of a man very desperate. And more specifically, the miserable ending to a desperate man's story.

Though it clearly wasn't the most touching piece of prose he'd ever read, it did make him feel strangely uncomfortable. He hated to admit it, but the darkness and desperation...it all hit just a little too close to home. It was no big stretch for him to picture the words as his own. Against all odds, they'd had in common much more than he'd ever imagined. And it terrified him to realize that really only one significant difference set their stories apart.

Hyuuga had been all alone. Naruto wasn't. Had he been, it was likely his story would've already met its miserable end as gruesomely as the other's had. These kinds of things, they rarely were a matter of determination and diligence. No matter how widely spread was the belief that everyone should live for their own self, nobody actually did. What was the point of fighting to live, if there was no one to share that victory with? Companionship, just a simple desire of all gregarious animals.

The last entry was a strange one. Different, much longer and more uninhibited than any other. Definitely one of the saddest things Naruto had ever laid his gaze upon.

'_It's Friday. I used to like Fridays. In hindsight, I guess I should've picked another day of the week to sell my soul all those years ago. A Monday, perhaps. I've never been fond of them to begin with. Most people aren't. And the few who are, always have a reason for it. I was born on a Monday. I guess that's why my father always called it his favorite day of the week. He might as well have hated it, though. I wouldn't have minded. After all, I did kill his wife while forcing my way into the world. Admittedly, I've never been very good at first impressions._

_He was a good man, from what I can remember. Nothing like the rest of our family, nothing like his brother. Didn't care about pride as much as the rest of them did, and still do. If he'd lived longer, maybe I could've taken more after him than the filth I did. Maybe I could've learned not to hold so many grudges. Had I, it's possible I wouldn't have made the mistakes that ruined me. Or not. Maybe nothing would've changed. Maybe I'd still have grown to be what I am today, still have led a life of mistakes after another and rotted from the inside out anyway. Maybe it's a good thing the old man died as early as he did. Had he lived to see the sins I've committed, he would've died a whole lot more disappointed. _

_My father. Not a man I often think about. So why now? _

_Maybe it's knowing that my time is running out what reminds me of him. He knew in advance, too. But that's where the similarities stop. He died with dignity, I suppose. I won't. I'll either die a loser, or a coward. Haven't decided which one just yet. I still have a while to make up my mind. A week, if I'm lucky. That's roughly when my clients' use for me will have run its course. But I did do a pretty good job postponing it, if I do say so myself. Whether I like it or not, I guess there are some advantages to the name and fortune I inherited. Won't save my life, but will hopefully, and ironically, drag down my filthy family even after I'm gone. Hyuuga isn't a name that goes unnoticed if woven into the vast web of global crime. It will be spotted, will stir terror and will cause embarrassment. And though I'll be too busy decomposing to see it happen, I'll know it was me who drove them to a social and economical suicide. They will squirm, they will crumble. They'll seize to be, eventually._

_I don't care if revenge of this magnitude makes me petty. They only have themselves to blame, if you ask me. Should've thought twice before sacrificing my father to keep their good name. Should've thought twice before disowning me. Should've thought, just in general. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and then some. Lex talionis, but tweaked to humor the devil. Might as well, since my appointment with him is just around the corner now._

_One week to go. Hopefully. I still have to write the rest of my will. Promised to finish that dreadfully dull divorce case transcript by Wednesday. And need to cancel the date I had for next week. Nearly forgot about that one. Not much of a loss though, she seemed awfully dumb and boring to begin with. Some things even a pretty face can't fix. I suppose I'm living proof of that. Well, technically, dying proof. And dead, as soon as I manage to make up my mind about how to die. _

_I know I have the option of fighting till the end, rioting against the people who essentially own me and then die a loser's sorry death. I know that is what the world expects of me. But to be honest, I'm not sure I can bother. For once in my life, I'd like to take the easy way out. Go as quietly as a man in my position can, die cowardly by my own hand. That's what I want, that's how I want to go. But what I want and what fate wants for me do not share the same worth. So I guess all I can do is continue hoping for a sign that'd assure it's okay for me to give up. Haven't come across one yet, but a man can dream. Regardless of how it plays out, I'm not afraid of dying. In some strange way, I'm looking forward to the day I'll finally be gone. The day this'll all be over._

_I just hope it won't be a Monday.'_

That was it. The last entry of this melancholic collection. Dated exactly a week prior to Hyuuga's death. Compared to every other bit of text, it was a clear standalone. Real and raw, the bare framework of that man's emotional evolution. It seemed very private and personal. Perhaps that was why Naruto felt small pinches of shame while reading it. Like it wasn't for his or anybody else's eyes to see.

Bitter and resentful. That's the kind of man Hyuuga seemed to have died as in the end. Nobody could've blamed him. It was no secret that their influential name was shadowed by generation's worth of burdens. As one of the last clans around as old and rich with history, they possessed power of many kinds. A name notable and respected, but undoubtedly feared as well. They'd always balanced on the thin line between honorable and questionable. But so did every other politically influential family. Not as easy of a position to be born in as one might've imagined.

Naruto still vaguely remembered the news about Neji's father passing away. Quite a bit of media coverage it'd gotten. He'd been found dead at the bottom of the city's tallest building. Officially it'd been ruled a suicide, but rumors of something even darker never died with him. The most notable people of their family had run into legal trouble a few months prior, as they'd been sued for something or other by another influential family. In return, the Hyuugas sued them for defamation. That kind of back and forth slandering had continued for a while, until the situation escalated into a very public legal war between the two, with no end in sight. And then, somebody died.

An important member of the Hyuugas' rival family passed away under suspicious circumstances. And though no media ever dared to claim such things out loud, the Hyuuga family was indirectly put to blame. Whatever happened after that, nobody quite knew. But roughly a week later, Neji's father had been found dead. Allegedly he'd committed suicide, despite having no prior record of depression or other mental illnesses. Conveniently, the other family withdrew their lawsuits and the rivalry subtly faded away. Nobody ever could, or even tried to for that matter, prove that either family would've gone as far as putting out a hit on one another, but a general acceptance of such an explanation still existed to this day.

Eye for an eye. _Lex talionis._ Whether people liked it or not, that simply was how the world worked.

Naruto came to realize his coffee had gone cold. The piece of hideously dry toast he'd forgotten on the table. Without even noticing, he'd sat there blankly staring at the stack of papers for several minutes, mind shooting blanks and chest tightening with some vague form of sadness. Neji hadn't deserved neither the life nor the death he'd had to endure. He hadn't deserved to be so mentally tortured and alone. Least of all should he have had to sacrifice his own self to a life of crime, only to achieve revenge for mistreatment he shouldn't have withstood in the first place. What a waste of good potential.

But if nothing else, at least he'd died the way he'd wanted. And not on a Monday.

The blonde shook his head clear of dark thoughts, stretched his stiff joints awake and glanced at the time. 11 a.m., surprised the clock on the wall. Later than he'd imagined. Mostly because Gaara was still asleep. Practically unheard of, yet perfectly understandable. After weeks' worth of virtually no sleep at all he did deserve it. Naruto on the other hand had woken up bright and early, a few minutes past seven. For no particular reason, really. He had no plans for today, had nothing urgent to get done. Well, not apart from the legal aftermath of Sasuke's passing. Which was something he really wished could've been avoided.

He was yet to handle the estate inventory, hadn't looked into the man's tax records, still had a handful of places to inform of his death, should've applied for a grant of representation, and hadn't even started to go through the boxes containing his friend's earthly possessions. Admittedly, this long list of things left undone sparked an urge to join said dear friend in death.

A sudden, mostly incoherent and clearly tired grunt behind him caused Naruto to flinch. He turned around, meeting perhaps the most exhausted disaster he'd ever encountered. Gaara stood there in the doorway looking like he'd crawled out of a grave. Barely awake, messy hair pointing into every direction possible and eyes staring emptily ahead. The fact that he'd barely bothered to dress himself in a pair of sweatpants and exactly one sock did speak in behalf of his general awareness. The blonde couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"Mornin', sunshine", he chuckled. Gaara released a tired groan.

"So glad you find my misery laughable", he mumbled, slowly dragging himself over.

Naruto merely chuckled anew, not minding the weight of a grown man crashing against him.

"Did you sleep well?" the blonde asked, wrapping his arms around the other's shoulders. He barely could make sense of the reply muttered against his neck.

"No idea. Might've just died for a few hours", the redhead mumbled tiredly.

Naruto had never heard him sound as sleepy. But now learned that he found it absolutely adorable.

"You're cute", he snorted, earning a displeased grunt in return.

"Am not", the man argued, yet tightened his hold around the blonde anyway. "I'm not cute, I'm evil and dangerous. Fear me."

"Ah, of course you are", Naruto chuckled, burying his face into red hair. "Absolutely nothin' cute 'bout you. _Especially_ not the fact that you're wearing only one sock."

The redhead paused, glanced down, grunted. "I fuckin' swear there was two of 'em."

Naruto huffed. "Maybe it feared you and ran away."

"Fuck. You."

Sneering laughter and a kiss on the cheek, that's what Gaara received in return. It hardly boosted the man's credibility as a blood lusting monster, so if only to humor his dented ego, Naruto abandoned his seat and went to pour the sulking thing a cup of coffee. Just as he was about to pass it to the redhead, the sound of a ringing phone interrupted him. Frowning, he grabbed the phone, handed Gaara his coffee and only then checked the caller. Naruto was immediate to cringe.

"Shit. I totally forgot", he muttered, mostly to himself.

"What?" the redhead asked between sips, but received no reply.

It was Shikamaru, the one calling. Rushing out a sigh that was doomed to happen, the blonde finally picked up.

"Hey, what's up?" he answered, letting himself lazily lean against the island counter. Gaara eyed him curiously, but said nothing.

"Hey, just calling to ask if you're home", Shikamaru said. Judging by the sound of rushed footsteps, he was on the move again.

"Yeah, I'm home", Naruto told. "Why?"

The other end of the line audibly smiled. "I just left the office for a lunch break. I'm gonna have to work overtime tonight, so I though I'd drop by now."

Naruto fell embarrassingly quiet. Not only had he forgotten he'd agreed to meet his friend, but certainly hadn't mentally prepared himself for what it'd inevitably involve. Glancing at Gaara, the blonde briefly wondered if it would've been overkill of him to commit a spontaneous murder-suicide only to avoid awkwardly explaining that he was more into dick than he'd originally planned.

"Uh, yeah. Sure", he eventually agreed, hoping he didn't sound as reluctant as he felt.

"Cool. See you in fifteen", Shikamaru chirped. His enthusiasm wasn't exactly contagious.

"Awesome. Bye", Naruto replied, falling short of sounding even casual.

The line went dead, as did the blonde's hopes of a peaceful day. Shutting his eyes in utter desperation and letting his head fall against the counter, he released a lengthy groan of mental pain. Mildly curious, Gaara raised a brow.

"You okay?" he questioned, while calmly continuing to sip from his cup. Naruto couldn't bother raising his head.

"No. Not at all", he whined hopelessly. "I might get fired."

The redhead tilted his head to the side. "Fired?"

He was offered no enlightenment right away. Naruto dwelt in his misery the while he deemed necessary, and Gaara allowed it. Eventually the blonde sighed and straightened his hunched over posture.

"A friend of mine's comin' over", he mumbled. "A friend from work."

"And?" Gaara asked, not quite following. Naruto glanced at him as if he were retarded.

"_And_, I'm not supposed to be sleepin' with clients. Let alone living with them."

"I'm not your client anymore", the redhead pointed out. Truthfully so, only it wasn't as simple as that.

"No, but you were. And not just any client", the other one explained. "Considering your charges, the initial conviction and how unlikable you are in general, I could at the very least be asked to resign."

Being the first to admit that he knew absolutely nothing of the field the blonde worked in, Gaara didn't really know what to say and blindly trying would've probably only made the matter worse. That was something Naruto seemed to have covered all on his own already. At least so did the utterly frustrated wail indicate.

"Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. I can't lose my job", he complained. "It's my only cover anymore."

Gaara couldn't help but scowl. He already knew where this was going.

"Let me guess", he spoke bitterly. "You gonna ask me to leave and not come back till they're gone."

The blonde flinched, as if surprised. Blue eyes turned to watch him filled with confusion and silent arguments.

"What?" Naruto asked, taken aback. The other one refused to face him.

"That's how this always goes, don't it?"

Naruto suddenly felt deeply shocked, somewhat disbelieving. But his shock was brief, quickly overcome by mild shame. While he hadn't intended to ask such a thing from the redhead, there was no denying that he'd given many reasons for him to expect it. Too many.

"No. It's not", he argued. "Not anymore."

Gaara scowled deeper, but didn't push away the one inching closer.

"Not even if it costs you your job?" he asked, audibly doubtful. Without hesitation, the blonde shook his head.

"Not even if it costs me my life."

A tad melodramatic, perhaps. But a solid decision nonetheless. It did seem to convince Gaara to an extent. Which gave Naruto just enough confidence to express a request or two.

"Just...let me handle it", he insisted. "And _please_ be nice to him. Last time you scared the livin' shit out of the poor guy."

The redhead frowned, but was quick to groan jadedly. "For the love of fuck, not _him_."

Naruto shot him a sharp glare. "Oh, _come on_. At least fuckin' try, dude."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll try", Gaara reluctantly complied. "The hell do you want me to do?"

"I don't know", the blonde said and shrugged. "Just...act normal."

The other man couldn't have looked less impressed. Naruto was fairly quick to realize he might as well have asked him to grow a third arm.

"Normal", the redhead repeated, narrowing his eyes. "Define normal."

He could've tried. Could've tried to define normalcy to this hell-raised incubus, but frankly, didn't enjoy wasting time enough to bother. It was so much easier to simply let him be as deranged and unpleasant as he was. Defeated, Naruto sighed.

"Forget it. Just...just be you."

Gaara tilted his head in a confused manner, but said nothing. Intentional or not, the blonde couldn't help but smile. So utterly oblivious to all things human, that man was. In the end, Naruto abandoned the idea of hurriedly editing any part of their life at all. Couldn't bother taking a rushed shower, wasn't interested in cleaning up the mess that their house was, didn't even tell Gaara to put a shirt on. Why bother, when keeping up appearances literally was the least of his worries? Perhaps it was this conscious decision to feel at ease that stopped Naruto from flinching when the knock on the door finally came. Strangely calm and composed, he opened the door and even mustered a smile. There Shikamaru stood, looking as well put together as ever.

"Well, well. Ain't you lookin' smart as shit", he chuckled, somewhat teasingly. The other one looked a tad surprised.

"Damn. Is that a smile?" he asked, genuinely taken aback.

"Told ya, didn't I?" Naruto huffed. "I'm okay."

"That's good", Shikamaru admitted. "Unexpected. But good."

The blonde could only shrug in return. He supposed a detailed description of what it'd taken for him to be as okay as he now was perhaps wasn't in order. Thus he skipped it, and moved on to something with equal potential for awkwardness.

"Well, since you wandered all the way here, come in", he suggested and stepped aside to invite the man in. Flashing a kind smile, Shikamaru did as requested.

"Thanks. It's certainly been a while since I last vis-"

Perhaps the most abrupt end to an unfinished sentence Naruto had ever heard. But one he'd been prepared for. Determined to keep his calm, the blonde shut the door and casually made his way over to the coffee machine. The remains of that morning's coffee had gone undrinkable. He'd have to brew a new batch.

"Coffee?" he asked the guest, not bothering to glance over.

There was no immediate reply. Too busy stupidly staring at the redhead seated by the counter, Shikamaru briefly forgot how to speak. Several thoughts ran through his mind in the time span of ten seconds. He primarily questioned the exact reliability of his eyesight, secondarily wondered if he'd gone crazy and was the only one seeing this man sit there. And if so, could he have gone insane enough to actually picture him doing something as lackluster as reading a newspaper and emptying a cup of instant ramen?

"Shika?"

Flinching at the sound of his own name, Shikamaru finally turned to face the blonde, the dumb look on his face remaining unaltered.

"Huh?" he asked, but was fairly quick to pull his act together. "_Oh_, coffee. Yeah. Coffee."

Well, partly together. Not much could be asked of a man as baffled as him.

"Two cups?" asked the blonde.

"Uh...sure."

Flashing a smile, Naruto turned back to the coffee machine, but did address the redhead as well.

"You want one?"

Without even glancing up from the newspaper, Gaara merely grunted in response. Shikamaru didn't speak 'impassive sociopath', but supposed it meant 'yes'.

Continuing to rudely stare at the redhead, he was distantly aware of how unnecessarily fascinated he was by a man doing in fact nothing but eating noodles. Considering the absolute lack of any attention he himself had received, he was giving an awful lot of it in return. Not once had the other man even as much as glanced at him. And most likely would never have bothered, hadn't Naruto finally released a supposedly subtle cough. Gaara, who'd been in the middle of stabbing chopsticks into the plastic container of ramen, paused and glanced at the blonde's turned back from the corner of his eye. Shikamaru couldn't claim he knew why the redhead looked as displeased as he did, but had a funny feeling it might've had something to do with him.

After a while of looking just generally annoyed, Gaara finally sighed and placed the cup in his hand on the counter. With a bit of an attitude, if in the need for details. He then lazily got up, turned to Shikamaru and took a step closer. Instinctively, Shikamaru flinched. Only barely could stop himself from taking a step back. Gaara didn't seem to notice, or maybe just didn't care. He closed the distance between them, stopped while the gap was still appropriate and then wordlessly extended his arm.

Shikamaru's lips parted in honest shock, gaze dropping to glance at the offered hand. For a while, he didn't know what to do, just stared at it. He couldn't claim he particularly wanted to take it. But as much as he would've wanted to decline the gesture, he just hadn't been brought up to be that rude. Thus he hesitantly and reluctantly grabbed the other's hand and shook it as firmly as he could in such a strange state of mind.

"I'm Gaara", spoke the redhead, clearly annoyed and uninterested. "Nice to meet you."

No, it obviously wasn't. For either of them. Not to mention they'd met already, under circumstances less than ideal. Yet despite the obscurity of it all, or perhaps because of it, Shikamaru was far too confused to do anything but answer accordingly.

"I-...Yeah. You too", he stuttered, forgetting to even introduce himself. Why he thought he should've, he couldn't say.

Before he'd even finished his sentence, the redhead already drew his hand away. He clearly wasn't shy to show his hate for social interactions. With that, the man turned around, walked back to his seat and continued doing what he'd been forced to interrupt. Reading the news. And eating instant ramen. With disposable chopsticks. Shirtless. Just a whole bunch of things perfectly safe, boring and normal.

"So, how are you?" Naruto asked, as he finally turned to face his friend.

Shikamaru took his sweet time tearing his gaze away from the redhead, but eventually did and tried to reply without being distracted by the notoriously dangerous ex-convict slurping goddamn noodles not even five feet away from him.

"I...I'm good", he muttered, barely coherently, stare wandering in the wrong direction again. "Just, working. Planning the wedding. Nothing spec-"

And that was precisely where he met his limit of withstanding weird shit without mentioning it.

"I'm sorry, but could we finally address the enormous elephant in the room?" he asked, audibly frustrated. "What _the hell_ is this? Why is he here? I thought you said you hadn't seen him in _months_."

Naruto shrugged, quite casually. "I hadn't. But that was, like, two months ago."

Shikamaru's jaw dropped, simply _dropped_. What was the deal with this casual tone of voice? The deal with that nonchalant shrug? The deal with those fucking noodles and the man obviously covered in mafia tattoos from head to toes eating them? He must've been dreaming. _Must've_.

"And what could _possibly_ have changed in _two goddamn months_?" he questioned, deeply confused and equally as disturbed. Naruto shrugged, yet again.

"We ran into each other", he stated calmly. "And then he just kinda moved back in with me."

Without exaggerating even the slightest bit, Shikamaru was only one dumb sentence away from literally losing consciousness.

"Ex..._cuse me_?" he exclaimed, very unlike his usual behavior. "You ran into him, so you decided to _ask him to move in_? Are you even listening to yourself?!"

It was a sight worth seeing, a man usually so calm and composed crumbling like a pillar of brittle clay.

"Technically, I didn't ask", Naruto argued in his defense. "He just sort of came home with me. And never left."

While Shikamaru took a second or two to grab onto the closest thing of solid material for support, Gaara finally spoke for the first time since his reluctant introduction.

"Bullshit. You told me to never leave you again. That counts", the redhead declared with one chopstick between his teeth.

"Whatever", mumbled the blonde.

Shikamaru had lost the ability to process words about three sentences ago and was dangerously drifting towards an anxiety attack of some sorts.

"I can't breathe. Your stupidity eats away my air", he spoke quietly, seeming somewhat detached and dissociated. "Is there something else I should know? Now's the time to tell cause I'd rather suffer only one cardiac arrest."

Finally, Naruto's calm surface shifted slightly towards discomfort. He glanced at Gaara, glanced at Shikamaru, but settled on watching the floor. For a while longer he hesitated, until finally building up his courage to just get it over with. It would only take a second, would only sting once. Reminding himself of that, he took a deep breath and forced the words out.

"Well, actually-"

Out of all the moments in infinite time, _that_ was the one at which someone uninvited decided to knock on the front door. Abruptly cut off by the unexpected sound, Naruto shut his open mouth and frowned in confusion. Even the so far generally disinterested Gaara bothered to lift his gaze up. A few seconds long silence consisting mostly of general wonderment followed, until a more demanding knock happened. Sighing tiredly, Naruto abandoned the discussion he'd intended on opening and made his way to the door. Though absolutely clueless of who could've been on the other side, he still hadn't expected those who actually were.

"Cutie!"

Face plastered with utter shock and the weight of a grown man suddenly thrown on and against him, Naruto struggled not to lose his balance. His voice nearly didn't make it out from behind the surprise.

"Sai?" he asked, only barely able to support the man suddenly tangled around him.

"I'm here too", spoke another, much softer voice.

Before hearing it, Naruto hadn't even realized somebody else was there too. But sure enough, standing on the threshold and carrying a small suitcase, was his petite friend from Fuchu.

"Haku?" he asked, gaze shifting between the two. "Wha-...what are you two doing here?"

"Came to see you, of course", Sai chuckled, nuzzling his face against the blonde's cheek.

Haku nodded wordlessly as confirmation, a bright smile spread across his youthful face. Though still very much surprised, Naruto couldn't help but release a laugh both happy and disbelieving.

"What the hell? Is there an actual reason behind this visit?" he asked, purely out of curiosity.

Sai was just about to answer, when his gaze traveled over to Gaara. He looked as generally annoyed as ever, but had gone as far as standing up. A sly smirk flashed on Sai's lips, as his notoriously man-hungry eyes gazed at the redhead's shirtless appearance.

"Damn. I would've flown over just for that", he admired with a low chuckle. Gaara's already scowling face grew even less amused.

"Did you fuckin' invite them?" he asked the blonde, clearly not enthusiastic.

"Nope", Naruto told.

The redhead scoffed. "Fuckin' splendid. They're like a disease."

Sai finally let himself down from the blonde's hold and instead turned to eye Shikamaru with an intrigued gaze. Surprised by these strangers and suddenly even more confused than before, Shikamaru had no idea how to react.

"Hmm...and who's this?" Sai then pried, narrowing his dark eyes.

Naruto tore his mildly worried gaze away from the alarming mountain of luggage now in his hallway, and turned to face the other people in the room. He then realized he'd nearly forgotten about Shikamaru.

"Oh, sorry", he mumbled apologetically. "This is a friend of mine. We work together. As...lawyers."

Somewhat of a strange addition, but very much intended. And _needed_. Thankfully, Sai seemed to take the hint right away.

"Ah, that's right. You and your law thing", he remembered, nodding vigorously. "Fancy. And hot."

It perhaps went without saying, but Shikamaru wasn't exactly accustomed to getting checked out by men, let alone did he know how to respond to being alluringly smiled at by one. Amazingly now a hell of a lot more uncomfortable than before, the man turned to silently beg for help from the blonde. But really all Naruto could do was offer an apologetic look and an awkward introduction.

"Shikamaru, meet Sai and Haku", he then told, just the slightest bit embarrassed. "Friends from...fuck, I don't even know. Life?"

The man smiled, so very forcibly. "Uh...nice to meet you both."

Haku was the only one to flash a kind smile in return, while Sai's curious stare simply turned utterly uninterested.

"Ugh. You're straight. How boring", he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Shikamaru wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel as strangely offended as he did.

"Oh well, doesn't matter", Sai shortly chirped and went back to hanging off the blonde. "I still have you, don't I?"

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Part of me, love."

He really should've known better than to trust Sai to tone down his shameless flirting. Being the sly little shit he was, he did not lack the balls to purr obscenities barely two inches from the blonde's face right then and there.

"Do I get to decide which one?"

Oh boy. If that weren't the sound of Gaara's blood reaching boiling point.

"Blondie, I fuckin' swear-"

"Yeah, yeah, got it."

This situation clearly was falling apart faster than Naruto could tape it back together. Not only was he juggling between a jealous hitman who would've had no problem turning a pair of chopstick into a lethal weapon, and an insatiable nymphomaniac lacking all sense of personal space, but also the friend who still had no idea why this situation was an absolute disaster to begin with. Just as Naruto thought things couldn't get any worse, Sai proved him so horribly wrong it was physically painful. A dramatic gasp flooding from the man's throat, he grabbed the blonde's left hand and lifted it for everyone to see. What followed, nearly caused Naruto to keel over with utter devastation.

"What the _fuck_ is that?!"

Another gasp and a swift turn to Gaara later, it got even worse.

"You _proposed_?_" _Sai exclaimed. "You two are _engaged_?"

Gaara scowled. "We call it eternal damnation. But yeah."

And alas, the timer on this social time bomb finally reached zero. A mere second of silence after, a tidal wave of questions, complaints and declarations of sudden seizures followed, and Naruto was the one it all came crashing down on. First one to scream out in horror, was of course Shikamaru.

"Fucking _excuse me_?!" he asked, nothing short of horrified. Haku's reaction on the other hand was far more excited than the first one's.

"Congratulations!" he wished, wholeheartedly ecstatic. Even if his soft voice nearly did drown underneath Sai's devastated objection.

"_No._ No, you _can't_ take cutie from me", the man complained, but received no sympathy.

"Already fuckin' did", Gaara grunted, as rude as ever. In the meantime, Shikamaru's face had gone awfully white.

"Is this a joke?" he questioned, glancing around as if not sure of the time and place. Really all he could make sense of was Sai's resentful voice still screaming at Gaara.

"I hate you. You're gorgeous, but I _hate_ you", the pale man declared, only to receive a disinterested scoff in return.

"See if I fuckin' care", the redhead huffed, while being stared at like something vile by Shikamaru.

"Please, someone tell me this is a joke", the lawyer desperately begged, only to go as ignored as before.

"When you gonna get married?" Haku chimed in again.

"_Never_", Gaara briefly replied. By then, Shikamaru could no longer stand without support.

"I...I can't breathe", he sincerely wheezed, loosening the tie around his neck.

This chaotic behavior continued for the while it took Naruto to fully register what'd just happened. Then followed the while he needed to accept what'd just happened. And finally, after a considerable amount of time and incoherent screaming all around him, his voice joined and overpowered every other one there.

"_Shut up_! Shut _the fuck_ up!"

Amazingly, they did. All of them fell quiet, only the sound of Shikamaru sweating the holy ghost out of him remaining. Not a sound Naruto had ever thought to be audible, yet somehow was. Once certain that all eyes were on him and not a peep was escaping anyone else, he finally addressed each and every one individually. Starting from the left, Haku was the first one up.

"Not gonna yell at you, you are adorable", he admitted, before turning to Gaara. "_You_, be less of a fucking cunt. It is _not _helping. And Sai, darling, as much as I love you, I still love the fucking cunt more. Trust me, _not _a matter of choice."

Lastly, there was Shikamaru. The man looked at him in disbelief, perhaps a hint of desperation mixed in. As if he'd silently begged for the blonde to tell it was a joke. Such steep denial could've been intimidating, but by that point, Naruto couldn't have cared less what the man thought of it.

"Yes. It's precisely what it looks like. Deal with it, or don't."

Silence fell. The only interaction worth mentioning was the quiet one between Naruto and Shikamaru. For a long while, neither one said a thing. But eventually, Shikamaru was forced to voice the biggest issue he had with this less than awaited confession.

"Naruto...you could lose your job", he spoke, almost as if he'd pitied the man. The blonde refused to let it brittle his confidence.

"I know. Doesn't matter", he stated with determination. "You wanna leave? I won't blame you."

The other man sighed, eyes shutting to hide reality for a brief moment.

"No, I don't", he eventually said. "An explanation is what I want."

Naruto found himself releasing a subtle breath of relief, before quickly gathering his composure back together.

"Yeah, you'll get one as soon as I've dealt with these two", he mumbled, turning to Sai and Haku.

The younger one looked as beaming and innocent as ever, while the other man couldn't possibly have come across any more bitter. Shaking his head at this sulking drama queen, Naruto laughed disbelievingly.

"You gonna get over this, pretty boy?" he huffed, well aware that Sai was merely putting on a show for the sake of one.

The pale man narrowed his dark eyes teasingly. "That depends. Shower me with attention, and I might."

"That's all I ever do", Naruto pointed out. Which wasn't far from the truth. Sai was a tough one to ignore.

"More. I need more", the man declared, and went to grab his heap of luggage. Gazing at it, Naruto wanted to swallow nervously.

"Uhm...exactly how long are you planning on staying?" he asked, afraid to learn the answer.

"Until I get bored", Sai shrugged and already turned to wander further into the house.

Only briefly did he pause before disappearing behind the corner. Turning to glance at the blonde once more, his lips curled into a radiant smile.

"But definitely not before you've taken me on that date you promised."

And with that, Sai strutted away with Haku tailing behind him, leaving Naruto to drop his jaw on the floor and Gaara twitching with awakening insanity.

"A fucking what?" growled the clearly murderous redhead. If only to avoid facing him, the blonde focused on shouting after Sai.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" he hissed, wondering what he'd done to deserve this. The distant reply was as carefree as expected.

"The gay, probably."

The blonde felt like crying. Shikamaru wasn't entirely sure what was going on, and Gaara was already on his way to dismantle Sai one limb at a time. Absolutely dreading having all these theatrical characters under the same roof for who knew how long to come, Naruto wished nothing more than to shoot his own head off. How his life had become a circus which he'd never willingly bought a front row ticket to, he couldn't say.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, after forbidding Gaara from dismembering Sai and somehow managing to bribe the man to entertain the two uninvited visitors, Naruto finally sat down with Shikamaru by the dining table. Though not entirely sure how the redhead understood the concept of entertainment, he supposed it'd all go effortlessly as long as the man just remained shirtless. Sai was a simple man, after all. And Haku admirably content with almost any given moment life had to offer.

"Here you go", Naruto sighed, as he finally was able to offer his friend the coffee he'd promised.

"Thanks", Shikamaru replied, mimicking the other's sigh.

For a while to come, they sipped coffee quietly and simply enjoyed the long awaited silence. But as soon as they both could breathe with ease again, the blonde cut straight to the chase.

"Ask. I know you want to", he stated, though not rudely. Shikamaru glanced at him, paused to hesitate, but eventually flashed a weak smile.

"How are you?" he asked, somewhat surprising the other one. It wasn't the question Naruto had expected, but found it worth a light chuckle.

"Well, I'm...whatever the hell that just was", he settled as a reply. The other man smirked.

"Fair enough", he agreed, taking another sip of coffee. "I gotta admit, not exactly what I expected to walk into."

"I know", Naruto admitted. "If it's any consolation, this was never my plan."

"What was your plan, then?" Shikamaru pried.

Good question. One Naruto found difficult to answer.

"I don't know", he eventually told. "Nothing, really. Maybe that's why it ended up this way."

The other man's gaze grew curious. "You happy with the way it turned out?"

Another good question. But much easier to answer.

"Hn. Yeah, I am", he assured, in fact honestly. Shikamaru seemed pleased enough.

"Well, I guess that's what counts", he supposed, but was quick to grow mildly restless. "I just gotta ask..._How_? How on earth could this happen?"

"How does it ever happen?" Naruto huffed, no wiser than the other. "Out of the blue. Like a kick in the teeth. Quite literally, actually. Just...happened."

The other man frowned. "When?"

The blonde shifted uncomfortably. Admittedly, it was a question he rather would've left unanswered. But firmly believing that his friend deserved nothing less than the truth, he was forced to suck it up.

"I'm...not entirely sure. Irreversibly, the day he got out on bail", he awkwardly revealed. "But initially, probably the first time I ever met him."

As expected, Shikamaru visibly flinched as he fought to keep any rash reactions on the inside. Taking a deep breath, he politely filtered his words before introducing them to the real world.

"Since the _start_?" he questioned, understandably shocked. "During the trial? While he still was under investigation?"

Admitting it out loud felt too difficult, thus Naruto settled on simply nodding. At a loss for words to some degree, Shikamaru could only bury his fingers into the long hair neatly tied back and release a lengthy breath of frustration.

"Good god, blondie...I'm so worried for your job right now", he told, somewhat apologetically. "I mean, it's not a fucking secret that he's done shady shit. The guy's _covered _in yakuza tattoos."

"I'm tattooed as well. You know that", Naruto huffed in defense. It hardly convinced his friend to any great extent.

"Not the same thing. You were a kid. Never arrested, never convicted. Never a part of _nationwide_ crime."

The blonde dropped his gaze to the floor. He had no intention of correcting the other man, and thus said nothing at all. Shikamaru wasn't one to push it, but also wasn't one to keep valid opinions unvoiced.

"He got you into trouble, didn't he?" he reminded. "What if it happens again?"

Naruto was beginning to feel uneasy with the amount of tender subjects he was forced to keep suppressed.

"Trust me, there's nothing he wouldn't do to keep be unharmed", he assured. "He's made mistakes. But he doesn't run away from responsibility."

Shikamaru paused briefly, before nodding. "Okay. I trust your judgment."

"Really?" Naruto asked, sincerely surprised. "You're okay with this?"

"No", the other one admitted. "But you're my friend. I'm not gonna judge you for something you have no control over."

It was a reassuring thing to hear the man say. Which Naruto wanted to show his gratitude for by offering a kind smile. But the smile only visited on his lips briefly, before dying beneath the weight of mild worry.

"You gonna rat me out?" he asked. The other one frowned, but then shook his head.

"No. It's none of my business."

The blonde released a lengthy breath, not bothering to tone down his sincere relief. Though it was true that he didn't care about his job more than he cared about Gaara, he did still care about it to an extent. For practical reasons, mostly.

"Thanks", he sighed, then growing slightly awkward. "I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself. I'd rather tell people myself."

Shikamaru nodded understandingly. "Sure."

"Do _not_ tell Ino", Naruto quickly specified. "Tell her, and the whole city knows in a matter of minutes."

"True", Shikamaru agreed. "I'm assuming your ex-wife doesn't know."

The blonde's gaze was quick to grow dark. "No. And she don't have to."

"Why?" asked the other one, admittedly curious.

Naruto scowled. "As irrelevant as she is to me now...I still feel bad for cheating on her."

"Hn. So what she doesn't know, can't hurt her?" Shikamaru implied, not exactly judgmental, but a tad skeptic.

"More like...what she don't know, I won't have to deal with", Naruto admitted. It was selfish, but really just human nature.

"Have you seen her?" his friend pried. Shaking his head, the blonde tried not to look as relieved as he felt.

"No. And I really hope I won't have to ever again", he told. "She's finally stopped neurotically calling me."

"That's...nice, I guess", Shikamaru supposed, as he couldn't possibly have known.

He'd never had to deal with clingy exes, thankfully. But the thought did remind him of something else clingy.

"Oh, yeah. I nearly forgot", he suddenly said. "There's someone who's come looking for you at the office for the past two weeks already."

The blonde frowned. "Who?"

"Someone called Kakashi, if I remember correctly", told the other man.

Naruto was quick to groan tiredly, only barely avoiding the cringe prying its way through. As much as he hated to admit, he had only himself to blame. Just like everybody else he knew, Kakashi had been calling for weeks by then. He'd declined all his calls, as he now apparently did to everyone. Though he wasn't sure if he even wanted to know, he had to ask what the man had wanted to see him for.

"Shit. You know why he's lookin' for me?" he asked reluctantly. Shikamaru shrugged.

"All he said was that it's important. Something to do with a case he's working on. That's all I know."

Naruto nodded, fighting back a minor breakdown. There were only so many things Kakashi could've wanted to see him for. None of them pleasant, and one that practically screamed trouble.

"That's just...fuckin' fantastic", the blonde muttered, audibly distressed.

The other man frowned, mildly worried. "How so?"

Naruto let his forehead fall against the table, half of his speech drowning against the wooden surface.

"Well...let's just say he's not Gaara's biggest fan", he explained. "Determined to bust him for something. _Anything_."

"Is there something he should be busted for?" the other one questioned, raising a meaningful brow. The blonde was quick to dodge the question.

"That's not the point", he murmured, raising his lowered head. "The point is that the man is fuckin' relentless. If he finds out Gaara's back, he'll probably put up a tent on my front lawn and just live there."

Shikamaru chuckled. "I wish I could say you didn't have this coming. That's what you get for being engaged to shady men."

"Eternally damned, and to just one."

"I stand corrected."

There was no way around it, Naruto supposed. Whether he liked it or not, he'd eventually have to face Kakashi and his all-seeing eyes. Truly, that man's vision was an integrated lie detector. But if there was any upside to it, at least he'd gotten a heads up. Keen on not stressing about it in advance, he shook the thought away and changed the subject entirely.

"How 'bout you and your looming damnation? When's the wedding?"

Shikamaru found himself releasing a groan he hadn't exactly planned. The strained sound of it caused the blonde to question his excitement.

"In two weeks", Shikamaru mumbled.

Naruto had never imagined it'd be possible to feel second-hand stress, but was certain he did now. Frowning in mild confusion, he couldn't help but point out the tone of his friend's voice.

"I know I'm probably the last guy on earth you'd come to for relationship advice, but shouldn't you be a little more excited?" he wondered. "You're gettin' married, not murdered."

The other man sighed, so very jadedly. An askance glance and an uneasy shift later, he dropped his gaze to his lap.

"Can I be honest?" he grunted.

The blonde nodded. "Please."

Another short while of reluctance went by before Shikamaru could find the best way to phrase his thoughts. Even before he got the words out, Naruto could already tell it was something the man hadn't spoken of before.

"I...I don't know if I can go through with it."

The blonde's blue eyes widened with subtle shock. Understandably so. Shikamaru wasn't a man who often admitted to making misjudgments. Which again led Naruto to somewhat downplay the value of this sudden confession.

"You're just nervous", he comforted. "It's normal to have second thoughts 'bout shit like this."

Shikamaru was quick to shake his head. "I'm not nervous. I'm petrified."

Naruto didn't know what to say in return. Just by looking at his friend, he could tell the man was telling the truth. He sat stiff and still, shoulders rigid as stone. The look on his face was a silent scream of despair and nothing less. But though this extremely unusual display of dread was surprising on its own, the words that fell out of his mouth only added to it.

"Ever since you got divorced, I've been absolutely terrified by the idea of marriage."

Well, wasn't that reassuring. Naruto clearly hadn't felt enough guilt in his lifetime, so the tsunami of it now washing over him must've been perfectly reasonable. Shutting his eyes as an alternative to a cringe, the blonde wished he'd been anything but the walking definition of a bad example.

"Please, don't use my failed marriage as a baseline", he pleaded. "It was a disaster to begin with. She didn't love me the way I was, I never loved her at all. I just didn't realize it before I fell in love with someone else."

Shikamaru said nothing right away. For a while he continued staring at his own hands, a thoughtful look playing on his frowning features. Finally, he asked a question Naruto had never thought he'd hear from a man as generally ingenious as him.

"How'd you know you'd fallen in love?"

A faceful of bafflement was all the blonde could offer for a while to come. He'd never planned on having a discussion of this nature with this particular friend. They'd never been the kind to share thoughts as personal before. It did feel strange, but that was something he eventually decided to ignore. Shikamaru obviously was in an uncomfortable position. If he could ease it by answering a question, he'd certainly try.

"I didn't. For a long time, I didn't realize it", Naruto found himself admitting. "But I guess...it was just different. _He_ was different. With her, I never learned to live in the moment. I never found her...irresistible. Or extraordinary. She was just...a pretty face. I tried, but never learned to love her. I only ever loved the idea of her."

Shikamaru huffed, somewhat desperately. "Isn't that enough? To love an idea?"

Naruto wished he wouldn't have had to prove the other's questions to be nothing but wishful thinking.

"If it was, I wouldn't have risked it all just to be with someone who's the walkin' definition of a terrible idea."

Not the answer Shikamaru had hoped for. But an answer he was forced to accept as the truth nonetheless. He wasn't sure why he'd asked, when deep down he'd already known. Somehow, it only made it more difficult for him to reveal why he'd questioned it at all.

"I met someone."

His voice, it sounded empty and flat. As if he'd waited to say the words for so long, they'd already lost their meaning. Naruto tried, but failed to conceal his shock.

"You slept with someone else?" he questioned. Shikamaru shook his head.

"No. I wouldn't do that", he assured. "I just...met someone."

Naruto was quick to go stupid with curiosity. "When? Where?"

"Two months ago. On the train", he told, thoughts obviously wandering. "The most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Blue eyes, dark hair. Almost black."

The blonde found himself smirking. "I thought you preferred blondes."

"Hn. I usually do", Shikamaru admitted. "Didn't seem to matter this time."

Naruto nodded, somewhat thoughtful. "So...she's the reason you're havin' second thoughts, then?"

"No", said the other man. "But she's enforcing them."

"Have you been seein' her?" the blonde pried. Shikamaru shook his head.

"I've only seen her the one time", he insisted. "But she gave me her number. I've called nearly everyday."

"Does she know you're gettin' married?" Naruto wanted to know.

"Yeah, she knows", Shikamaru sighed. The blonde couldn't help but narrow his eyes curiously.

"What does she think of that?" he bluntly inquired. As if it'd been any of his business.

"It...frustrates her", his friend supposed. "She hasn't told me not to do it. But did say she wouldn't hesitate to be with me, if that's what I want."

Naruto frowned. "You obviously do."

"You have no idea", Shikamaru said, audibly desperate. "But I just can't do that to Ino. We've been together for so long. What we have is safe and familiar and...good enough. I'd have to be an idiot to give all that up."

"I did. Turned out fine", the blonde pointed out. Shikamaru grunted.

"But you _are_ an idiot", he countered, though only halfheartedly. Naruto flashed a smirk.

"At least I'm a happy idiot."

He managed to force his friend silent. A slightly disbelieving look playing on the sharp features, Shikamaru frowned.

"He really does make you happy, huh?" he muttered. The blonde nodded, smiling weakly.

"Yeah", he huffed. "_Never_ thought I'd say this, but that lunatic is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Shikamaru could only shake his head in an amused manner. As unbelievable as it was to him, the blonde seemed to be telling the truth. Who was he to undermine it?

"Well, congrats on your deranged happiness. To both of you."

"Thanks. I'll let the psycho know."

A silence might've followed, hadn't an unexpected voice from the doorway robbed their chance of one.

"What 'bout me?"

Both men flinched, turning to glance over their shoulders at the observer gone unnoticed. Gaara stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms folded and a curious look narrowing his otherwise dull gaze. He'd finally put on a shirt. Naruto could only assume Sai's voracious nature had managed to disturb even a man like him. Flashing a weak smile, the blonde shook his head.

"Nothing", he assured. "How'd you get away from the man-eater?"

The redhead sighed, so very tiredly. "I'd rather not say."

"That bad?" the blonde chuckled.

Lazily dragging himself over, Gaara stopped behind the other's seated form and wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders. Without even deciding to do so, Shikamaru turned is gaze away.

"The twink now owns a shirtless picture of me flipping him off, and I own the right to castrate the bitch if he ever mentions what he uses it for", the redhead mumbled sourly.

"As if it ain't obvious", Naruto snorted, then frowned, then scowled. "That whore. I'm gonna light his fuckin' phone on fire."

"Jealous much?" asked Gaara, taking a seat beside the blonde.

"You ain't one to talk", scoffed the other one, and quite rightfully so. The redhead rolled his eyes in return.

"You ain't ever gonna let it go, are you", he muttered, lighting a cigarette. "It was _one _fuckin' time. And the cunt had it comin'."

Naruto glanced at him unimpressed. "You went to _jail_."

"I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear that", Shikamaru briefly chimed in with a defeated huff. Not that either one listened.

"You're worth jail, angelface", smirked the redhead. Naruto fought not to melt, but did a little bit anyway.

"Ugh. I hate that I can't hate you anymore", he mumbled, absolutely annoyed.

Gaara looked irritatingly pleased with himself, Shikamaru just generally uncomfortable. Realizing that he was the one in charge of conversation in this threesome, Naruto cleared his throat less than casually.

"So...how's things at work?" he asked his friend, who in return did his best to aim for a neutral tone.

"Same old", he shrugged. "Your secretary did take a few days off. I heard she tried calling, but you never answered."

Naruto fought not to cringe at his own stupidity. He certainly had become a rude waste of space, hadn't he.

"Uh, that's...probably true", he admitted. "Why'd she take time off? Did something happen?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Family issues. Apparently her cousin has gone missing."

A wave of sudden dread washed over the blonde. Somehow, he had entirely forgotten the fact that the two had been related. _How_ could he have forgotten that Hinata was part of the Hyuuga family? Falling perfectly silent, he glanced at Gaara. The redhead seemed as calm as ever. He obviously possessed more authority over himself than Naruto ever would.

"Is that so?" the blonde muttered, fighting not to stutter. "What happened?"

Shikamaru shrugged, not noticing the sudden tension. "Nobody knows. No evidence of abduction has been found, so they're investigating it as a voluntary disappearance. Or so she told me, anyway."

"Must be tough for her", Naruto commented, fighting the urge to yell out in relief.

"Must be", his friend agreed. "But she's back now. And really pissed that you aren't. Her desk is invisible underneath all the paperwork you've been neglecting for the past few weeks."

"Shit. Tell her I'll be there later this week", the blonde sighed, admittedly ashamed. "I just gotta go through Sasuke's belongings before I get started with the legal stuff."

Shikamaru nodded, then frowned. "How are you really coping with his death? You seem too okay for me to buy it."

Before Naruto could even consider telling a sugarcoated version of the truth, Gaara already offered the uglier one.

"He spent ten consecutive days blind drunk, wouldn't eat, wouldn't speak, didn't leave the bed, and when he finally did, he beat me up. Trust me, it took a lot of nasty shit for him to be okay."

Silence ensued. Silence of the awkward kind. Shikamaru regretted ever asking, and Naruto hated that Gaara did not understand the concept of privacy. The redhead did acknowledge the tension he'd created, but hardly cared.

"You asked", he grunted. Shikamaru made a certain type of face.

"I'll never ask anything again", he promised, and coughed uncomfortably. "I better start going. Still got that overtime to get done."

Sending a silent glare to the inconsiderate moron on his left, Naruto left his seat to walk his friend to the door. Just before leaving, Shikamaru stopped by the open door and turned to look at the blonde with a crooked smile on his face.

"Thanks for the coffee. And the cardiac arrest", he chuckled, amused enough. Naruto returned the lopsided smirk.

"Anytime", he replied, then turning more serious. "Listen, dude...think carefully 'bout what you wanna do. Don't rush into somethin' you ain't sure of."

Shikamaru's smile grew less prominent. "Yeah. I will. I'll let you know how it turns out."

The blonde nodded. "Cool. Just make sure I won't have to drag myself to a wedding you don't show up at."

"I won't", Shikamaru grunted, not exactly carefree. "I'll figure it out. See you at work."

"Yeah, see you", Naruto told his friend's already turned back.

With the soft click of a door closing, Shikamaru left. Pausing to sigh, Naruto felt equally as relieved as he did thoughtful. With the dreaded confrontation now over, he felt less uneasy. Strangely, it'd gone both better and worse than he'd planned. The execution of it hadn't been exactly as tactful as he'd hoped, but the reception far better than he'd even dared to dream. All in all, not the best, but neither the worst moment of his life so far. Abandoning the closed door, Naruto made his way back into the kitchen. There he met the redhead's mildly amused stare, to which he responded with an immaturely bitter one. A deep chuckle flooding from his lips, Gaara put out his burnt cigarette.

"You told me to be myself, didn't you?" he reminded, grabbing the blonde's wrist to pull him closer.

"Hn. I forgot how much you suck", Naruto mumbled, reluctantly dragging along.

"Don't be mad, angel. It ain't gonna make me suck less", the redhead pointed out. Dropping down to straddle the other one, the blonde couldn't help but smirk.

"There's like a million dirty jokes I could make right now", he snorted. Gaara smirked, hands wandering their way underneath the other's shirt.

"How 'bout you tell them all while I make 'em come true?" he suggested, inching his crooked smile closer to the blonde's.

"That depends. You gonna suck as much as you usually do?"

One joke down. A million minus one to go. The redhead chuckled against the other's lips.

"I can't believe a joke that fuckin' bad can turn me on."

Naruto hummed smugly. "Bullshit. I'm just funny as fuck."

"Hn, sure", the redhead huffed. "Screw the rest of you. It obviously is your sense of humor that makes you the hottest thing I've ever laid my eyes on."

The blonde narrowed his eyes. He hated the way Gaara always managed to insult and compliment him simultaneously. Perfectly balanced, both terrible and flattering. Very confusing.

"You're damn lucky you ain't ugly. Your personality's shit", he grunted, and stifled any potential remarks by blocking that sarcastic hole in the other's face with his own.

An amused chuckle was all the redhead gave in return, in no way bothered by the means of silencing used. Having missed the blonde's touch, genuine smile and overall existence more than his egoistic pride could comfortably admit, he would've been content just holding him there for the rest of the day. But considering the pair of flamboyant attention magnets they now were housing, his wishes fell short of being worth even shit.

"You mind if I watch?"

Interrupted by the unexpected question, Naruto opened his eyes to find Sai staring from the doorway with a sly smirk on his lips. Haku stood there beside him, smiling as radiantly as ever. A defeated groan falling from his lips, the blonde turned to face Gaara.

"Mark my words. As long as he's here, neither of us is suckin' anything."

Leaving the redhead to scowl at thin air, he got on his feet and met his intrusive friends by the doorway. Laying a narrowed gaze on the smirking bastard, Naruto huffed.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" he asked, lightheartedly questioning the man's reason to be there. Sai merely flashed a smile too enthusiastic to be entirely genuine.

"Yep", he told, wandering over to the kitchen cabinets to take a peek inside. "I also should be straight and married with children, yet here I am in all my flaming homosexuality."

"Won't they fire your flamin' ass?" the blonde questioned, watching his nosy friend investigate the cupboards. What he hoped to find, was anybody's lucky guess.

"Flamin' ass. You're offering me dirty jokes on a silver plate, ain't ya", Sai snorted, closing yet another cabinet door. "No, they won't. They need me more than they hate me."

"So you literally flew over just to flip 'em off?" Naruto questioned.

Before Sai could reply, Gaara answered in everybody's behalf.

"The twink's a walkin' middle finger. The hell you think?" he mumbled bitterly. Sai chuckled, but never denied it.

"I'm here cause I missed ya, cutie", he said, tilting his head at the unexpected sight of a handgun among cutlery. "And cause the lil' one paid for my ticket."

Seeing Haku nod in confirmation, Naruto rolled his eyes. "And there's the real reason."

Sai couldn't bother replying. Having run out of cabinets to look inside, a disappointed frown fell upon his features. Letting out a low grunt, he voiced his frustration.

"Really? No alcohol in a household like this?"

It would've been the perfect chance for awkward silence to make itself at home in the room. But frankly, Naruto couldn't bother feeling neither awkward nor ashamed anymore. Instead he simply replied truthfully.

"Since I'm a walkin' alcohol problem, no", he reminded. Sai tilted his head curiously.

"Hm, I nearly forgot", he admitted. Never having expected anyone to keep track of all his personal issues, Naruto took no offense.

"So did I. Until Sasuke decided to go and fuckin' die", he muttered quietly, barely coherently. Yet just loud and clear enough for Sai to catch it.

This time, silence did fall. But not of the awkward kind. Instead it had tones of sadness and sympathy to it. Sighing, Sai supposed he might as well be as straightforward as the blonde had been.

"That's really why we're here", he admitted, flashing a weak smile. "But I guess you already knew that."

"Hn. Yeah", Naruto huffed, dropping his gaze to the floor. "Thanks."

Sai's gaze softened, head tilting to the side. For a while he continued watching the blonde's obvious struggle not to look as sad as he felt, before finally making his way over and pulling the man into a consoling hug. Naruto wasn't one to turn those down and thus gladly accepted the gesture. Face buried in dark hair and a heavy sigh escaping his lips, he wasn't the least bit ashamed to take advantage of the comforting hold. Just like Sai didn't mind it being utilized.

"We'll fix you, cutie. We'll make you okay again", the man assured, placing a soft peck on the other's cheek.

The blonde's reply was more of an incoherent grunt than anything else. "I'm unfixable."

"No you're not. I've fixed disasters worse than you", Sai assured. Naruto opened his eyes and sighed.

"Is the hand moving towards my ass an essential part of fixin' me?" he questioned, not bothering to feel surprised.

He didn't have to look to know Gaara was every bit as annoyed as Sai was amused.

"I have no idea what you're talkin' about", the pale man claimed.

Lies, such bold lies. Which would bare consequences, as the redhead shortly pointed out.

"You're literally three inches away from being murdered, fairycake, so knock it the fuck off", he growled, glaring at the touch in fact exactly three inches away from crossing a crucial line.

Sai said nothing, merely flashed a sly grin and stared the redhead directly in the eyes. Gaara stared right back, clearly daring him to do it just to make killing him justified. Naruto was in the middle of wishfully thinking that these two couldn't possibly be as childish as they seemed, when he did feel a hand squeeze his backside. Firmly, with determination. Like a shameless declaration of suicidal behavior. The blonde barely had the chance to close his eyes in frustration before Sai had already sprinted away with a sneering cackle flooding from his throat, Gaara racing after him as fast as physics allowed. Left to listen to the redhead chase down the blatant "fairycake", Naruto tried not to feel as hopeless as he wanted to. Turning to look at Haku, who stood there poorly stifling his laughter, he wondered how the boy had thought bringing Sai under the same roof as Gaara could've been an idea worth actualizing.

"Why, sweetheart, _why_ would you do this to me?" he questioned, so very desperate.

Loud crashes of something or other breaking traveled from across the house, followed by malicious insults from one immature moron and twisted giggling from another.

"You can't claim it won't keep you busy", Haku replied.

He had a point. But whether or not it was worth what Naruto could only imagine to be the thud of Gaara finally catching Sai and tackling him to the ground, he wasn't entirely sure. Realizing that there was no use in crying over spilled milk, he could only accept his fate and try to make sure spilled milk didn't turn into spilled blood. Sighing tiredly, he armed himself with the first item suitable for detaching a psychotic mass murderer from the nation's easiest throat to blow a load inside. His weapon of choice; a frying pan. At last it'd be of some use in that household.

"C'mon, cute one. We got a murder to prevent", Naruto mumbled, making his way towards sounds no words could really describe.

In the end, his frying pan remained as useless as it'd been so far. They did find the two morons on the living room floor. And it did look worrying to an extent. The much smaller Sai pinned to the floor face first by the much stronger redhead, it could've ended badly. But every instance Gaara tried to inflict pain upon his still grinning victim, Sai would let out the most sexual moan any of them had ever heard. The redhead eventually grew to be more confused than homicidal. Against all odds, the smaller one officially managed to out-weird the notoriously twisted man to the point of him rather admitting defeat. Sai lived, Gaara became traumatized for life, and Naruto absolutely terrified of what horrors he'd still have to endure. He dreaded to even imagine, though undoubtedly had sinned more than enough to deserve all of it.

Maybe this was it, Karma finally catching up. Maybe this was his _lex talionis._

* * *

**What the everloving fuck? Over 600,000 words? I feel I might've gone a bit overboard with this shit. If I'd known this would just drag on forever, I would've cut it into parts. For fuck's sake.**

**And to think I actually have an itch to make a sequel.**

**On a completely unrelated note; firmly believes that the word "bítcoin" is unacceptable (hence the retarded looking "i"), and keeps erasing the first half of the word if I attempt to include it in correct written form. What a load of shit, good sir. Utter shit, I say.**


End file.
